142 FLORA OF STRADBROKE ISLAND 



The most beautiful of the flowering plants are mot with in the 

 large swamps or along their margins. Philydrum lanuginosum, 

 Banks, which on the main land seldom rises above three feet, we 

 noticed over six feet high with correspondingly large foliage and 

 flowers, reminding one of the New Zealand flax. Drosera linata 

 Labill., which is a small weed in Tasmania, here occurs with 

 flower stalks two to three feet high. Equal in height with these 

 are the curiously twice-forked leaves measuring often one foot in 

 diameter. Here also the Xyris opereulata, Labill., produces large 

 bright yellow attractive flowers. But the most beautiful of these 

 swamp flowers are the two forms of Blandfordia, B.flammula,' 

 Hook., and its golden variety " aurea" ; these plants attain the 

 height of three or four feet, and bear at the summit of the stalks 

 a number of bell-shaped flowers about two inches long. 



Two species of Xanthorrhcea inhabit these swamps. X macronema 



F.v.M., which bears the largest flowers of the genus is a very 

 showy plant and well worthy of garden cultivation. The other 

 species is X hastilis, E. Br. It is somewhat remarkable that no 

 Queensland habitat is mentioned in the Flora Australiensis for 

 this species, considering it is so plentiful on the island, and also 

 that its flower spikes are used by the natives to make into a kind 

 of beer. They collect the abundant juice from the nectary and 

 allow it to ferment. 



In viewing the extensive swamps of Stradbroke one cannot 

 help feeling somewhat surprised that they should be allowed to 

 be idle when they are so admirably adapted for rice cultivation. 

 With regard to the richness of the soil one has only to look at 

 the luxuriance of the natural vegetation, and this is so striking 

 as to cause one to think that instead of plants of unusually 

 luxuriant growth one had fallen in with new species. The 

 land is Hat, but easily drained and of large extent. In parts 

 where the swamps are timbered is seen in perfection the superb 

 orchid, Phaius grandifolius, Lour., and its yellow variety Bemaysii, 

 with the other lovely terrestrial orchid Calcmthe veratrifolia, Bl. ; 



