to above the middle ; upper petals about twice as long as the calyx, 

 the lowermost rather shorter than the side ones ; pod about 3 lines 

 long, on a stalk very much shorter than the calyx. 



Noted in the Flora Australiensis is one of the poison-plants, 

 and bracketed with Oxylobium patviflonim as the box poison in Mr. 

 Woodward's circular. Specimens and authentic notes of poisonous 

 effects caused by it, are required to settle identity and properties. 



BERRY POISON. 



Gastrolobium parvifolium. A rigid spreading heath-like shrub, 

 the branches hairy. Leaves crowded, in irregular circles round the 

 branches, narrow-oblong, blunt, with a minute point, under ^,-inch 

 long, thick and leathery, convex underneath, hairless and net- 

 veined, the midrib scarcely conspicuous. Bunches of flowers ter- 

 minating the branches, rather dense, rarely longer than one inch 

 when in flower, often two inches in fruit, the stalk and stalklets 

 softly and densely hairy. Calyx veinless and without hairs, broadly 

 bell-shaped, about two lines long, the two upper divisions almost 

 completely united into a blunt upper lip, the three lower ones much 

 shorter. Upper petal twice as long as the calyx ; side ones shorter, 

 almost as broad as long, all narrowed near their attachment. Pod 

 stalked, compressed-globular, oblique, very blunt, hairless. 



Reported from the eastern and south-western districts, grow- 

 ing mostly in sandy and gravelly soils, height one to two or three 

 feet, and flowering between September and January. There is a 

 consensus of opinion as to the greater virulence of this poison 

 during the flowering and specially the seeding stages, some believ- 

 ing it is not dangerous to stock at other times. Mr. E. R. Parker 

 says "it is seldom that any mischief befalls a flock from this poison 

 till October, November, or December, when it is in flower or pod." 



PRICKLY POISON. 



Gastrolobium spinosnm. A shrub of two to four feet, usually 

 quite hairless, but sometimes the young shoots clothed with a very 

 evanescent wool, and the calyx and stalklets with a more persistent 

 down ; leaves mostly opposite, broadly heart-shaped, ending in a 

 pungent point, and bordered with prickly teeth, or rarely almost or 

 quite even-edged, three-quarters to one and a half inches long, often 

 as broad as long, rigid and often glaucous ; bunches of flowers 

 loose, stalked, one to one and a half inches long ; calyx broad, about 

 two lines long, the points much shorter than the lower portion, the 

 two upper ones united nearly to the top ; upper petal streaked, 

 half inch diameter, side ones rather shorter and scarcely exceeding 

 the lowermost, which is broad and deeply coloured ; pod stalked, 

 hairless, bent-oval, four to live lines long, with a narrow point. 



Variety, triungnliirc ; leaves triangular heart-shaped, with pun- 

 gent points only at the angles ; flowers smaller, the bunches looser 

 and more stalked. 



