'^*'^:''| Sutton, A Sketch of the Keilor Plains Flora. 117 



natural conditions had continued, the whole area would have 

 maintained a growth of trees in the shape of open forest, the 

 reasons for the present cover being partly climatic, partly 

 edaphic, and partly secular. 



The Grass-Steppe. 



It will help, in describing the flora of the grass-land, to contrast 

 with it that of the coastal sands, with which we are all so 

 familiar. In the first place, while this latter presents only two 

 seasonal "aspects" — the blossoming time of spring and early 

 summer (spring aspect) and the dull sage-green of the rest of 

 the year (autumn aspect) — the plains exhibit three phases. 

 Only in autumn and early winter is the general greenness of 

 the dominant grasses almost unrelieved by blossoming plants 

 (autumn aspect). Long before the winter is past many species 

 are in flower, and by September the ground is golden with 

 numerous composites, which play by far the greatest part in 

 forming the spring aspect. Later, when the hot sun has burnt 

 the grasses to a uniform brownness, many of this great order, 

 with a sprinkling of other plants, long continue to brighten the 

 uniform drab of the summer aspect. The fires of spring, as 

 we know indeed, never quite die down, but always some ev^er- 

 bloomer like Convolvulus enibescens or Wahlenbergia, some 

 belated or precocious plants, keep their flags bravely flying, 

 and link one flowering season with the next. 



Although some hundred or more species are common to each 

 formation, it is soon evident, on the most cursory survey, that 

 none of those most characteristic of the Sandringham flora * are 

 to be found on the basalt ; Leptospermums, Hibbertias, 

 Epacrids, Ricinocarpus, Amperea, Isopogon, Aotus, Casuarina 

 distyla, Bossicea cinerea, all are absent. Correa speciosa certainly 

 does occur, but in such different form, with shining, glabrous 

 leaves and more spreading habit, that it is at first almost un- 

 recognizable, and it, moreover, affects rocky places just below 

 the brow of the river-banks. 



Of grasses, one is surprised to find in a grass-land some lack 

 of variety, nearly half of those listed being more or less strictly 

 confined to the coast. Danthonia penicillata is most prevalent 

 over the driest stretches, and often is unmixed with others ; 

 but now and then Anthistiria is most noticeable. The 

 tussocky Poa ccespitosa, Stipa setacea, S. seniiharbata, and 

 Dichelachne crinita seem to prefer moister places, and especially 

 is this so with the Panic grasses. The others are less common 

 or more restricted in range. 



Composites constitute more than 16 per cent, of the total 



* " Notes on the Sandnughaiu Flora," vol. xxviii., p. 5 ; vol. xxix.. 

 p. 79. 



