PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO NORTH-WEST OF VICTORIA. 459 
of rarer occurrence. The desert cherry, Exocarpus spartea, may 
be found either singly or in patches of several acres distributed 
throughout the mallee fringe, also rendered conspicuous by its 
peculiar-hued hair-like branches, a yellowish, and more often a 
brownish-green. Here also occur Pimelea microcephala associ- 
ated with Helichrysum decurrens and Aster tubuliflorus. The 
composite, Evrechtites prenanthoides, closely related to the 
Senecios, extends to this part of the colony, and is fairly common 
where the scrub has been burnt. The order Goodeniaceae is 
represented by five genera, and with the exception of a few by all 
the species enumerated for the colony. The genus Goodenza is 
particularly plentiful, and most of the species abound. G. varia 
occurs sometimes as a trailer or partial climber amongst 
other shrubs, but generally as a procumbent semi-shrub. 
G. pusilliflora, a small annual species, hitherto overlooked as 
extending to this part of the colony, is rare on the more open 
dry patches, also G. gracilis in wet places in conjunction with 
G. heteromera. Some peculiar forms of G. pinnatifida occur, 
differing in appearance from the normal species, and two varieties 
of G. geniculata, the one with large flowers and tomentose leaves, 
and the other with smaller flowers and altogether a smaller plant, 
may be found on the sandier patches. Logania lintfolia is rather 
uncommon, and prefers sheltered spots. At rare intervals, isolated 
plants of Lycium australe occur, and where the scrub had been 
burntin recent years Solanum simile grows luxuriantly, S. esurtale 
is a small species met with in swampy places, or land liable to 
periodical inundations. The two species of Halgania recorded 
from Victoria are both fairly plentiful on the light soils. Some 
fine bushes of H. lavandulacea occur not far from Nhill on stiff 
elay soil, while H. cyanea grows by the road-side, in more sandy 
situations. HH. lavandulacea makes a fine show when in bloom, 
the flowers being of a deep blue colour, and the foliage dark shining 
green. It is, however, subject to a kind of blight, which blackens 
the stems and leaves ; an exudation from the leaves renders it a 
difficult plant to press properly. Both these species are disap- 
pearing rapidly, under the advance of farming operations, and in 
a few years there will be none left in this district. Hriostemon 
sediflorus, a small shrub with canary yellow blossoms, appearing 
early in the spring, and densely clothed with pretty foliage, also 
preters fairly good soils, unlike its relative H. stenophyllus, which 
delights in pure sand. H.capitatus is rare, and occurs only, 
to the writer’s knowledge, in the scrub not far from Nhill. The 
natural order, Labiatae, is represented by two forms of West- 
ringia rigida, the one low and rigid, producing white flowers 
garnished with a few purple spots in the throat, the other taller, 
of a more lax growth, and producing purple or lavender- 
coloured flowers ; also by two species of Prostanthera, P. coccinea, 
