8 FLORA OF AUSTRALIA. 



species of Casuarina, which afford wood for shingles, furniture, 

 and handles, and two trees generally called " Sassafras" by work- 

 men, the one of which (Oryptocarya glaucescens) occurs on one 

 part of the Toongabbie Creek, and the other (Dorypltora sassafras) 

 in the remote part of the district. To this division, belong also 

 the far-famed native cherry (JExocarpus cupressiformis) , and two 

 species of Leptomeria, one of which, under the name of " native 

 currant," is well-known in the Sydney market. Allied to these 

 is a small species of tantalum ($. oltusifoliuni) , which has drupes 

 of a dark blue colour, about the size of a small marble. It is a 

 rare plant, and I believe the flower is hitherto but imperfectly 

 described. The Proteaceous family has nearly thirty species in 

 this neighbourhood, including the genera oflsopogon, Oonospermtm, 

 jPersoonia, Petropliila, Stenocarpus, G-revillea, Telopea, JBanksia, 

 Lambertia, Jtylomelum, Lomatia, and HaJcea. In reference to this 

 group, Lindley justly remarks : " They are handsome evergreen 

 shrubs, much prized by gardeners for the neatness of their ap- 

 pearance, and the beauty or singularity of their flowers," . . . 

 " but upon the whole, the order must be regarded as one of the 

 most useless to man." The fruit of Persoonia is edible, and 

 Telopea speciosissima is certainly the most conspicuous flower on 

 the banks of our creeks ; but, with the exception of Banksia 

 serrata, the wood of which has been used for the knees of boats 

 and gun-stocks, I am not aware that any of our species are of 

 much importance to man. Before I pass from the Monochlaniy dea^, 

 I may remark that the nuts of Macrozamia spiralis are much 

 relished by the aboriginal natives, and Chenopodium Australe, 

 which is found in sandy places near the salt water, is a tolerable 

 substitute for samphire. 



(5.) The next great division of plants to which we must refer 

 is that of the Endogens or Monocotyledons, including twenty 

 distinct families, and not less than a hundred and eighty species. 

 The first of these which I shall notice, is Smilax (jlycypliylla, a 

 very useful plant, placed by Liudley in a separate class with a 

 few others called by him " Dictyogens," which that eminent 

 writer regards as a transition class between Endogens and Exo- 

 gens. S. ylycypliylla, well known by the name of " Sweet Tea," 

 is now introduced into the Pharmacopeia, and recommended as a 

 tonic and anti-scorbutic. An infusion of the leaves is prepared 



