554 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
15.—_DEMONSTRATION OF LIGHT PRODUCING 
BACTERIA WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES 
AND EXPERIMENTS. 
By Oscar Karz, Ph.D. 
16.—NOTE ON DAVIESIA LATIFOLIA. 
By J. Bosisto, C.M.G. 
| Adstract. | 
Turis plant is a favourite remedy for low fevers and for 
expelling hydatid cysts among the settlers in those parts of 
Victoria where it is found growing. The plant, being in bloom 
during the present month (September), offered a favourable oppor- 
tunity for examining its characters and constituents. 
 _Daviesia latifolia is indigenous to Victoria ; it belongs to the sub- 
order Papillionacez, of the extensive natural order Leguminose. 
It grows about 3 feet high on lands at the foot of the ranges and 
mountainous districts of Gippsland ; the shrub is plentiful. The 
leaves strongly veined, in length from 1 to 2 inches, rising from 
the stem by a petiole half an inch long; the penduncles are 
axillary, solitary, and many-flowered; the latter are very 
minute, the outer part of the corolla being of a bright golden hue, 
and the inner part of a dark purple; the legumes are triangular 
in shape, each containing one or two seeds, bean-shape, small, 
and spotted purple and brown. 
The whole plant is bitter, the leaves especially. On analysis, 
two active principles are obtained, one a crystalline body, the 
other an oleo-resin. The crystals now before this section are 
very bitter (Daviesine), minute and acicular, forming star-like 
groups ; these, together with the oleo-resin, are now being further 
investigated. These active principles are destroyed if subjected 
to the temperature of the boiling-point of water. 
Under these circumstances, should the therapeutic effect of 
D. latifolia undergo examination, it would be better to employ 
either the expressed juice of the plant or an infusion made at a 
temperature not exceeding 180° Fahr. 
17.—NOTES ON NEW AND RARE SPECIES OF 
VICTORIA FUNGI. 
By H. T. Tispauu, F.LS. 
