5 8 TROPIC DAYS 



and compressed oval fruit, brilliantly scarlet. The 

 tempting appearance of the fruit is all that may be said 

 in its favour, for it is hard and bitter, and said to be 

 vicious in its effects on the human system; hence the 

 generic title, after the three-headed dog, guardian of 

 the portals of the infernal regions. 



Grouped here and there are pale green, big-leaved 

 shrubs {Premna obtusifolia,) bearing flowers and fruit 

 calling to mind the elder of the old countr3\ The wood 

 is deep yellow in colour, but apparently of no practical 

 use. 



Another small tree, suggesting in its regular and well- 

 balanced shape the use of the pruning-knife, is Gnet- 

 tardia speciosa, the flowers of which arc white with a 

 tinge of pink in the centre and highly fragrant. The 

 fruit is a hard, woody drupe, containing small seeds. 

 Timoniiis rumphii, belonging to the same Famil}^, but 

 of more frequent occurrence, bears small white flowers 

 and globular fruit. The white, finely grained wood is 

 said to resemble English sycamore. Though harsh and 

 flaky, the surface of the bark seems to retain moisture, 

 making it attractive to several species of fungi and 

 epiphytal ferns, the most conspicuous of the latter 

 being the stag's-horn. Few of the trees near the beach 

 are free from such encumbrances. 



To unaccustomed eyes the Pandanus palm is chief 

 among the noticeable features of the flora of the coast 

 of tropical Queensland. Two species are represented 

 on these accommodating sands, each suffering no ill 

 from imbibing salt water, each exhibiting the peculiarity 

 whence the genus derives its common name — the screw 

 palm the arrangement of the long, narrow, prickle- 

 edged leaves displaying in the most regular and demon- 

 strative style the perfect spiral. The single stem of 

 youth frequently deteriorates and occasionally dis- 



