182 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



in any other part of the State. Its interest, apart from the beauty 

 of many of its species, mainly arises from the fact that in it are so 

 many forms which are restricted to the Mallee — many, indeed, 

 being found only in very circumscribed areas therein — and also 

 as the direct consequence of this restriction that many of these 

 forms are being wiped out of existence as the country is brought 

 under cultivation. In comparing the Mallee flora with that of 

 Victoria as a whole, several points are quickly noticeable. In 

 the first place, it is extremely rich in salsolaceous plants, all but 

 three of the total species being found in it, and nearly 70 per 

 cent, being restricted to it. Next, nearly one-half of all the 

 Composites is confined to the north-west, and the number of 

 very small forms is much greater there than elsewhere. In 

 Zygophyllaceae it numbers 80 per cent., in Crucifers 60 per cent., 

 in Santalaceje 33 per cent, of the total as its very own, and all 

 but one of the Amarantacese are found there. 



Leguminous plants are well represented, more particularly by 

 Swainsonias, Cassias, and Acacias, 20 of the latter out of 67 

 being peculiar to the region. In the Myrtacese one is struck by 

 the prevalence of Exhcalyptus gracilis and E. inci'assata, which, 

 with E. oleosa, E. uncinata, and E. behriana form the Mallee 

 scrub, and by the comparative scarcity of the taller species, 

 though E. rostrata, E. capitellata, E. leucoxylon, and others are 

 occasionally seen. 



Contrary to one's expectations, proteaceous plants, which 

 would seem to be peculiarly fitted for such a dry, hot country, are 

 not very numerous, and about 70 per cent, of the Victorian 

 representatives of this order are unknown to the north-west. 

 Only Grevillea aquifolium, G. rosmarinifolium, and Hakea vittata 

 were collected in fiower, Grevillea huegelii in bud, Banksia 

 ornata and Hakea, sp., in fruit. Umbellifers, except in genus 

 Hydrocotyle, are infrequent. In Rhamnacese there are many 

 Cryptandras, but only one Pomaderris occurs. For the rest, 

 Goodeniaccce and Boraginacea are well represented, Rutaceae and 

 Labiatse only poorly \ one Epacrid alone is peculiar to this flora, 

 but in Myoporinse the genus Eremophila almost entirely belongs 

 to it. Grasses are present in great variety, Cyperaceae chiefly 

 seen in Cyperus and Scirpus, and ferns are practically absent. 



As a result of the existing conditions — viz., a sandy soil 

 containing a large proportion of soluble salts, a small rainfall, 

 averaging 14 inches (only slightly exceeding the maximum of 

 300 mm. set down by Schimper for a desert formation), the 

 Irequent droughts, the high temperature, dry atmosphere, and 

 intense illumination — the vegetation is markedly xerophilous. 

 This is seen in the small and proportionately thick leaves or their 

 entire absence (reduction of transpiration surface), in their often 

 leathery (sclerophyllous) or succulent (chylophyllous) nature, in 

 the dry and hard axes, and in the presence of thorns, hairs, or 



