Dec.-I 

 1917 J 



Exhibition of Wild-flowers . 1 17 



The Waratahs, Flannel-flowers, Boronias, and Grevilleas, not 

 forgetting Epacris longiflora, were the chief features of the 

 New South Wales exhibit. 



The contribution of cultivated flowers from the Melbourne 

 Botanic Gardens was federal in character, containing the fine 

 Anoplerus glandiilosa, from Tasmania; Brachysema lanccolata, 

 Chorizemas, and Calothamniis quadrifidus, from Western 

 Australia ; Epacris longiflora, Callistemon lanceolatus, and many 

 Grevilleas, from New South Wales, with others from our own 

 State. Mr. A. Rutter Clarke, well known as an enthusiastic 

 grower of Australian plants, exhibited blooms of Chamce- 

 laitciiiui uncinatiim, Verticordia fontainesii, Eutaxia mvrtifolia, 

 from Western Australia ; Pyostanthera Sieberi, from New South 

 Wales, and many other attractive species. 



Apart from the inter-State collections, seeing that floral 

 attractiveness is the principal consideration with collectors, it 

 was not surprising to find but few rarities. One of these was 

 the x\lpine Marsh-Marigold, Caltha introloha, a sod being received 

 from Mount Buffalo containing several plants, with white 

 flowers streaked with purple. As this charming species occurs 

 only on our highest mountain-tops, and blossoms at the edges 

 of snow-drifts, or even underneath the snow itself, it was a 

 novelty to almost everybody, though several collectors have 

 secured the plant itself later in the season. Another rarity was 

 a plant of the Rosy Bush-Pea, Pultenaa rosea, a plant restricted 

 to one peak in the Grampians. The plant, which was just 

 coming into bloom, had been raised in a pot b}' Mr. D'Alton, 

 of Hall's Gap, and had been brought to town by Miss Nether- 

 cote. One of our most beautiful twiners, Marianthiis bignoni- 

 aceiis, also made its appearance in a fresh state for the first 

 time from the Grampians, the eastern limit of its range, and 

 from the same locality, to which it appears to be confined, came 

 PuUencsa Benthami. Other species not often seen in Melbourne 

 were Pomaderris lanigera, Grevillea floribunda (from the Bris- 

 bane Range), Prosfanfhera ciineata, Clematis glycinoides, 

 Sowerbcta pnnicea, and Calectasia cyanea. 



Nearly all the flowers were old friends, and, as usual, a few, 

 without which any display would be incomplete, dominated 

 the show. Thus Tetratheca ciliata, " Pink-eyes," came from all 

 directions, and, in its varying shades from white to deep 

 magenta, charmed everyone. Boronia pinnata, var. floribunda, 

 from Gippsland, was also in abundance, and a great favourite, 

 as was also the smaller B. pilosa, from the Grampians and other 

 western localities. Tliryptomcnc Mitdielliana also had no lack 

 of admirers. This plant, now becoming familiar to many owing 

 to its cultivation in our gardens, was prominent in the Grampians 

 collection, which was perhaps the most imposing section of the 



