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each flower. The ovules are very numerous, and arranged 

 in two rows. They are minute at the time of flowering, 

 but easily observed in the fruit, which is very like a curved 

 leathery bean, from 2 to 3 inches long, which splits open 

 to allow the seeds to escape. These have a well-developed 

 wing on one side, which greatly aids in the dispersal of the 

 seed by wind. 



The flowers develop a considerable amount of honey, 

 and are much sought by honey-eating birds. Being closely 

 packed to form a large head renders them conspicuous at 

 a considerable distance. This is a common habit with 

 plants, and greatly aids the purpose of attracting visitors. 



Guitar Plant is widely dispersed. It is also called Fairy 

 Fern, because its leaves have sometimes a remote 

 resemblance to those of a fern. It is always a small shrub, 

 and the leaves are variable in shape, being sometimes quite 

 simple, at others very divided. The flowers are cream- 

 coloured, many, in loose masses, and shaped otherwise just 

 as in Waratah, but the fruit ib much smaller, and when 

 open somewhat resembles a guitar. 



Hakea is, from the shape of its fruit, often called Native 

 Pear, but as this name is also given to two or three other 

 shrubs we may be excused for dropping it in this instance. 

 We have no less than seven members of this genus. One 

 which does not occur south of Bass Straits has narrow but 

 flat leaves, but the rest have all similar foliage, namely 

 slender cylindric needles, assuming somewhat the appear 

 ance of a Pine. Our common Hakea is a rather large shrub. 

 The flowers are small, white; and arranged in little axillary 

 clusters. Though small they are structured just as in 

 Waratah. One difference may be noted, and this is found 

 in many genera of the family : they are arranged in pairs ; 

 that is, however dense the cluster, it is made up of pairs of 

 flowers. The fruit is very different from that of any other 

 shrub we shall meet with ; it is a wooden ball about an 

 inch in diameter. When ripe it splits in two, exposing 

 two flat black seeds that have well-developed thin wings 

 OQ one side. 



Small -fruited Hakea grows in marshy places. It is a 

 smaller shrub, and the fruit, which is about half an inch 

 in diameter, is not so woody. Dagger-fruited Hakea is 

 less common. The leaves are rigid and sharp, and the 

 fruit is dagger-shaped. Another form has a small fruit 

 sharply curved at the base. The two remaining species 

 are rare, and appear only to have been gathered on the 



