6 FLOEA OF AUSTRALIA. 



to praise the value of the purslane, which not only occurred in 

 every part of the country explored, but also principally in the 

 neighbourhood of rivers, often in the greatest abundance. We 

 found it in sandy and grassy localities, so agreeably acidulous, as 

 to use it for food without any preparation ; and I have reason to 

 attribute the continuance of our health, partially to the constant 

 use of this valuable plant. The absence of other antiscorbutic 

 herbs in the north, and the facility with which it may be gathered, 

 entitle it to particular notice." In addition to those already 

 mentioned, I have not observed any edible calycidorals, with the 

 exception of a small parsley (ILeloscmdium leptopliylluin) , and the 

 Lilly Pilly of our colonial youths, which is the fruit of Eugenia, 



(3.) The Corolliflorse of the district comprehend twenty families 

 and the number of species is rather more than fifty. Most of the 

 plants connected with this division are small and uninteresting, 

 so far as the Parramatta district is concerned, and offer but few 

 beauties to the practical gardener. If we except EJiretia acuminata, 

 which indeed scarcely belongs to the district, the only interesting 

 shrubs to be noticed are Tecoma Australia, or the Australian 

 Bignonia, Logania floribunda (which forms an exception to the 

 generality of native plants in having an agreeable scent), Mi/opo- 

 rum ellipticwn, Notelcea ovata, or the native olive, Duboisia My- 

 oporoides and Clerodendrwn tomentoswn. There is also an elder 

 which I believe to be identical with that described in Sir. T. 

 Mitchell's Travels, under the name of Tripetalus Australasicus. 

 " Soon after we passed ' Billabugan,' a cattle station on the river, 

 where the dry branch joined it ; and at three miles further we 

 traversed the southern skirts of a plain, and finally made a bend 

 of the Lachlan, on which we encamped in latitude 3324' 28" 

 south. In the course of this day's journey, we discovered a bush 

 resembling the European dwarf elder, but with yellow flowers, 

 and fruit with scarcely any pulp." This plant differs from the 

 genus Sambucus in having three sepals, three petals, and three 

 stamens only, whereas the European elder is pentandrous. There 

 are two trees belonging to the Corolliflorae which abound on the 

 banks of the Parramatta Biver, and are generally called " man- 

 groves." The true mangrove is a tropical tree, and one of those 

 to which I refer is (Egiceras fragrans, with white sweet-scented 

 flowers, and the other, Avicennia tomentosa, with inconspicuous 



