J""«='l Barnard, Notes of a Visit to W.A. 29 



1919 J ' ^ ^ 



Victorian forms. A dwarf myrtaceous shrub, Hypocalynirna 

 robusta, quickly took my fancy on account of its double peach- 

 coloured blossoms ; hence it is generally known as " Peach 

 Blossom." A Sowerbaea, a purple liliaceous plant, after the 

 style of our Burchardia, was also prominent. Then there was 

 our friend Kennedya prostrata, but apparently larger than we 

 usually find it, and numerous other pea-flowers. The Kangaroo 

 Paws were in hundreds, and just at their best. The picking 

 of wild-flowers in the park is strictly forbidden, and if detected 

 is followed by heavy fine, so that all who desire can feast their 

 eyes on Nature's handiwork almost within a mile of the centre 

 of the city. Many other strange and beautiful flowers were 

 here, but where were the Epacris and Correa which one would 

 expect to find associated with such heath-loving plants ? On 

 looking up my lists afterwards I found both these genera are 

 absent from Western Australia. 



We then followed the shore of Melville Water (as the expanded 

 Swan is there cahed) to Nedlands, and took another tram, 

 passing through a lot of bush country near Karrakatta back 

 to Perth. I made up my mind then to try and get some 

 flowers for the September meeting of the Club, and was advised 

 to try the South-Western (Bunbury) line, between Gosnells 

 and Kelmscott, about 15 miles from Perth. There I went on 

 the following Tuesday, and, keeping within the railway 

 enclosure, was soon bewildered with the many beautiful flowers 

 met with. I did not go to Western Australia to collect, so 

 have nothing to show you to-night ; besides which, Mr. Topp 

 has told you better than I can the characteristics of the flora 

 prevailing in the south-western portion of Western Australia. 

 In the moist places along the line were splendid Droseras up to 

 three and four feet high, with a greater variety of colouring 

 than we are accustomed to, a magenta Utricularia, and 

 quantities of Leschenaultia of that delightful sky-blue colour 

 of which one never seems to weary. Then I came upon the 

 green Kangaroo Paws, Anigozanthos viridis, and got a fine 

 bunch of them, but there were very few A. Manglesii, the 

 crimson and green species. Asking a resident where to get 

 them, I was directed to a drier part of the enclosure, towards 

 Armadale, and in about a mile came upon them in all their 

 glory. It was a great sensation to pick such a striking flower 

 ad libitum for the first time. I soon had a nice bunch, and, 

 getting a box at the local store, posted them at once to our 

 secretary, thinking that, as the parcel should arrive in Mel- 

 bourne on the following Sunday, they would be in time for 

 Monday night's meeting ; but as such promptitude in delivery 

 might have established an awkward precedent for the post- 

 office, they were not delivered to our secretary till the Tuesday, 



