AUSTRALIAN VEGETATION. 163 
New Zealand, ought to be established wherever the Date is planted for 
embellishment. Kotang Palms {Calami of several species) render 
some of the northern thickets almost inapproachable, while there also 
on a few spots of the coast the Cocoanut-tree occurs spontaneously. 
A few peculiar Palms occur in the Cassowary country, near Cape 
York, and others around the Gulf of Carpentaria as far west as 
Arnhem's Land. The tallest of all, the lofty Alexandra Palm (Pfy- 
ckosperma Alexandra), extends southwards to the tropic of Capricorn, 
and elevates its majestic crown far above the ordinary trees of the 
jungle. The products of these entire forests is as varied as the 
vegetation which constitutes them. As yet, however, their treasures 
have been but scantily subjected to the test of the physician, the 
manufacturer, or the artisan. The bark of Alstonia constricts, like 
that of allied Indian species, is ascertained to be febrifugal, and also those 
of CJdonanthus axillaris and Brucea Sumatrana. Caoutchouc might be 
produced from various trees, especially the tall kinds of Ficus. The 
lustre and tint of the polished wood of others is unrivalled. Edible 
fruits are yielded by Achras Australis, Achras Pohlmaniana, Mimusops 
Kauki, Zizyphus Jujuba, Citrus Australia, Citrus Planchonii, Eugenia 
nyrtifolia, Eugenia Tierneyana, Parinarium Nonda, the Candlenut-tree 
{Aleurites triloba), and the cluster Fig-tree {Ficus vesca, which pro- 
duces its bunches of fruit from the stem), also by species of Owenia 
and Spondias, and by several brambles and vines. Starchy aliment or 
edible tubers are furnished by Tacca pinnatifida, by several Cissi (C. 
°P«ca, C. clematidea, acrid when unprepared), Marsdeuia viridiflora, 
Oolocasia antiquorum, Alocasia macrorrhiza, by a colossal Cycas, some 
Zamice, and several kinds of Yam (Dioscorea butbifera, D. punctata, 
and other species). BacMousia citriodora and Myrtus fragrautimma 
yield a cosmetic oil, so also Eucalyptus citriodora, a tree not confined 
to the jungle, and two kinds of Ocimum,. Semecarpus Anacardium, 
the Marking-nut-tree, is a native of the most northern brush-country. 
The medicinal Mallotus Philippine nsis and the poisonous Exctecaria 
dgallotfia are more frequent. 
Many of the trees of the coast-forests of East Australia range from 
the extreme north to the remotest south, among them the Pahu-panax ; 
others, like Araucaria Cunninghami, extend only to the northern part 
°f New South Wales, while some, including Araucaria Bidwillu, or 
the Bunya-Bunya-tree, so remarkable for its large edible nutlike seeds, 
