THE CHARACE^ OP AMERICA. 405 



they reach into the northern parts of the Central Eremian region. 

 Cassia eronophila and Eucali/ptus mlcrotheca, which are very charac- 

 teristic of the central region, are largely replaced in the northern 

 one by C. [pJu/Uodinea and E. rostrata respectively. The lowland 

 vegetation of the Larapintine region, comprising that of the river 

 banks, the loamy plains, and sandy ground, consists in a greater 

 part of species widely diffused throughout the Eremian region, 

 extending far south in South Australia, eastward into New South 

 Wales and South-west Queensland, and westward to the shores of 

 Mid-western Australia. It offers considerable similarity to that of 

 Sharks Bay, as enumerated by Baron F. von Mueller {Pad. Report, 

 Perth, 1883) ; thus of a total of 332 species, deducting therefrom 

 ten which are maritime, 187, or 60 %, are constituents of the flora 

 of the Finke Basin. The orders ZygophyllacecB, MalvacecE, Salso- 

 lacecB, LeguminosfB, Mijoporinea;, and Graminea;, which are most 

 largely represented, have few species which are not common to 

 the two areas. The aggressive nature of the alien plants is ex- 

 hibited not only by their extensive distribution, but also by their 

 ability to adapt themselves to extremes of soil and climate. Such 

 species, among others, as Tribulus terrestris, CLeome viscosa, Mal- 

 vastrum spicatum, Boerhaavia diffusa, Salsola Kali, Molhiyo hirta, and 

 Pollichia zeylanica, range from the river-banks and the loamy plains 

 to the sandhills. Prof. Tate states he cannot write of a mountain 

 flora because the number of actual species on the table-lands and 

 other high-level tracts is absolutely few. The exploration of 

 Station Range, 2179 ft. above sea-level, yielded only nineteen 

 species, and equally poor results attended the ascents of other 

 elevations ; Mount Sonder (4497 ft.), the highest elevation ex- 

 plored, yielded rather more species. 



An analysis of the 614 species constituting the Larapintine 

 Flora as at present known gives the following results : — I. Exotic 

 species, chiefly oriental, 125 ; II. Endemic species of exotic genera, 

 219; III. Endemic species of Australian genera, 270; Total, 614. 



E. G. B. 



The CharacecB of America. Partii. Fasc. 8. ByDr. T.F.Allen. 1896. 



The new part of Dr. Allen's account of the American Characea; 

 contains descriptions and figures of ten species of Nitella, of which 

 two are described as new — X. Leibergi and N. transilis. The notice- 

 able feature of this part is the introduction of etchings for the 

 illustrations, some of them very well done and others very inferior. 

 This process is certainly the most satisfactory of the various 

 methods of illustration adopted by Dr. Allen, and we hope that he 

 will continue it. The letterpress again contains an unreasonable 

 number of "printer's errors." 



H. & J. Groves. 



