Jan.,1 

 1917 J 



SuTTOK, A Sketch of the Keilor Plains Flora. 131 



Creek. Cryptandra amara appears only between Diggers' Rest 

 and Bulla. Other, and commoner, plants that have gone 

 further, some to the eastern limits of the plains, are Atriplex 

 Muelleri, A. semihaccatum, Chenopodimn microphylhim, Ptilotus 

 macrocephaliis, Pimelea serpillifolia, EucalypUts hemiphloia, and 

 several composites, which, with superior powers of dispersal, 

 might have been expected to cross over to the forest country 

 and the sands. Some species, now infrequent and isolated, 

 no doubt in earlier days were much more abundant. Pros- 

 tanthera nivea is still near Station Peak, but has long since 

 disappeared from Newport, where Mr. St. John had noted it 

 many years ago. Lasiopetaliim Baiieri is recorded in the 

 " Fragmenta " as from the You Yangs and neighbouring coast, 

 but in recent years it has not been seen there, and, as far as 

 we know, exists only at Red Bluff, and, according to Mr. Hart, 

 also at Cheltenham. Eutaxia empetrifolia, a typical Mallee 

 plant, appears to have made the passage across the plains, 

 but probably, like all the western plants now occurring on the 

 eastern side, was already there before the volcanic era. 



Of the species entering the area by way of the watercourses, 

 Olearia decurrens has been noted at Bulla, Callitris verrucosa 

 just beyond Keilor. The Cassia still holds its own here and 

 there, and may be seen to best advantage on the west bank of 

 the river south of Keilor. M iiehlenheckia Cunninghamii, 

 recorded as growing at the Yarra mouth, is still to be found at 

 Maribyrnong, and a patch of real "lignum " swamp occurs to 

 the east of Rockbank. Pelargonium Rodneyanum, Zygophylhim 

 Billardieri, Myopormn deserti, and Acacia retinodes, all still 

 quite common in many of the creeks, are almost as accessible. 



In compiling the appended census, totalling 444 plants, 

 recourse has been had to the Victorian Naturalist, the " Flora 

 Australiensis," and the " Fragmenta," but no other likely ■ 

 source of information has been neglected. Special thanks are 

 due to Mr. P. R. H. St. John, who accompanied the author 

 over many of the five hundred miles or so traversed in making 

 the survey of the area, and placed at his disposal field-notes 

 taken during the last fifteen years. For this and for much 

 other assistance in efforts to better his acquaintance with our 

 flora he begs to take this opportunity of expressing his indebted- 

 ness. Mr. T. S. Hart also has been kind enough to supply 

 data, which have been gladly used. 



Inasmuch as it comprises only flowering plants and ferns, 

 the list is incomplete. Alien plants also, which, by reason of 

 the wider disturbance of the surface and the '' open " nature 

 of the formation, are more in evidence here than on the 

 " sands," have been ignored. Even as it is, it must, con- 



