325 
MEMORANDA. 
IJoTES ON Gasxeolobium Grandifloeum, an Afstealtan Poison 
Plant. — The poison plaut {Gastrololium grandiflonim^ P. IMiill.) whicli 
proved so detrimental to the herds and flocts on the Cape, Bnrdekin, and 
Flinders riyers, is a bush, several feet high, with orange-coloured flowers, 
J. Macdouall Stuart, the famous explorer, brought the first specimens from 
Attack Creek, south of Arnhem's Land. It is to be feared that the plant has 
a wide range in tropical Australia (though it was not met with on the route 
of the expedition to which I \va3 attached). To some extent the occupants of 
territory in which it occurs may, however, guard against this bane, since the 
plant has become widely known ; nor is it unlikely that it may be extirpated 
by setting fire repeatedly to the scrubby ridges on which it grows. G, grandi' 
Jlorum is the only species of the genus as yet found beyond south-west Australia, 
where several congeners {O. hilohum, G. calt/clmtm^ G. callistachys^ G. oay- 
lohioides), on account of their poisonous properties, render extensive tracts 
unoccupiable. On a future occasion I shall have to enter on detailed state- 
ments of the effects of the Gastrolohia on the animal frame, give the results of 
their chemical analysis, and refer to the highly deleterious efiect of the Stvainsonia 
Chreyana (which as a pasture herb on the Darling flats, frequently causes the 
death of horses during dry seasons, when other herbage fails) as well as to the 
deadly effect of the Lotus australls on sheep, — -F. Mailer {^Extract from Fro' 
ceedings of Royal Society of Victoria.) 
BOTANICAL NEWS. 
Our obituary, of this issue, includes the distinguished names of Hugh Cuming 
and Sir William Jackson Hooker, the former, the possessor of the largest con» 
chological, the other, the possessor of the largest botanical collection ever 
formed. Hugh Cuming was bom at West Alvington, Kingsbridge, in the 
county of Devon, on the 14th of February, 1791. Even as a cliild, his love of 
plants and of shells displayed itself in a remarkable manner ; and under the 
friendly patronage and encouragement of Colonel Montagu, author of * Teatacea 
Britannica,' who resided in the neighbourhood, it was largely fostered and de- 
veloped. Apprenticed to a sail-maker, he was brought into contact with sea- 
faring men, and in the year 1819 he made a voyage to South America, and 
settled in business at Valparaiso. Here his passion for collecting sheila found aa 
ample field for its development, and was greatly stimulated and assisted by the 
English Consul, Mr. Nugent, and by several oflicers of the British Navy; 
among others, by Lieutenant Trembly and the oflicers of the surveying ships, 
under the command of Captains King and Fitzroy. In 1826, he gave up his 
business, in order to devote himself wholly to his favourite pursuit. With this 
6bject, he built a yacht, expressly fitted for the collection and stowage of ob' 
