324 TIIANSACTIUNS AND J'ROGKP:iJlNGS OF THE [ Skss. Lxvii. 



Drimys aromatica (native pepper tree), Aciphylla (jlacialis 

 (native parsnip), Lcptomeria apliylla (native cranberry), 

 Pimelia axijiora (native hemp), and many Eucalyptus trees 

 and rayrtaceous shrubs yielding valuable oils. 



In tlie eastern region adjacent to the Australian Alps, 

 especially in the watershed of the Snowy Kiver valley, 

 there is a remarkable commingling of types of a tropic 

 facies with others of a distinctively antarctic character 

 The Snowy Eiver finds its source runnels in the Mount 

 Kosciusko plateau, 7000 ft. above sea-level, and the 

 Maneroo tableland at lower altitudes in the southern 

 portion of the state of New South Wales. 



In this region may be seen the effects of varying 

 hygrometric and other meteorological conditions in the 

 evolution of varietal forms, such species as Craspedia 

 Richea, Heliclirysum ros^narinifolium, among the Composit?e; 

 Daviesia latifolia and several Acacias among the Legu- 

 minoste ; and in the forms of the arboreous Drimys 

 aromatica, and Panax samhucifoliits ; several myrtaceous 

 shrubs ; Styphelia ericoides, Gentiana saxosa, and the 

 ubiquitous Wahlenbergia gracilis. 



Of the 10,000 species of plants peculiar or indigenous 

 to Australia, not more than one-tenth occur in the 

 Australian Alps at altitudes above 2000 ft., or in the 

 altitudinal zone between 2000 and 7000 ft. 



The proportion between the Phanerogams and Crypto- 

 gams of the species collected is as follows : — 



Phanerogams (80 orders) . 249 genera 678 species. 

 Cryptogams . . . 161 „ 341 ,, 



410 „ 1019 „ 



There is much work to be done in the latter division 

 before a final comparison can be made. 



It will be seen that of the known 182 natural orders 

 of Phanerogamic plants occurring in Australia, nearly one- 

 half occur in the Australian Alps. 



The principal orders of plants which contain the 

 greatest number of genera and species are as follows : — 



