Feb. 1P03.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBUKGH 32 7 



as the ovules of Banksia ; calyptra of Eucalyptus ; stigma 

 of GoodeniacetTe ; staminal column of Stylidium ; irritable 

 labellum of various Orchidea? ; flowers sunk in the wood of 

 some Leptospermeaj ; pericarp of Casuarina ; receptacle 

 and inner stamiuodia of Eupomatia ; and stomata of 

 Proteacea?. 



Notwithstanding these peculiarities, Hooker considers 

 that it is impossible to regard the Australian vegetation 

 in any other light than as forming a peculiar, but not 

 aberrant or anomalous, botanical province of the existing 

 vegetable kingdom. 



The great specific difference between the plants of the 

 south-eastern and south-western parts of Australia is 

 referred to as being greater than that between Australia 

 and the rest of the globe. 



It is also pointed out that most of those Australian 

 orders and genera which are found in other countries 

 round Australia have their maximum development, in 

 Australia, at points approximating in geographical position 

 towards those of neighbouring countries. 



It is noteworthy that the following orders represented in 

 the Australian Alps abound, after Australia, most in South 

 Africa, or in extra tropical South Africa : — Proteacese, 

 Rutacefe, Ptestiacea?, Thymele;e, Droseracea?, Polygalea?, 

 Santalacete, Iridese, Epacridefe, and Eubiacea?. 



The forecast given by Sir J. D. Hooker that the ante- 

 cedents of the peculiar Australian flora may have inhabited 

 an area to the west of the Australian continent, analogous 

 with South Africa, and that the bonds of affinity between 

 the Antarctic, Australian, and South African floras indicate 

 them as members of one great vegetation which may have 

 covered as large an area as tlie European does in the 

 northern hemisphere, is one which, I think, receives ample 

 confirmation by the most recent phytographic research. 



It is also noteworthy that a number of plants from 

 the mountains of New Guinea occur in the Australian 

 Alps. There is also a mixture of forms peculiar to the 

 Himalayas ; Kurrnm Valley, Afghanistan ; the mountains 

 of Xorch Borneo ; and Morocco (Africa). 



The occurrence of Xevv Zealand and Polynesian types 

 of plants in the Australian Alps and Tasmania, along with 



