I 76 AuDAs, Botanical Gleanings on [ "^y'an^ ^'' 



by examining the foliage, which are true leaves, while those 

 ot the acacia mentioned are phyllodes. Casuarina suberosa, 

 Eriostemon trachyphyllus, Leptospernium pnbescens, Melaleuca 

 sqitarrosa, Hakea eriantha, Lomatia longijolia, and Kanuka, 

 Tristania laitrina, are found along the whole course of the 

 river, growing close to the water's edge. The timber of the 

 latter is sometimes called " Australian fiddleback." It is very 

 beautifully marked, and can be highly polished. 



At Double Bridges, Snow-bush, Olcaria {Aster) stellulatu, and 

 Sandliy-bush, Zieria Smithii, were in full bloom and lined the 

 watercourses, accompanied by Hazel, Pomaderris apetala, and 

 also its relatives, P. elli plica and P. vaccinijolia. Two pretty 

 fiow'ering shrubs, Christmas-bush, Prostanthera lasianthos, and 

 Four-cornered Haircup, Calythrix tetragona, were observed near 

 the water's edge. The former has sweetly-scented leaves, and 

 blooms profusely for fully three months of the year. It should, 

 if cultivated, soon become a great favourite in gardens as an 

 ornamental tree, for it here attains a height of fifteen feet, and 

 should do so elsewhere in favourably situated localities. I once 

 observed it forming a beautiful hedge covered in snowy blooms 

 at Sassafras. The latter, though a much smaller shrub, also 

 deserves to take a high place among ornamental plants. 



The most interesting portion of the route, from a botanical 

 point of view, lies between Double Bridges and Tambo Crossing. 

 Along here, due to the courtesy of an obliging coach-driver, 

 I was able to descend and gather many specimens on the pre- 

 cipitous banks descending to the river. The principal of these 

 were the Juniper Wattle, Acacia juniperina. Mountain Pepper, 

 Drimys aromatica. Nodding Blue Lily, Stypandra glaiica, Austral 

 Myosotis, Mvosolis anstralis. Large-leaved Coprosma, Coprosma 

 hirtella. Slender Tea-tree. Leptospernium attenuatum. Tough 

 Rice-fiower. Pimelea axiflora. Crimson Bottle-brush, Callistemon 

 lanccolatus. and Cockspur-flower. Pleclranthus parviflorus. The 

 latter is largely cultivated as a pot plant and in gardens, but 

 is rarely met with in its nativ'e state, and was here growing in 

 abundant masses. The Alpine Grevillea, Grevillea alpina, and 

 Golden Grevillea G. florihunda, were both covered with their 

 curling clusters of crimson and yellow flowers, while a sombre 

 note was added by the rusty tomemtum of the young foliage 

 of the Scrubby Velvet-bush, Lasiopelalum dasyphvlluin. On 

 the whole length of the journey I only noted one shrub of the 

 Spice-bush. Cassia australis, which was blooming beautifully 

 right on the edge of the river, and I had a rather difficult climb 

 over loose granite boulders down the steep bank to secure it. 

 This is another of our native plants deserving cultivation, for 

 one could not wish for a prettier sight than is presented by the 



