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ACCOUNT OF AN EXPLORATORY TOUR FROM PORT 

 ESPERANCE TOWARDS ADAMSON'S PEAK. 



By J. R Scott. 



(Read September lOih 1872.; 



According to promise I send, for the Royal Society, speci- 

 mens of an Alsophila tree-fern, which I found near Port 

 Esperance, and of which R. C. Gunn, to whom I applied for 

 its name, wrote as follows : — 



Newstead, 1st August, 1872. ..." Tour fern is an 

 Alsophila, but does not agree well with my specimens of A 

 Australis. It maybe A. Leichardtiana* a very slender species." 

 The specimens consist of — (] ) the extreme tip of a frond ; 

 (2) one of the pinnse from near the base of a frond ; (3) a 

 pinnule ; and (4) a piece of the rachis of the frond showing the 

 prickles. I beg you will particularly understand that I did 

 not go " botanising " or take any appliances for collecting 

 plants. My sole object was, by way of exercise, to reach 

 Adamson's Peak, sometimes called " The Cow and Calf," 

 and go farther if possible. Accordingly specimens (1), (2), 

 and (3), were carried in my pocket memorandum book, which 

 will account for their damaged condition, and (4) has been 

 subject to all sorts of rough usage, knocking about in my 

 knapsack. It has contracted in drying, and they have all lost 

 their natural bright green colour. 



The individual plant from which these were taken was 

 growing among Dichsonia tree-ferns by the side of a small 

 creek, probably without any stream in the summer, and in a 

 spot shaded from the sun by trees and underwood, just such 

 as naturally suits the -D/c/t5o;2i«, whereas the Alsophila Australis, 

 although nominally " shade-loving," is often seen in Tasmania 

 in open situations where a Dichsonia would not attain perfec- 

 tion. I was made aware that this was not an ordinary tree 

 fern by suddenly finding my hands hurt by the sharp spines 

 when breaking down branches &c., to make a track through 

 the scrub. The spines become smaller and blunter after 

 passing the second pair of pinnae from the base, and gradually 

 disappear. The fronds were from 8 to 10 feet long, and 

 more graceful in appearance than Dichsonia. The trunk 

 was about 6 feet high, very similar in proportion and 

 appearance to Dichsonia, being fibrous, and the marks of 



* Mr. Abbott writes me that a description oi Alsophila Leichardtiana 

 will bo found in the Gardeners' Chronicle of 20th October, 1866, where it 

 is said to be synonymous with A. Mooreii and A. Macarthurii. I have 

 not addressed Mr. Gunn, again, knowing his time to be much occupied. 



