2 FLOEA OF AUSTRALIA. 



dentata which abounds 011 the creeks to the north of Parramatta 

 is an elegant twining plant. The cruciferse are neither numerous 

 nor important, but Arabis gigantea (which Dr. F. Mueller has proved 

 to be identical with Cardamine stylosa) occurs here as well as 

 in Tasmania. On the creek beyond Pye's orchard, Synoum glan- 

 dulosum is found growing amongst the rocks, and nearer to the 

 water a species of Drimys, D. dipetala, remarkable for its pungent 

 seeds. Both of these shrubs are worthy of cultivation, and they 

 claim the notice of the observer as being the only species in the 

 district belonging to the splendid orders of Magnoliaceoe and 

 MeliacecB. Of the Pittosporacece and Sapindacece, the district 

 affords ten species three of which are well adapted for a shrub- 

 bery. El&ocarpus cyaneus, also of the Tiliacoe, is much admired 

 for its pretty Avhite flowers and olive-like fruit, and of the three 

 species of Vitis(Vitace(K)i}^QYQ is one (V. liypoglauca) that affords an 

 edible grape of an agreeable acid flavour. Of the Polygalaceoe, 

 Polygala japonica has a diminutive but interesting purple flower, 

 and of the genus Comesperma, there is one little and almost leafless 

 plant, which Dr. !\ Mueller has recognised as C. sph&rocarpa, re- 

 markable for its round sessile capsule. This species does not 

 appear to be well known in Europe, for although Bauer discovered 

 it at Port Jackson in 1803-5, and his specimen is yet to be seen 

 in the Vienna collection, a distinguished writer who described the 

 plant in 1846, was unable to state from what part of Australia it 

 came. The flower is of a dark blue colour and occurs in several 

 parts of the district. 



(2.) The Calyciflorse of the district have about the same number 

 of families as the Thalamiflorse, but the species are much more 

 numerous, and reckon amongst them some of the most useful and 

 important trees of the colony, as well as many beautiful shrubs. 

 The LeguminosaB, comprehending the Mimosese and the Papi- 

 lionacese, amount to seventy species. Of the genus Acacia there 

 are nearly twenty species, some of which are esteemed for the 

 beauty and fragrance of their flowers, whilst others are valued 

 for the medicinal properties of their bark and gum. In cases of 

 dysentery, when medical aid cannot be procured, a decoction 

 prepared from the bark of A. decurrens proves sometimes very 

 efficacious. None of the Papilionacese, with the exception of 

 Jacksonia scoparia, assume a tree-like appearance, most of them 



