Physiography of Western Portion Croajingoloiuj. 8!) 



able than the finely serrated stems and leaves of the latter, 

 i.e., the wire grass. On the eastern tributaries of the Snowy 

 River and in the Bennn valley, the most prolific undergrowth 

 is that of Haloragis tetragyna or fire weed, which forms 

 here a most useless herb, sujiplanting the native grasses with 

 the exception of the scented grass — Hierochloa rariflora 

 (a comparatively useless grass for fodder purposes, and 

 which flourishes along with the fire weed or Haloragis 

 tetragyna). The occurrence of the cabbage palm, Livistona 

 Australis, on Cabbage-tree Creek, near Orbost, where it 

 grows to a height of over 100 feet, is also a remarkable 

 feature in the vegetation of the area. The isolation of this 

 species fi-om its tropical home in a humid valley in the 

 temperate zone, require further elucidation at the hands of 

 botanists, or of those interested in the geographical 

 distribution of plants. I am inclined to consider it as a 

 survival of a once tropic vegetation which covered South 

 Eastei-n Australia in earlier Pliocene times, and which was 

 destroyed by the subsequent glacial action of which there 

 are not wanting evidences in South Eastern Austi'alia since 

 Miocene times. 



Numerical Proportion of the Orders. 

 There does not appear to be any exception to the general 

 lule respecting the orders richest in species and genera fi-om 

 what ])revails generally over South-Eastern Australia, 

 except that there is a closer alliance with the flora of 

 Southern New South Wales than with the southern and 

 western portions of Victoria. Here, as elsewhere, the grand 

 order — Legumiuosse, and the sub-orders — Papilionacese and 

 Mimosese, are richest in species and genera. Comparing the 

 different orders, we find thatcomprised within the list are thirty 

 species of Leguminous plants represented by fourteen genera, 

 that tlie genera richest in species are Acacias and Pulteneaa. 

 Of Myrtacese there are twenty-nine species and nine genera, 

 the genus Eucalyptus being richest in species. Among Com- 

 posit?e there are twenty-five species and twelve genera, the 

 Helichrysa being most abundant. Among Proteace?e the 

 Persoonias are richest in species. This interesting order is. 

 represented by fifteen species and seven genera. The Filices 

 or fern-family has twenty-one species and eleven genera, 

 the Orchids twelve species and eight genera, and the Lillies 

 or Liliaceas eight species and seven genera, while the 

 Gramineie or grasses include nine genera and species. 



