in Extra- Tropical Countries. 173 



Grevillea annulifera, F. v. Mueller. 



West-Australia. A tall brush or small tree, with highly orna- 

 mental flowers. The seeds are comparatively large, of almond-taste, 

 and the fruits produced copiously. The shrub will live in absolute 

 desert-sands, where the other Australian proteaceous Nut-tree, 

 Brabejum (Macadamia) ternifolium, could not exist. Well may we 

 plead, that enlightened statesmanship should lastingly preserve at 

 least on a few chosen spots also in South-Western Australia all the 

 splendid Grevilleas and hundreds of other gay or remarkable plants, 

 quite peculiar to that part of the world, where the endemism of 

 vegetation is more singularly and strongly concentrated than any- 

 where else on the globe, unless in South- Africa and California; so 

 that future generations also may yet be able, to contemplate at least 

 the local remnants of a world of plants as charming as it is diversified 

 and peculiar, before many of its constituents succumb by aggress of 

 herds and flocks altogether. 



Grevillea robusta, Cunningham. 



A beautiful lawn-tree, indigenous to the sub-tropical part of East- 

 Australia, rising to 150 feet, of rather rapid growth, and resisting 

 drought in a remarkable degree; hence one of the most eligible trees, 

 even for desert-culture. Cultivated trees at Melbourne yield now an 

 ample supply of seeds. The wood is elastic and durable, valued 

 particularly for staves of casks, also for furniture. The richly 

 developed golden-yellow trusses of flowers attract honey-sucking 

 birds and bees through several months of the year. The seeds are 

 copiously produced and germinate readily. Rate of growth in 

 Victoria, 20-30 feet in 20 years. 



Grindelia squarrosa Dunal. 



North- America in the middle-regions, but extending also far north- 

 ward. A perennial balsamic herb, praised for medicinal virtues in its 

 native lands. Several congeners occur from California and Mexico 

 to Chili and Argentina. G-. robusta (Nuttall) serves therapeutic pur- 

 purposes in California. 



Guadua anglistifolia, Kunth. (Bambusa Guadua, HumboldtandBonpland.) 

 New Granada, Ecuador and probably other of the Central Ameri- 

 can States. This Bamboo attains a height of 40 feet, and might 

 prove hardy in sheltered places of temperate low-lands. Holton re- 

 marks of this species, that it is, after the plantain, maize and cane, the 

 most indispensable plant of New Granada, and that it might be called 

 the lumber-tree, as it supplies nearly all the fencing and wood-work 

 of most of the houses, and is besides manufactured into all kinds of 

 utensils. The genus Guadua comprises the stoutest of all Bamboos. 



Guadua latifolia, Kunth.* (Bambusa latlfolia, Humboldt and Bonpland.) 



One of the tall Bamboos of Central America, whence several other 

 lofty Bamboos may be obtained, among them the almost climbing 

 Chusqueas. This Guadua is stouter than any Indian Bamboo. In 

 tropical America native Bamboos are planted for hedges. 



