494 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
Island, besides Somerset, on the mainland, which, with the longer 
stay on Thursday Island, gave me a fair view of the flora of these 
parts. However, the time of my visit was not a very favour- 
able one, for the plants of all kinds were suffering greatly for 
want of rain, there having been very little rain during what in 
these parts is called the wet season. This want was not so badly 
felt on the mainland, and here I found the flora particularly rich 
and interesting, and I feel no hesitation in saying that a large 
number of hitherto undescribed plants are here waiting the hand 
of the botanical collector. Besides those which may prove new, 
there are many others, the published descriptions of which are far 
from being complete. The palms of this district are beautiful, 
and probably numerous in species ; but these require very careful 
collecting, so that the flowers, fruit, and foliage of each kind may 
be kept separate. During my few days’ stay I obtained what [ 
consider two new species, as well as two new species of Vepenthes. 
These latter Mr. F. L. Jardine had brought in for me from some 
distance. He also described to me another of these curious 
plants which I think in all probability is also new, and should 
this prove the case, the Queensland flora will contain five species 
of this remarkable genus. Amongst the very many plants of 
this locality which I should much like to be brought into 
garden culture is Morinda reticulata, Benth. This plant forms 
a compact shrub about 3 or 4 feet in height, and nearly every 
branch is crowned with a head of white flowers, the beauty 
of which is enhanced by the number of large white bracts by 
which each head is often surrounded. The specimens from 
which the author of the ‘Flora Australiensis” drew up the 
description for that work were those gathered by A. Cunningham 
on the north-east coast, and some obtained by W. Hill on 
Albany Island, since which Baron Mueller records having received 
specimens from Fitzroy Island and the Endeavour River, but 
adds nothing to the description above quoted, which might be 
extended to read : 
M. reticulata, Benth., a broadly-spreading glabrous shrub, 
rarely exceeding 3 feet in height, the upper internodes rather long, 
smooth, and cane-like. Leaves coriaceous, broadly ovate, some- 
times acuminate, the larger ones often 6 inches long and 4 inches 
broad, the pinnate veins and reticulate veinlets very prominent. 
Stipules broadly triangular and acute. Peduncles about 1 inch 
long, four together, terminal or in the upper axils, each bearing a 
head of about ten flowers. Calyx tubes partly emersed in the 
receptacle, the teeth or lobes minute, except some of the outer ones 
of each head of flowers, which develop into petiolate white bracts 
nearly the size and with the same form and venation as the stem- 
leaves. Corolla tube 6 lines long, very hairy at the orifice ; lobes 
oblong, about 3 lines long; anthers slightly exerted; style not 
