THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 183 



tomentum. In addition, families which prevail in deserts else- 

 where, such as Salsolaceaj (mainly halophytes), Zygophyllaceae, 

 Leguminosse, Compositse, Euphorbiaceae, Amarantaceae, Cruciferse, 

 Malvaceae, &c. (all containing large numbers of halophytes), 

 make up the great bulk of the flora. 



Although the sand-hills, the salt-pans, the scrub itself, and the 

 shores of the lake all furnished me with species I did not 

 find elsewhere, the locality which was perhaps richest in 

 flowering plants was a red gravel ridge some miles out on 

 the Rainbow road. Here the banks on each side of the 

 road were veritable flower gardens. The two varieties of 

 Damjnera rosmarinifolia were growing profusely, the blue, 

 with its fine masses of colour, rivalling even the garden 

 Lobelias ; shapely bushes of Logania linifolia scented the 

 air ; Calycothrix tetragona and Tliryptomene ciliata, with more 

 blossom than foliage, varied from almost pure white to a 

 delicate pink ; Lasiopetalum baueri and L. behrii intermingled 

 their stems, and Boronia coerulescens, Erioste)no7i jningens, 

 Gryptandra sicbochreata and C. leucophracta rioted luxuriantly. 

 The latter showed in two forms, one a trailing variety {micro- 

 cephala) with very small headlets of flower. Others present were 

 Grevillea aqtii/oliwm, G. rosniarinifolium, and Frostanihera 

 coccinea, forming trim little bushes of bright green aromatic 

 foliage, against which the vivid scarlet blossoms showed to 

 advantage. 



Just away from the road was Bceckea crassifolia nearly past 

 its flowering, so that it was difficult to find good specimens. A 

 little further from the road, in sandy soil, Eriostemon sedijtorus 

 was in full bloom with Beyeria opaca, and a well-grown example 

 of Suntaluni acuminatam loaded with ripe fruit and a solitary 

 plant of Styphelia cordifolia in bud were chanced upon. Return- 

 ing to the ridge, Eutaxia empetrijolia was noticed, a variety of 

 which of larger growth and with yellow flowers was got later. 

 IVestringia rigida, with its lax variety, which is so different from 

 the unbending form that it looks a distinct species, was plentiful, 

 as was also Dodonma viscosa with its seed-cases showing bright 

 colour. 



Continuing along the Rainbow road, plants of Halgania cyanea 

 and //. lavandulacea commenced to appear, and were afterwards 

 frequently seen. In drying specimens of " sticky " plants like 

 the Halganias, Beyerias, Dodona^as, Helichrysums, &c., I might 

 here say that the use of a smooth brown paper of hard texture is 

 much more satisfactory than the ordinary blotting paper, and 

 with its aid quite respectable specimens of even the most sticky 

 kinds of plant may with a little trouble be obtained. 



At the sides of the road small bushes of Dodomra btirsarijolia 

 were met. Eremophila brownii had passed its best days, but 

 Prostanthera chlorantha, whose grayish foliage and blue-green 



