28 ON SOME OF THE INTRODUCED PLANTS OF QUEENSLAND, 



and proved most troublesome along the roadsides, headlands of 

 farms, &c. It was often accompanied by a still worse species, C. 

 sohtitiaMs, Linn. The thistle Cirsium lanceolatum, Scop, which is 

 troublesome in the south, but especially in Tasmania, has also 

 overrun some few places in Queensland, much to the annoyance 

 of both farmer and grazier. Onopordon acanthium, Linn., is 

 probably also in the colony ; but I have seen no specimen of it. 

 Although the much larger thistle, Carduus marianus, Linn., has 

 been introduced several times, it seems unable to get a strong 

 footing. In South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania it is very 

 abundant ; always growing in dense patches, of sometimes many 

 acres in extent. It is not now regarded with such disfavour as 

 formerly. It grows in poor soil, and produces an abundance of 

 large succulent leaves, even in the driest seasons. When pasture 

 is scarce, horses, cattle, and sheex) ea ^ ^ readily, and thrive upon 

 it. It is fortunate that they do so, as in the recent droughts it 

 was the only thing they had to eat. In some places about Oarcoar 

 and other western districts of N. S. Wales, the horses during the 

 dry seasons became quite used to knocking the seeds out of the 

 dry flower-heads and eating them with great relish and even 

 fattening upon them. 



In the same order we have the pretty blue Ageratum conyzoides, 

 better known by a name given to one of its varieties-^, mexicanum. 

 This is very common all over the warmer regions of the world. 

 It is seen on all rich waste plains in Queensland, and as it is 

 cultivated in gardens it is not likely to diminish. It is not prickly 

 and I think would not be despised by stock when grass is scarce. 

 It is quite a horticulturalist's flower in England. The genus is 

 American, with only a small number of species. Our plant can 

 only be said to be doubtfully introduced. 



Two introduced Plantagos are spreading rapidly in places 

 suited to their growth. P. major, Linn., is very abundant in the 

 wet lands and near swamps of the Darling Downs, and may even 



