Forage Plants of Australia. 43 



OEDEE MYOPORINE^l. 



i 



EREMOPHILA BIGNONI^FLORA, P. v. M. 

 "Emu Bush." 



Flora Ausfr., Vol. V, p. 25. 



A TALL shrub or small tree, growing from 10 to 15 feet nigh ; but we 

 have seen it under cultivation over 20 feet in height. The leaves are linear 

 lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, and somewhat glutinous, and from 2 to 6 

 inches in length. The flowers are arranged singly on short stalks in the 

 leaf axils, each flower being about 1 inch long. At figure 1 is illustrated 

 the fruit, which is ovate, acute, and about \ an inch long. The outer covering 

 is succulent, but thin, enclosing a very hard stone, which is more or less 

 completely four celled. This shrub is found principally in the interior of 

 Xew South Wales, Queensland, North Australia, and Victoria, but it is not 

 reported to be plentiful anywhere. On the plains between the Lachlan and 

 Darling Eivers in Xew South Wales it is becoming somewhat scarce, for it 

 has been much cut down for stock during late years. "When herbs and 

 grasses have become scarce for want of rain, this shrub has proved to be a 

 good standby for the pastoralist. So far as it has been observed, however, 

 stock do not browse upon this shrub at all seasons, as is the case with some of 

 its congeners. Still it is worthy of conservation, and even cultivation on 

 our arid central plains, not only to supply forage during long " spells " of 

 dry weather but for the beautiful timber it yields. This plant produces 

 seed in fair quantities, and they germinate readily under ordinary conditions. 

 Emus and some other kinds of birds eat the seeds of the plant, and in con- 

 sequence it is often called " emu bush " by stockmen ; but there are many 

 trees and shrubs which bear this appellation on account of their seeds being 

 eaten by these birds. The timber of this shrub which, however, is not of 

 large dimensions, rarely exceeding 15 inches in diameter, is fragrant, hard, 

 close grained, and beautifully marked with green and yellowish figures. It 

 takes a high polish. The seeds should be sown where they are intended to 

 be grown permanently, as the plants are very impatient of being transplanted, 

 and will often die after the operation. 



