BY FRED. TURNER. 49 



JJromus sterllis^ Linn., Hordeum murinum, Linn., and Loliurti 

 temulentum, Linn., have become acclimatised on this area. The 

 first and third are most abundant and most disliked by the 

 pastoralist and farmer. 



Hhe AcotijledoiiecE, as far as vascular Cryptogams are concerned, 

 and this Census does not take into account cellular Cryptogams, 

 are not very numerous as regards species, but a few of them are 

 widely distributed. The greater number of the ferns, however, 

 are principally confined to sheltered spots in the extreme south- 

 east of this region. There is little doubt that when many of the 

 deep and sheltered ravines in the eastern area are thoroughly 

 explored more species will be found, and probably others new to 

 science will be recorded. The Filices comprise twenty genera 

 and twentj'-eight species, only two of which are fern-trees — 

 Alsophila australis, R.Br., and Dicksonia antarctica, Labill. — 

 and as far as my observations go, these plants are confined to a 

 small area. The former is usually found in sheltered valleys 

 and the latter on the sides of timbered ranges. The epiphytes 

 consist of three species, viz., Davallia pyxidata, Cav., Asple^iiiwi 

 Jcdcatum, Lam., and Polyjwdium serpens, Forst., which grow on 

 various trees, but nowhere plentifully. The rarest ferns of this 

 region appear to be Ophioglossuin vulgatum, Linn., and Botry- 

 chium ternatum, Swartz, and the most widely distributed are 

 Cheilanthes tenuifolia, Swartz, Nothol(Hna vellea, R.Br., and 

 Grammitis rutwfolia, R.Br. The fronds of the second plant are 

 densely hairy or woolly on the underside. It is a beautiful 

 species, but rather difficult to cultivate. The last-named species 

 has pinnate fronds with almost fan-shaped pinnae covered under- 

 neath with brown, scaly hairs. It is a most interesting little 

 fern and widely distributed on the Australian continent. These 

 three species are found in various situations over nearly the 

 whole of the north-west. Man}^ of the other dwarf species 

 included in this Census are amongst the most admired Australian 

 ferns. 



North- Western New South Wales attracted much attention 

 from the early explorers such as Evans, Oxley, Cunningham, 



