44 THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Botanical Name. AHernanthera, from Latin alterno I change, or alter- 

 nus alternate, and anthera an anther. The stamens (or anthers) alternate 

 with the staminodia. Achryantha, from achyrum chaff, and anthos flower, in 

 allusion to the chaffy nature of the flower. 



Botanical Description. A prostrate herb, spreading over the ground in a 

 thick mass; probably annual. 



Stems. Much branched, rooting at the nodes, woolly-hairy. 



Leaves. Shortly petiolate, from ovate-lanceolate to nearly orbicular, usually 

 f to 1 inch long, light-green, glabrous or nearly so. 



Flowers. Bisexual, sessile, supported by scarious bracts in heads in the 

 axils of the leaves and much shorter than the leaves, bracts and perianth-lobes 

 all scarious and straw-coloured, narrow and acute. 



Perianth. Divided to the base into five irregular lobes, three outer ones 

 (sepals) and two inner ones (petals). Two of the outer ones pungent pointed, 

 and longer than the third; the third less acute and denticulate in the upper 

 part; the two inner ones equal, much shorter, gibbous, and with a prominent 

 bunch of hairs on the back. 



Stamens. Five or fewer, united at the base into a short, exceedingly thin 

 cup ; very deciduous. Ovarium with a very short style and a single ovule. 



Fruit. A compressed indehiscent utricle. 



Uses. I know of none, except perhaps to assist in the recovery of humus 

 on a scalded plain. So far as I know, stock never touch it. It is a humble 

 plant. 



We have an allied species, Alternanthera triandra Lam., and the late 

 Mr. P. Corbet, of Mount Browne, sent it to me with the information that 

 the Chinamen of the district use this plant, to quote their own language, 

 " to cure sore hands, sore anything." I believe its reputed virtues are 

 largely imaginary. 



Another closely related plant, though not belonging to the same genus, 

 is Achryanthes aspera L., which is found also in all the tropical and sub- 

 tropical regions of the Old World, and also in several of the Australian 

 States. The herb is administered in India in cases of dropsy, and for many 

 other diseases. The ashes of the plant yield a considerable quantity of 

 potash, which is used in India in washing clothes. The flowering-spike has 

 the reputation in India (Oude) of being a safeguard against scorpions, 

 which it is believed to paralyse (Drury). This is another plant which, in 

 my view, has no medicinal value ; at the same time no member of the family 

 is poisonous. 



Where found. It has been proscribed in the following" shires and 

 municipalities : 



SHIRES. MUNICIPALITIES. 



Dorrigo Mnmbiilla Bega Graf ton 



Harwood Orara. South Graf ton TJlmarra. 



%< % Cow-COCkle (Saponaria vaccaria L.). 



(CARYOPHYLLACE.E: Pink Family.) 



Botanical Name. Saponaria, from the Latin sapo, soap, the leaves of 

 some of the species containing a saponifying principle; vaccaria Latin 

 vacca, a cow. I am not clear as to the connection, real or supposed, of cows 

 with this plant. In Britain and North America it goes under the names 

 of Cockle, Cow-cockle, China-cockle, and Cow-herb. 



