NOTES ON THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 251 



genera of Composites, Myrtles and Epacrids, but on the other hand, 

 there are many that can only be looked upon as vestiges of a passing 

 state. 



Take the family Proteaceae, a group so typical of Australia. 

 It is represented by twelve genera containing twenty-four species 

 of which no less than twelve are endemic. Of these are the single 

 Telopea and both the Lomatias, which belong to the tribe Embo- 

 trieae, a tribe which is common to eastern Australia and western 

 South America. The genus Orites, a purely east Australian group, 

 contains but six species, four of which, all endemic, are found in 

 Tasmania. The genera Bellcndena, Agastachys and Cenarrhenes are 

 vestiges not found on the mainland, and it is not possible to trace 

 whence they came. Their presence on the mountains of Tasmania 

 is probably a record that some at least of these highlands have not 

 been submerged during an enormous period of geologic time. The 

 presence in the western half of Tasmania of such fresh water crus- 

 taceans as Anaspides, Paranaspides, Niphargus and Phreatoicus 

 points in the same direction. The enormous Australian genus 

 Grevillea contains nearly two hundred species, yet though it is widely 

 dispersed on the mainland, only one poor little mountain form of 

 G. australis is native of the Island. What are the factors restraining 

 its migration ? The closely allied Hakea has not been so prevented. 



The Saxifrages are represented by few plants all of fixed types. 

 There are five genera, each possessing but a single species, and four 

 out of these few species are endemic, Baiiera riihioides being the only 

 one common to Tasmania and the mainland. Anodopetalum and 

 the pecuharly isolated genus Tetracarpcea have not hitherto been 

 found beyond the region of the island. With a family of such wide 

 distribution as this, it is unsafe to theorise whence it came to the 

 AustraUan region ; yet it is interesting to note it is almost entirely 

 confined to the eastern part, only three species, namely, an Aphano- 

 petalum, a Cephaloius, and an Eremcsyne, being found in the west, 

 and of these the last two are monotypic, and confined to Western 

 Australia. The family as found in Australia is peculiar for the 

 number of genera containing but one or few species, and all are of 

 a fixed type, not a single species appears to be actively varying. 



The family Cupuliferae is without doubt of ancient type, and 

 we can hope for no record of its probable multifarious migrations 

 on the face of the globe. The very untrustworthy record founded 

 upon leaf impressions has credited us with a marvellous flora of this 

 family in Tertiary and Post Tertiary ages. The impressions 

 assigned to oaks and beeches and possibly willows are at least 

 tolerably convincing. Is the presence of our native beeches to be 

 migration in common with those of New Zealand and Fuegia from 

 an obliterated Antarctica ? Whether we take the view that the 

 Fagi of Australia, New Zealand and Fuegia are remnants left of a 

 cupuliferous flora that once clothed countries of low latitude to be 

 obliterated, except in the southernmost posts of migration owing to 

 the advance of torrid conditions, or, on the other hand, believe that 

 these are all that are left of a polar flora, there is no gainsaying the 



