Forage Plants of Australia. 



57 



ORDER CHENOPODIACE.E. 



ATEIPLEX NUMMULAKIA, LINDL. 

 " Round-leaved Salt-bush." 

 Flora Austr., Vol. F, p. 170. 



A SHRTTB which attains a height of from 6 to 10 feet, and is covered all 

 over with a scaly tomentum. Its leaves are variable, but mostly orbicular, 

 rather thick, and slightly sinuate-toothed. This plant is dioecious that is, 

 the two sexes of flowers are borne on separate plants. The large branch in 

 the engraving illustrates the male, and the smaller one the female perianths. 

 It is peculiar to the Macquarie, Castlereagh, and Darling Rivers, and the 

 arid far-western plains in New South Wales, Darling Downs in Queensland, 

 lEurray Scrub in Victoria, and in the interior of South Australia, and at one 

 time was moderately plentiful in those places ; but the over-stocking of 

 runs has had a most serious effect on this plant, for in some places it is 

 nearly exterminated. Cattle, sheep, and other herbivora are so extremely 

 fond of this plant, and often crop it so closely down that it has little chance to 

 recuperate, much less produce seed sufficient in quantity for its natural per- 

 petuation. Its drought-enduring qualities are remarkable ; for it withstands 

 the hot winds on our arid central plains throughout the summer months with 

 little check upon its growth. Such a valuable fodder plant is well worthy of 

 extensive conservation and even cultivation ; and if this is not done within 

 a few years it will then be practically impossible, except under very careful 

 management. When not too closely fed down the plant will seed in abun- 

 dance, and the seed will germinate readily under ordinary conditions. It 

 will also strike readily from cuttings put in in the ordinary way ; so no great 

 outlay will be required to enter upon a proper system of conservation of this 

 plant, if taken in time. Figure I shows a section of the fruiting perianth, 

 which is sessile, rounded and hardened at the base, the valves free nearly to 

 the base, and toothed on either side. The seeds of this plant are best put in 

 during the autumn months, and the cuttings will also strike more readily at 

 that than at any other season of the year. This plant may frequently be 

 seen growing in gardens in the coastal districts. I had a specimen brought 

 from Goulburn for identification that was taken from a shrub 12 feet high. 



In the proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales for 1880, 

 Mr. W. A. Dixson gave the following analysis of this plant : 



Oil 



Carbohydrates 

 Albuminoids... 

 Woody fibre... 

 Ash C.0. 2 ... 



Nitrogen 



100-00 



2-63 



"Woody parts of plant 10 per cent. 

 Edible 90 per cent. 



100-00 



31-28 



