FLOWERING SHRUBS. Mf 



near the government house. The Callistachys ovata, 

 from King George's Sound, was also in flower ; 

 it is an elegant shrub, having a silvery pubes- 

 ence over the leaves, and bears handsome clusters 

 of yellow flowers. The Hibiscus splendens, from 

 Moreton Bay, was also in full bloom ; its large 

 and elegant pink flowers being full five inches 

 in diameter. Numerous species of Eucalypti 

 Banksia, &c. from the interior of the colony, as 

 also from Moreton Bay, and other portions of the 

 Australian coast, were in a thriving state ; and a 

 species of Draccena, bearing purple flowers, and 

 brought from Moreton Bay, was in blossom. 



About Sydney, however, in Januar}^, the 

 beauty of the floral kingdom had in some degree 

 passed away : Melaleuca myrtifolia, Leptosper- 

 mum, Xanthorrea hastile, and other species ; Ca- 

 licoma serratifolia ; Gompkolohium ; Lamhertia 

 formosa ; Isopogon anethifolius ; Enokelia major 

 and minor ; Billardieria scandens ; and a few 

 others still remaining, covered with blossoms, to 

 animate the scene with their varied tints and 

 brilliancy of appearance. The shrubs of the 

 Staphelia viridiflora were now in fruit ; which, 

 when ripe, is of a purplish black colour, hav- 

 ing a sweetish taste, and is gathered and sold 

 in the shops under the popular name of '-'Jive 

 coiners:'' this name,- no doubt, was applied 



VOL. I. z 



