768 PLANTS OF NEW SOTJTH WALES, 



and in New South Wales bet-ween 60 and 70, those of Queensland 

 are above 100. This order, indeed, is usually more abundant in 

 tropical and semi-tropical countries, and it is found to diminish 

 in numbers in more temperate regions, and very few ascending 

 into alpine or cold climates (Bentham). All the large trees of 

 the Euphorbiacece (with the exception of Phyllanthus Ferdinandi 

 and Claoxylon australe) occur principally in the Northern parts of 

 the Colony and. in Queensland, amongst which the poisonous 

 Exccecaria Agallocha is the most to be dreaded on account of the 

 injury which the juice does to the eyes. A similar remark, in 

 reference to the size and number of the Urticece, may be made as 

 that already applied to the Euphorbiacece ; for whilst in Victoria 

 four genera are represented respectively by a single species 

 (Plants of Victoria, F.v.M.), and New South Wales has scarcely 

 20 good species, the number in Queensland is nearly 50, includ- 

 ing some trees of good size, as well as several gigantic species of 

 Ficus. According to Baron Mueller F. scabra or aspera, extends 

 through Eastern Australia and to Polynesia, whilst the Nettle- 

 tree, in one form or other, occurs occasionally from Illawarra to 

 Rockingham Bay. 



The order Casuarinece, which furnishes the trees popularly 

 termed oaks, consists of a single genus, and the species do not 

 exceed 7 in any of the Eastern Colonies, The occurrence of a 

 Beech (Fagus MooreiJ in New South Wales is remarkable, and, 

 being closely allied to F. Cunninghami, it seems to form another 

 link between the Elora of Australia and Tasmania. Of the 

 Santalacece, the Quandong (Fusanus acuminatusj does not extend 

 to Queensland, but the "Native Currant" (Leptomeria acidaj 

 and the " Native Cherry " (Exocarpus cupressiformisj are common 

 to the three colonies. The Conifers of Australia consist of 1 1 

 genera and about 26 species, of which 4 only occur in Victoria, 

 and 8 or 9 in New South Wales and Queensland. Araucaria 

 Cunninghami and A. Bidwillii, Dammara robusta, and Podocarpus 

 data are splendid trees, limited for the most part to Queensland 



