134 ON THE RELATIONS OE THE BRISBANE FLORA, 



Cassia around Brisbane, and lias found that they are quite 

 similar to Senna in their properties. Macadamia temifolia, the 

 Queensland nut, is really a valuable fruit. Eugenia Smithii, or 

 Lillipilli, and Melodorum Leichhardtii are also fa ir eating. The 

 latter goes by the name of the native banana though it is very 

 different from a banana, and in reality allied to the custard 

 apple. Citrus Australis is also a passable native orange. 



The flora of Brisbane contains many very elegant additions to 

 the flower garden. No one who has made the journey from 

 Moreton Bay to Ipswich, but must have been struck by the 

 richness and luxuriance of the foliage, and the variety and 

 beauty of the flowers which line the banks of the Eiver Brisbane. 

 Castanospermum Australe, with its lovely foliage, conspicuous 

 flowers, and still more conspicuous pods ; Elceocarpus grandis (the 

 Queensland quandong), with its massive rounded heads of glossy 

 bright green, would adorn any scenery, but especially such dark 

 and beautiful masses of vines, twiners, ferns, and mossy green 

 stems, as fill the Queensland river-scrubs. The whole atmosphere 

 is perfumed with the leaves of Mallotus elceoxghides, while 

 another and rather showy-leaved plant of the same genus (M. 

 PhilippinensisJ is said to possess valuable medicinal qualities 

 for the cure of tape- worm. Belonging to the same order 

 (EuphorliaceceJ, we have that remarkable exception to the 

 sexual rule in plants. Alchornea ilicifolia, which reproduces 

 itself from seed through several generations from female plants 

 alone, without the intervention of any male flowers. Strangely 

 enough too the seeds have often two embryos at the base. There 

 is another species of this plant, the male flowers of which are 

 unknown. This is A. Thozetiana, Baill., at Eockhampton and 

 northwards. 



It would be very easy to extend this part of my essay to an 

 indefinite length, though I can say little or nothing as to the 

 actual discoveries that have been made, but I think I can add to 

 the value of this paper by indicating the line of enquiry that 



