THE CAMEL FODDER-PLANTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 163 



weeks in springtime, and in low-lying places where a certain amount 

 of moisture has been retained during the cold weather. They are 

 characterized by their small size, as compared with specimens 

 growing near the coast. They are all excellent fodder-plants. 



PiTTOSPOREiE. 



8. Pittosponnn pMllyrcBoides DC. var. microcarpa (nob.). Salt- 

 bush plain, south of Doyle's Well, near Mt. Malcolm. Differs from 

 the type in its small oblong-ovoid not flattened fruits, which have 

 only 1-4 seeds. The flowers also are white, instead of yellow, as 

 in the type. This plant, called "Willow-bush" by prospectors, is 

 greedily eaten by camels, who thrive well upon it. 



Caryophylle^. 



9. Drymaria Jiliformis Bth. Near Coolgardie, Aug. A small 

 plant, abundant in some places in the spring. A good fodder. 



PoRTULACE^. 



10. Calandrinia cahjptrata Hook. f. A rather common little 

 herb in spring in the Coolgardie district. The specimens are usually 

 very small, not more than 1-2 in. high, though specimens may 

 reach 5 or 6 in. 



STERCULL^CEiE. 



11. Sterculia diversifolia G.Don. This, the well-known Kurra- 

 gong tree, is an excellent food for camels. It is found chiefly 

 in the "mulga" bush coun*try north of the Ninety-mile, where its 

 bright green leaves are a refreshing contrast to the sombre vege- 

 tation surrounding it. It is rare in the neighbourhood of Coolgardie. 



Geraniace/e. 



12. Krodium cicutarium L'Her. ; and 13. E. cygnorum Nees. 

 Coolgardie district, Aug. and Sept. Both these are good fodder- 

 plants. 



ZYGOPHYLLEai:. 



14. Zygophyllum apiculatum F. Muell. Coolgardie district ; 

 common in springtime. 



15. Z. iodocarpum F. Muell. var. bilobum. Coolgardie district. 

 10. Z . fniticulosum DC. Near Ninety-mile Lake, June, 



17. Z . fruticulosum DC. var. floribus parvis, albis. Coolgardie 

 district, spring. I can see no variation from the type except in 

 the case of the flowers of this plant, which certainly are strikingly 

 different, being very small, not more than 5 mm. in diameter, with 

 white i^etals only some 3 mm. in length. This is perhaps a new 

 species, but as Baron Mueller speaks of a small-flowered variety of 

 Z. fniticulosum as among the plants brought back by the Elder 

 expedition, and the flowers are the only peculiarity of my specimens, 

 it is deemed better to abstain from describing. All these Zygo- 

 phyllums are greedily eaten by camels. 



18. Tribnlus tcnrstris L. Between Uladdie Soak and Yilgangie 

 claypans, March. 



M 2 



