March, 1909.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 185 



of growth resembles the ivy, sending forth rootlets, which adhere 

 to the bark of its support. 



I met with many fruits that I considered well worthy the 

 attention of cultivators, but so many introduced sorts adapt 

 themselves easily to the Queensland climate that little regard is 

 likely to be paid to the native kinds, although their appearance 

 is very attractive, the most striking being the large bright purple 

 fruit of Davidson's Plum, Davidsonia pruriens, F. v. M. I 

 secured some specimens of Balanophora fungosa^ R. and G. 

 Forster, a parasite growir)g on roots of trees in the scrub, which 

 may be seen in the biological collection at the University. It 

 resembles a mushroom, and cattle are fond of eating it. Bullocks 

 driven through the scrul) will turn aside to seek it. Some 

 splendid specimens of orchids were to be met with, usually 

 growing high up on the forks and branches of trees in conjunction 

 with Bird's Nest, Elkhorn, and Staghorn ferns, and Lycopodium 

 phlegmaria, L., a beautifully tasselled creeping plant. Most 

 noticeable were Dendrohium speciosum, Sm., and the Pencil 

 Orchid, D. teretifolium, R. Br. Some fine specimens of the 

 Prickly Tree Fern, Alsophila LeicJtardtiana^ F. v. M., were 

 about 15 feet high. Their stem is black, very tough, and 

 strikingly marked by white streaks. The Johnstone River 

 Almond, Elceocarpus Bancroftii, F. v. M. and Bail., was very 

 plentiful, the nuts lying about in great quantities on the ground, 

 many of the shells, although extremely hard-wooded, having been 

 nibbled through by scrub rats, which feed on the kernels. In 

 like condition were the nuts of Helicia Whelani, Bail., the latter 

 being used for food by the native blacks. Many valuable timbers 

 abound in this forest, and, securing the loan of an axe from a 

 bullock-driver whom I chanced to meet, I cut a specimen of 

 the wood of each of the following trees, which are now also 

 in the collection at the Melbourne University : — Acacia poly- 

 stachya, A. Cunn., Hickory Wattle ; Agathis Palmer stoni^ 

 F. V. M., Northern Kauri Pine; Alstonia scholaris, R. Br., 

 White Pine or Milkwood ; Cardwellia sublimis, F. v. M., Glassy 

 Oak ; Carnarvonia ai'alijolia, F. v. M., Red Oak ; Gastanosper- 

 mum australe, A. Cunn. and Fraser, Bean Tree ; Daphnandra 

 aromatica, F. M. Bailey, Sassafras ; Davidsonia pruriens, F. v. M., 

 Davidson's Plum ; Flindersia Brayleyana, F. v. M., Silkwood • 

 F. Ijjiaiana, F. v. M., Cairns Hickory ; F. Oxleyana, F. v. M., 

 Yellow Wood; F. Schottiana, Y . v. M., White Ash; Gmelina 

 fascicidijlora, Benth., White Beech ; Grevillea rohusta, R. Br., 

 Silky Oak; Stenocarpus simcatus, Endl., White Oak; Tarrietia 

 Argyrodendron, Benth., Crow-foot Elm ; Trista7iia lauriiia, 

 R. Br., Turpentine; Xanthostenion chrysanthus, F. v. M., Penda; 

 Zanthoxylum torvum, F. v. M., Satinwood. 



In my rambles through the jungle, besides the plants before 

 mentioned, I collected specimens of each of the following, which 



