146 



plants are — Marianthus, Micrantlieum^ Ixodia, Zieria, Poranthera 

 ericoides, Caustis, Lomaria &c. One marked difference is the 

 absence in Kangaroo Island of Pultenaeas (except in three species 

 occurring rarely), so abundant specifically and individually on 

 the Mount Lofty Range, whilst on the other hand Kangaroo 

 Island is rich in species of heathy Myrtaceae as Darwinia^ 

 Lhotzkya and Thryptomene, which are unrepresented on the 

 Mount Lofty Eange. 



Another similarity is with the country stretching from 

 Lake Wangarry to the base of the Marble Eange, Port Lincoln, 

 the flora of which presents the same facies as that of Kangaroo 

 Island, but exhibits a larger number of species of western 

 types. Affinity with it is shown by Eucalyptus santalifolia, 

 E. cosmophylla, JE. corynocalyx, Daviesia incrassata, Acacia 

 dodonoeifolia, Lasiopetalum Schulzeni, JProstanthera coccinea, 

 Dodoncea Baueri, Eriostemon capUatiLS, Didymotlieca tliesioides, 

 Ptilotus Beckeri, Atriplex prostratum, Melaleuca uncinata, 

 Pomaderris obcordata, Cassinia Icevis, Ixiolcena supina, Veronica 

 distans, Grevillea halmaturina, Sclioenus nitens and Oladium 

 deustum. 



That those orders which are largely comprised of desert 

 plants, as Salsolacece, Amarantacece, Boraginece, Goodenovice and 

 Malvacece, are so poorly represented is not to be wondered at ; 

 but the fewness of LeguminoscB, Composited and Graminecs is a 

 matter of surprise. 



It is premature to speculate on the absence of some of the 

 widely distributed annuals, endemic in Australia, because they 

 may have escaped notice, from the circumstance, that no ex- 

 tended exploration has been conducted at their chief season of 

 growth, or in localities most favourable to them. jS^evertheles, 

 the absence of JRanunculus lappaceus, Linum margiiiale, Minuria 

 leptophylla, Craspedia Richei, Microseris Eoiteri^ Helichrysum 

 apiculatum, Anthistiria ciliata and many others can be explained 

 only on the assumption that the area was isolated before immi- 

 gration. Or take the case of Loranthus pendulics, what has 

 barred its admission into the island, when the species of 

 Cassytha, presenting apparently no greater advantages for 

 conveyance, have gained possession ? The same remarkable 

 circumstance is a feature of the Tasmanian flora, which includes 

 the same three Cassythas, but not one Loranthus. These facts 

 suggest the inquiry by what species of animals these parasitic 

 plants are convej^ed from one place to another; and then 

 as a corollary, does the geographic distribution of those agents 

 accord with that of the plants? 



Peculiarity of Habit of some Species. 

 Because of the humidity and extreme mildness of the climate 



