49 



Spaniards, of Firjo del Inferno, Devil's or Hell Figs. The 

 palo yellow flower with a dark centre is decidedly ornamental, 

 and when any part of the plant is bruised it yields a thick 

 yellow juice. It is a native of Mexico, but has spread over all 

 the world. On the roadsides in England it is a common weed, 

 and, therefore, it would be no wonder to see it in Australia. 

 But I don't know any place where it is common, or has become 

 a weed to the extent it has done on the Hunter Eiver. About 

 Murrundi it occupies every spot of waste ground, but especially 

 in the black soil liable to inundation. There is a peculiarity 

 in this plant which I have not seen noticed, and which may 

 not occur elsewhere. The calyx is often modified so as to form 

 a cup, out of which the ovary, etc., spring as a straight stalk, 

 transformed at its termination into a second calyx, filled with 

 green filaments which may represent the other portions of the 

 flower. The monstrosity is a very common one, and is subject 

 to various modifications. It illustrates in a striking manner 

 how the flower and all its j^arts are but modifications of 

 leaves. The seeds of this plant possess various medicinal 

 properties, and they have been used as an emetic instead 

 of ipecacuanha. They contain a stimulative oil which is very 

 acrid, and is a narcotic and purgative together. The yellow 

 juice of the plant is used to allay inflammation of the eyes, 

 and a poultice of the bruised leaves, wrapped in muslin and 

 bound over the eyes, is said to give great relief in what is called 

 the sandy blight. It can be kept on for an hour, or as long as 

 it does not cause giddiness or smarting of the eyes. 



One of the most troublesome weeds that has ever perplexed 

 the colonists is the renowned Sida rhomhifolmm, Benth. 

 This is better known by its former apellation of Sida retusa. 

 It is one of the Malvaceoe, and the tradition about it is that 

 the plant was introduced bv the Acclimatisation Society for the 

 sake of its valuable fibre, but that it soon spread beyond all 

 restraint and became a pest to the colony. This is entirelv 

 incorrect ; the plant is indigenous and belongs to the northern 

 part of the continent. It is very difficult to account for its 

 sudden and rapid spread over the uncultivated lands of the 

 south of Queensland. No conception can be formed of the 

 pernicious character of this weed by those who have not seen 

 it. It forms dense thickets of low, twiggy shrubs, covering 

 the ground as closely as possible. It seldom grows higher 

 than a few feet, but the branches are very tough and strong ; 

 in fact cannot be broken, and only wrenched away with 

 the greatest difficulty. From these characters it becomes 

 almost impossible to deal with land that has been overrun 

 with it. Then again the extent of the evil is enormous. One 

 meets the mischievous shrub everywhere. By the roadsides 



