Vol. XX VI I 



igii 



1 EwART, Biological Survey of Wilson s Promontory. 179 



plants — ^namely, Char a fragilis, Desv., and Nitella gelatinosa, 

 A. Br. — were found growing in fresh water near Five-Mile Beach. 

 The number of plants on the present list is naturally small as 

 compared with the numbers obtained in previous years, and it 

 is not likely that any appreciable number of flowering plants 

 or ferns remain to be recorded for the National Park. During 

 the present year, in fact, several parts traversed by Messrs. 

 Audas and St. John in previous years were closely re-examined, 

 but without the addition of a single unrecorded species to the 

 list. The present list includes 40 genera and 50 species, of 

 which latter 42 species are native to Victoria and 8 (marked 

 with an asterisk in the list) are naturalized aliens. Excluding, 

 therefore, one or two doubtful specimens which may ultimately 

 be added to the list, the total for the National Park consists of 

 •exactly 600 native flowering plants and ferns and 50 naturalized 

 aliens. Qne-twelfth of the flora, therefore, consists of natural- 

 ized aliens, whereas approximately one-fifth of the flora of 

 the whole of Victoria consists of naturalized aliens. The 

 difference is, however, much more striking than this comparison 

 shows, for in the National Park the naturalized aliens are for 

 the most part sparsely and sparingly distributed, and they 

 seem only able to hold their own in special localities, where the 

 interference of man has brought about the conditions needed 

 for their successful development. In some cases, more par- 

 ticularly along the tram track at Sealers' Cove, thistles, for 

 instance, seem to be much less abundant than they were in 

 former years, and they do not seem able to successfully establish 

 themselves among the undisturbed native scrub. 



Two plants are worthy of special comment — 



Acacia longifolia, Willd., var. florihitnda. — This specimen, 

 though without flowers or fruit, apparently belongs to this 

 variety, but the phyllodes are longer and narrower than usual, 

 some of them exceeding 6 inches in length. 



Polypodium gramniitidis, R. Br. — This interesting fern is 

 mainly Tasmanian, being usually found among alpine rocks or 

 gullies. It is only known in Victoria from the Dandenong 

 Ranges, so that the plant from the National Park forms an 

 interesting link with the Tasmanian flora. 



Now that the list of the flora of the National Park is com- 

 pleted, it may be found advisable to construct a small handbook 

 or key to the flora of the Park for the benefit of visitors. Such 

 a handbook would, however, be of temporary use only, since 

 it is the intention of the trustees ultimately to introduce into 

 the National Park specimens of all native plants of Victoria 

 which are likely to thrive there, and more especially such as are 

 specially interesting from a scientific standpoint, or which are 

 in any danger of extinction in their native Victorian localities. 



