ii8 EwART, The Flora of the Victorian Alps. [^'"'oct^''*' 



possibly be partially parasitic, since many badly infested limbs 

 seem to suffer and die. On the other hand, the Ovens Wattle is 

 affected to a great extent by Loranthiis Quandang, a species of 

 mistletoe somewhat similar in form to that seen on the eucalypts, 

 but of a light grey colour. 



Numerous introduced plants abound, such as the St. John's 

 Wort, which flourishes abundantly in neglected cultivated soil, 

 as well as on the thinly-wooded hillsides. The Blackberry, 

 Rubus fruticosiis, has taken possession of the river banks and 

 all moist places. The Sweet Briar, Rosa ruhiginosa, has 

 established itself extensively on all sides, while the Star Thistle, 

 Centaurea Calcitrapa, is to be found growing thickly in patches 

 on the dredged flats, in company with the Spotted Thistle, 

 Carduus Marianus, showing the necessity for the appointment 

 of a thistle inspector. 



The Willow Herb, Epilohium glahellum, flourishes on the flats. 

 Rabbits must be a terrible pest ; they can be seen by the hundred 

 on the journey from Bright to Harrietville. Foxes also seem 

 plentiful, as I saw several during my trip, including one which 

 carried a steel trap on one of his forelegs. 



Before reaching the township of Harrietville, a fine specimen 

 of the Manna Gum, E. viminalis, was seen on the roadside, the 

 basal girth of this tree being fully 30 feet. Harrietville is about 

 sixteen miles from Bright, and in that distance another 500 feet 

 of elevation is gained. A steep and winding road connects 

 Harrietville and the St. Bernard Hospice, about twelve miles 

 distant. The first plant to attract attention was the so-called 

 " sarsaparilla plant " of the bushman — Hardenhergia {Kennedy a) 

 monophylla — which was already in bloom. The stems of this 

 twiner had reached extraordinary dimensions, being in some 

 cases two or three inches in diameter, and winding round the 

 young eucalypts from the base to the topmost branch. This 

 climber is well worth3^ of cultivation, as I have observed that 

 the raceme of bloom is far richer under cultivation. A para- 

 sitical creeper, Cassytha melantha, was also to be seen spreading 

 from one tree-top to another. 



The Victorian Elderberry Ash, Panax samhucifolius ; the 

 Broad-leaved Native Hop, Daviesia latifolia ; the Blackwood, 

 Acacia melanoxylon, locally called " Lightwood," and the Native 

 Cherry, Exocarpiis stricta, were met with further on. Hovea 

 heterophylla, a very pretty shrub of only a foot or so in height, 

 next attracted attention. This is sometimes erroneously called 

 " Native Violets " — an exceedingly inappropriate name, as the 

 flowers resemble violets in nothing whatsoever except colour, 

 and the plant is, in reality, one of the immense order of Legu- 

 minosae, or pea-flowers. 



Still further ascending this steep and winding incline, 



