Forage Plants of Australia. 



Each flower has four petals (rarely wanting) , arranged like a cross. There are 

 usually six stamens, of which four are long and two are short. Hence the 

 illustrious Linnaeus included all plants of this order in his class Tetradyiiamia. 

 Amongst our popular garden plants arranged under this order are the wall- 

 flower, stock, &c. The produce of the kitchen garden is also largely repre- 

 sented by such plants as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, savoy, seakale, turnip, 

 rape, watercress, scurvy grass, mustard, cress, &c. Besides these esculents, 

 the order is a very valuable one in a commercial sense, for it produces some 

 vegetable oils, such as rape, camelina, &c. Mustard the table requisite, is 

 made from the ground seeds of other representatives (Sinapis nigra and S. 

 alba). The Chinese indigo is obtained from another plant of the order 

 (Isatis indigotica), and Isatis tiuctoria yields a valuable dye. 



OKDEE CEUCIFEE^E. 



BLENNODIA TEISECTA, 



" Three-leaved Mustard Bush." 



Flora Anstr., Vol. 7, p. 74. 



A SMOOTH, but often glaucous undershrub, usually growing more than 1ft. 

 high. The leaves are very numerous, often clustered, and are divided into 

 three unequal linear, rather thick segments ; the whole leaf being seldom 

 more than lin. long. The flowers are small, white and slightly fragrant. 

 The seed pods are usually very narrow, and about ^in. in length ; seeds 

 numerous, small, and nearly ovoid. This plant is found mostly in the in- 

 terior of New South "Wales, Yictoria, and South Australia. It is not 

 particular either as to soil or situation for it may be seen growing on ridges 

 in scrubby country, and on rich alluvial plains w^ith nearly equal success. It 

 is a capital fodder plant for the smaller herbivora, sheep being particularly 

 fond of it. This, no doubt, may be accounted for by the pungent flavor which 



?ervades the whole plant. It probably acts as a kind of sauce to other herbage. 

 n some situations this plant may be seen growing in fair abundance, for its 

 free seeding qualities, together with the easy germination of the seeds after 

 rainfall during the spring months, has rendered it somewhat proof against 

 extermination, which has nearly befallen many of our valuable forage plants. 

 It is not advisable to turn milch cows to graze in pastures where this plant 

 is growing abundantly, as it will give an unpleasant flavour to both milk 

 and butter. 



