42 BOTANY OF NORTH-WESTERN NEW SOUTH WALES, 



Following is a brief description of some of the principal Orders 

 and noteworthy species and varieties growing in the north- 

 west : — 



The Order lianunculacece is represented by three genera and 

 six species, more common in the eastern than in the western 

 part of this region. The most showy flowering plant of this 

 Order is Clematis aristata, R.Br., but it is not nearly as widely 

 distributed or as common as the allied species, C. micro2)hyllay 

 DC. A variety of the latter, which appears to be rare, has dull 

 purple flowers. Cruciferce include nine indigenous genera and 

 and twenty-six species. Those form a large percentage of the 

 vegetation of the plains, and are more common in the west than 

 in the east. Some of the species are rather pretty when in 

 bloom, and make an attractive display when growing in large 

 groups. JIalvacece are fairly numerous almost all over this area. 

 There are eight indigenous genera and twenty-three species, some 

 of them producing show}' flowers of various hues at different 

 times during the summer and autumn months. The Order 

 RutaceiH consists of nine genera and sixteen species, most of 

 which are confined to the eastern portion. Only one, the grace- 

 ful and widely-distributed " Wilga " [Geijera parvijiora, JAndX.) 

 attains the dimensions of a fair-sized tree. The remainder are 

 shrubs, some of which are very floriferous, and in spring-time 

 are often a charming sight amongst the more sombre vegetation. 

 Under Khamnece are six genera and fourteen species, but with 

 two exceptions they are shrubs more interesting to the botanist 

 than to the horticulturist. Of this order Ventilago vmiiiialisy 

 Hook., the " Supple-jack " of stockmen, is a small tree, the wood 

 of which is put to various uses by the blacks, and the leaves pro- 

 vide good feed for pasture animals in adverse seasons. Scqnn- 

 dacece include three genera and nine species, which are widely 

 distributed. Several of these trees and shrubs have an economic 

 value, as their leaves provide fairly good feed for stock when 

 pasture herbage is scarce. 



Leguminosce consist of thirty-one indigenous genera and one 

 hundred and twenty-three species, besides many distinct varieties. 



