139 



On the Flora of Stradbroke Island, witii a description of 



new species. 



By F. M. Bailey, F.L.S., &c. 



Tlio above island lias been visited by botanists, and yet its 

 flora is not well known. I made a visit to it some short time 

 since in company with the Rev. B. Scorteehini, a member of this 

 Society and an indefatigable worker in the flora of South 

 Queensland. The island forms one of the south and east 

 boundaries of Moreton Bay. It is about forty miles in length, 

 and seven wide. It is of somewhat wedge-shaped form. 

 It seems to be mainly composed of loose drift sand, and may 

 at one time have been a bank drifted up from the ocean similar 

 to those which now make Moreton Bay so shallow or so difficult 

 of navigation. The sand hills on the island are of considerable 

 height, with large freshwater swamps between. There is not 

 much grass, and what there is becomes coarse in the scrubs, but 

 in places where there is not much timber a fair turf is formed. 

 Spots may be found where Loysia punycns, Willd., forms a turf 

 almost equal to the couch or Cynodon dactylon, Pers. 



The timber consists of a few Eucalypti, conspicuous amongst 

 which is M. Planclioniana, F.v.M., a tree hitherto thought confined 

 to the Eight Mile Plains on the Logan road. E. rohusta, Sm., is 

 of frequent occurrence round the edge of the swamps. There 

 are several Banlcsia : B. semula, P. Br., is the most abundant and 

 forms a large spreading tree. Its wood constitutes the principal 

 fuel used at the Benevolent Asylum at Dunwich on this island. 

 The other trees are Casuarina, Acacia, Frenela, Timonius Rumphii, 

 Poxb., &c. The shrub Micinocarpus pinifolim, Desf., here grows 

 up into a small fastigiall tree like a little Cypress. It flowers 

 profusely and is one of the most beautiful of Australian shrubs. 

 Leptosperma, Melaleuca and plants of Epaeridece are numerous, but 

 it will suffice here to mention only those whoso Queensland 



