344 'I'HANSACTKJiN'S AND I'ltOOKKDINGS OF THE [Se8S. LXVII. 



with, the ])riiicipal genus being Styphdia, with which 

 Baron Ferdinand von Mueller has now included a number 

 of previously formed separate genera.^ 



The species of Styphelia herein referred to consist 

 principally of shrubs and undershrubs of heath-like form, 

 from the robust and erect S. lanceolata, S. scoparia, etc., — 

 which attain their most luxurious growth on the wooded 

 sub-alpine ranges near and on the Great Dividing Eange, 

 where condensation and precipitation of vapour is 

 greatest and most continuous, — to the decumbent and 

 diffuse S. serrulata, flourishing on the drier stony northern 

 areas at lower elevations. At the higher levels iS^. collina 

 and S. glacialis, flourish between 5000 and 6000 ft.; 

 S. montana ascends to 5000 ft. 



Another genus, Epacris, is represented on sandy soils, 

 at the sub-alpine habitats, by the lovely crimson and white 

 E. impressa ; and struggling to higher elevations along 

 courses of streams are seen dwarfed forms of the otherwise 

 erect E. heteronema of lower levels ; while abundant on the 

 damp upland marsh lands are seen varieties of E. micro- 

 2)hylla ; and on the stony crests of ridges the alpine species 

 E. paludosa, E. pet'ro2')hila, and E. serpyllifolia ; and among 

 the Sphagnum beds, Richea Gunnii, between 4000 and 

 6500 ft. 



Ericaceae. — This distinctly European order, especially 

 characterised by the genus Erica in the British Highlands, 

 is only represented by two shrubs in the Australian Alps. 

 The snow bush, with fine large leaves and beautiful snow- 

 white berries, Gaultiera hispida, and Wittsteinia vacciniacea, 

 with pink and white berries ; these species are not met 

 with below 4000 ft., and ascend to GOOO ft. levels. 



The Orchide.e are not at all prevalent at the higher 

 levels; I have not observed any above 5000ft. Diuris 

 pedunmlata ascends to these elevations. 



Many of the species occur at the sub-alpine habitats, 

 between 2000 and 4000 ft. Dipodium pundatum is 

 prolific at 4000 ft., along with Caladenia Fatersoni and 

 Glossodia minor. 



^ " Systematic Census of the Plants of Australia," 1883, p. 105. 



