639 



NOTES ON THE INDIGENOUS PLANTS IN THE 

 COBAR DISTRICT. No. ii. 



By Archdeacon F. E. Haviland. 



The following List is supplementary to that reported in the 

 Proceedings of this Society for 1911 (p. 507): and brings the 

 number of species, exclusive of varieties, to more than 500, 

 including a number of Cryptogams. 



There are, in this district, certain genera which, from their 

 isolated occurrence and weakened constitutions, appear to be 

 vanishing. Among such may be noted Thysanotus, of which only 

 two species, T. Baueri and T. Patersoni remain; and Ranunculus, 

 of which only one species, R. parviflorus, remains. Such as 

 these appear only when conditions are specially favourable ; 

 indeed, from their texture, one would think that they were quite 

 unsuitable for these droughty parts. Moreover, from a merely 

 casual survey of the vegetation of this district, one becomes con- 

 vinced that, for ages past, there has been a diminution of that 

 class of vegetation which, though apparently luxurious in the 

 former times with an equable climate, has had, since the present 

 physical features brought about normal conditions of drought, a 

 struggle to live. As may be expected, those species are thriving 

 best which, either by a thickened cuticle, or double and even 

 triple palisade-cells, or by excretions of wax, resins, or gums, 

 have the means of reserving plant-foods. 



A matter bidding to become of more than passing interest, in 

 the near future, is the recourse to mixing certain bushes as 

 fodder for starving stock. It is a matter that is self-adjusted by 

 travelling stock thenselves, as they then have an opportunity of 

 picking at various bushes, and are not restricted to one species; and 

 anyone accustomed to watch the habits of travelling stock, well 



