FLORA OF THE TORRES STRAITS. 44] 
Labiate. (Thyme Family.) 
Salvia plebera, R. Br. “ Australian Sage.” 
A weedy plant 2 or 3 feet high, with pale-coloured flowers. 
S. coccinea, Linn.  ‘‘Scarlet-flowered Sage.” 
A plant 2 or 3 feet high, flowers scarlet; a North American 
species which has become naturalised in many parts of Queensland. 
Anisomeles salvifolia, R. Br. 
A plant 3 or 4 feet high ; a weed of scrub land; flowers pale- 
coloured. 
Nyctagine. (Marvel of Peru Family.) 
Boerhaavia diffusa, Linn, ‘ Goitcho,” of Cloncurry natives (E. 
Palmer), Hogweed. Roots eaten by the Boulia aborigines, 
who call it Witooka (Dr. Roth). 
A procumbent weed found all over Australia ; often trouble- 
some in cultivation plots. Mr. E. Palmer says that the yam-like 
roots of this plant when roasted have a pleasant mealy taste, and 
are very nourishing. 
Pisonia aculeata, Linn. 
A large straggling plant, armed with recurved prickles, often’ 
found near the mangroves, forming an impenetrable mass. 
Amarantacee. (Amaranth Family.) 
Amarantus viridis, Linn. 
A common weed. 
Trichinium distans, R. Br. 
A plant making but a few erect wiry branches ; Jeaves narrow. 
Flowers in a much interrupted spike, greenish. 
Achyranthes aspera, Linn. 
A very troublesome weed on scrub land. Perianths reflexed, in 
long slender terminal spikes. 
Aristolochiacee. (Birthwort Family.) 
Aristolochia indica var. magna, Benth. ‘“ Birthwort.” 
A slender scrub climber. 
Piperacere. (Pepper Family.) 
Piper subpeltatum, Willd. ‘ Large-leaved Pepper-shrub.” 
A soft wooded plant 4 to 5 feet high, with large orbicular- 
cordate leaves, spikes of flowers numerous in the axils, of various 
length. ; 
