AUSTRALIAN TREES AND SHRUBS. 115 



CONCLUSION. 



In closing I may add that from a scientific point there is a 

 further reason why we should carefully study the Australian 

 flora as represented in this country. It has been claimed 

 by von Ettingshausen that he has found the leaf remains of 

 such familiar Australian plants as Eucalyptus and Metrosideros 

 in fossil beds contemporaneous with those of the Bournemouth 

 cliffs. Also, Heer has described such Australian genera as 

 Banksia, Eucalyptus, Grevillea, and Hakea from leaf remains 

 in the Miocene formations of Switzerland. Although neither 

 of these discoveries has been accepted by such leading 

 authorities as Bentham and Hooker, it is possible that a careful 

 comparison of the fossil remains and the living Australian 

 plants accessible to us might help to solve the difficulty. 

 Pal aso -botanists are agreed that the identification of fossil 

 leaf impressions with an existing flora is a most difficult task. 

 Even in the case of fresh specimens it is not a matter of surprise 

 that experienced botanists in Australia hesitate to determine 

 species of Eucalyptus from leaves alone. Flowers and fruit 

 are always desirable. 



m 



