Vol. XXVII. 



IQIO 



1 EwART, The Flora of the Victorian Alps. 119 



Hibhertia obtusifolia, with its bright yellow flowers, added a note 

 of colour. Close by were two Epacrids — Monotoca {Styphelia) 

 elliptica and M. (5.) scoparia — which were also in flower. The 

 grass on the roadside consisted mainly of Poa ccespitosa (with 

 stems in some cases exceeding three feet in height), Deyetixia 

 (Agrostis) scabra, and the Wallaby Grass, Danthonia peni- 

 cillata. A short distance further on dead spikes of the leafless 

 orchid, Dipodium punctatum, were observed. 



About three miles from Harrietville, adjacent to a spring, 

 specimens of Eucalyptus dives were seen. These are small trees 

 resembling the Peppermint Gum, E. mnygdalina, in foliage, but 

 they grow only to a height of 25 or 30 feet. The following 

 Proteaceae were met with : — Persoonia confertiflora (which was 

 in fruit), P. Chamcepeuce, Hakea acicularis, Lomatia longifolia 

 (fully 20 feet in height), and Grevillea Victories, which was well 

 advanced towards blooming. The latter shrub may be found 

 up to an elevation of 5,000 feet. Small plants of St. John's 

 Wort were noticed at the elevation of 3,000 feet. 



Higher up, an exceedingly fine forest, chiefly of Mountain 

 Ash, E. Sieberiana, was passed through, which extends to within 

 half a mile of the St. Bernard Hospice, 5,000 feet above sea level. 

 In some cases the trees attain a height of 150 feet. A pretty 

 shrub, Eriostemon myoporoides, well worthy of cultivation 

 (locally called " Wild Daphne "), grows on the banks of the road 

 extending to the Hospice, and is in bloom for fully six months 

 of the year, according to local residents ; also Helichryswn 

 rosmarini folium, displaying an inflorescence of small white 

 flowers, abounds, and likewise grows at an elevation of 5,000 feet. 

 In these high altitudes snow had already fallen, completely 

 covering much of the vegetation and extending to the summits 

 of Mounts Hotham and Feathertop. Here and there, in drifts, 

 it was found to be three or four feet in depth. A rather novel 

 sight was the number of grasshoppers jumping about in the 

 snow ; probably they had made their way through from the 

 covered vegetation. Specimens forw^arded to Mr. C. French, 

 F.L.S., Government Entomologist, have been identified as 

 Trigoniza maculala, Tepper. 



The flora of Mounts Hotham and Feathertop consists chiefly 

 of stunted vegetation. The only eucalypts found in these high 

 elevations are the Snow Gum, E. pauci flora, var. alpina, and 

 the Cider Gum, E. Gunnii. These gradually become more and 

 more stunted, and finally disappear on the highest ridges. Other 

 shrubs of the Myrtle family found on these alpine regions are 

 Kunzea Muelleri, a low, heath-like, bushy shrub with yellow 

 flowers, and a dwarfed form of Callistemon salignus. 



The shrubs Prostanthera lasianthos, Coprosma hirtella, Pimelsa 

 axiflora, and Driinys aromatica, and the ferns Adiantum 



