PABRAMATTA DISTRICT. 



by some persons as a wholesome and agreeable beverage, and is 

 also employed as a substitute for the imported sarsaparilla. Some 

 years since a considerable quantity of Smilax was imported into 

 England from Australia, and its quality was pronounced excellent. 

 It would be impossible in a limited paper to convey an adequate 

 idea of the great importance of the Endogens in this district, 

 inasmuch as the species of some families are very numerous. 

 Three of the most extensive are the Liliaceoe, Orchidacece, and 

 G-raminacedz. Of the first, the species of Dianella, Xanthorrlicea, 

 and Thysanotus, are the most interesting. The orchids number 

 forty-five species, and amongst them there are several very 

 beautiful flowers, particularly Dendrobium speciosuni, Dipodium 

 punctatum, Lyperantlius suaveolens, and L. nigricans, Prasopliyllum 

 patens, and Thelymitra ixioides. Amongst the smaller Orchids also 

 there are many points of interest, some of them being of the most 

 fantastic shapes, whilst others are remarkable for the irritable 

 properties which they possess. AciantJius caudatus, which occurs 

 on Pye's Creek, is, I believe, one of the rarest orchids in Australia, 

 and Cymlidmm reflexum is far from being so common in other 

 parts of the colony, as it is at the North Rocks. Of the Grami- 

 naccce, it is difficult to overrate the importance, seeing that they 

 contribute so much to the support of the animal kingdom, and 

 afford so pleasing a relief to the eye by the beautiful verdure 

 which they spread over our fields. It might be supposed that 

 the native grasses had disappeared from the district, and had 

 been superseded by European or Indian grasses. This, however, 

 is not the case, and in localities which still retain something of 

 their original condition, I have been able to collect nearly fifty 

 species of indigenous grasses. Some of these (such as Pennisetum 

 glaucum, Imperata arundinacea, Hemarihria compressa, Zoysia pun- 

 gens, Poa polymorplia, Panicum crus-yalli, and Paspalum orliculare) 

 are exceedingly interesting as objects of scientific inquiry, but 

 they do not occur in sufficient quantities to satisfy the wants of 

 the grazier. Perhaps of all the bush grasses Anihistiria Australis 

 is the most valued by cattle, but if we may rely on the testimony 

 of the older colonists, this is not so productive as in the early 

 days of the colony, and it is rapidly giving way to the couch 

 (Cynodon dactylon). In enclosed places, where the grasses are 

 allowed to seed, it is pleasing to see the native grasses springing 



B 



