40 Forage Plants of Australia. 



ORDER MYOPORIKEJl 



MYOPOEUM DESEETI, A. CUSN. 



" Sweet-fruited Myoporum." 



\ 



Flora Austr., Vol. F", p. 5. 



AN erect, close-growing, glabrous shrub growing 3 or 4 feet High, with alter- 

 nate, mostly linear-lanceolate leaves, which are rather thick, and from 1 inch 

 to 2 inches in length. Its flowers are produced from the leaf axils, and often 

 several together, as illustrated at figure 1 in the engraving. These are 

 succeeded by small, yellow, ovoid fruits, about \ of an inch long, as illustrated 

 in the larger branch in the engraving. These succulent drupes when ripe have 

 a peculiar, but not unpleasant, taste, of which the aborigines of the Darling 

 and Lachlan Eivers, in New South "Wales, are very fond, and previous to the 

 advent of the white man it was one of their food supplies, as it is now with 

 some of the birds in the interior. This plant has a wide geographical range 

 in Australia, being found principally in the interior of all the colonies, and 

 in some situations it is still moderately plentiful. Its free seeding qualities 

 have rendered it somewhat proof against extermination. This plant, with 

 some of its congeners, has been suspected by some persons, when in fruit, of 

 poisoning both cattle and sheep ; but my correspondents affirm differently, 

 and, besides, my own observations have led me to believe it makes capital forage 

 for both cattle and sheep in times of scarcity of other herbage, and, in fact, 

 sheep may be seen browsing upon it at all seasons. They will trim it so 

 neatly, by eating off the smaller branches, as to make it appear to have been 

 clipped into shape with a pair of garden shears. There are about a dozen 

 species of this genus found in Australia, and the fruits of some of them 

 \vere at one time eaten by the aborigines, and at the present time they con- 

 stitute a considerable portion of the food of many birds. Two or three species 

 of the genus Myoporum grow into large shrubs, or small trees, and yield a 

 timber, but not of great dimensions. It is used for various purposes, but 

 not extensively. Very little is known of the physiological properties of the 

 species arranged under the order Myoporinece, and they would well repay 

 most careful research by analysts who could devote their undivided attention 

 over a series of years to their elucidation. If this were done, it would clear 

 up many doubts which at present exist with regard to the economic value of 

 this highly interesting order of plants. Some of them are cultivated in 

 European conservatories, and when they are in flower are most beautiful 

 objects, and are held in great esteem by horticulturists. Eor garden pur- 

 poses the seeds of this plant should be sown singly in pots, and when they 

 are large enough to handle should be transplanted to their permanent quarters. 

 For forage purposes the seeds should be sown in places where it is intended 

 to grow the shrubs, as the young plants are very impatient of being 

 removed. 



