104 A CONTBIBITTION TO, ETC. 



this colony. The species of Daviesia are not very ornamental ; 

 but the leaves contain a powerful bitter property, which renders 

 them palatable to horses and cattle. Comesperma ericinum and 

 Sauera rulicefolia occur near Berrima, and seem identical with 

 the species found in the neighbourhood of Sydney. The latter of 

 these has small pink flowers, with eight or ten petals, and it may 

 frequently be noticed near the creeks at the North Shore. The 

 family to which Comesperma belongs, viz., that of the Milkworts, 

 is a very limited one in this part of Australia. Dr. Mueller's 

 Poly gala veronicea is now found to be identical with P. Japonica, 

 and it is interesting as being the only species of the genus found 

 in New South Wales. Comesperma ertcinum and C. volubile, as well 

 as the almost leafless little plant C. sphcerocarpwn, may all be 

 collected near Parramatta. These plants may easily be recognised 

 by any one who is acquainted with the species of Polygala so 

 common in gardens, and which are natives of America or the 

 Cape. Some of the cultivated species have a tendency to spread 

 in this colony, and sometimes they may be noticed in the bush, 

 far from any garden, the seeds having been conveyed away in all 

 probability by birds. 



Of the Santalacece, I remarked two species of native cherry 

 (JExocarpus cupressiformis and E. stricta), two of native currants 

 (JLeptomeria acida and L. acerba), and a small shrub with minute 

 white flowers nearly allied to the same genus (Choretrum parvi- 

 flormi). Some of these occur in the county of Cumberland ; but 

 Exocarpus latifolia (of which I have recently received specimens 

 from M. Thozet of Eockhampton) is a species of cherry which is 

 almost tropical. This is very different from our species, and has 

 oval nerved leaves. Amongst the other plants which I collected 

 near Berrima were Pimelea linifolia, similar to that in the low 

 country, but having somewhat pink flowers ; a very pretty 

 Cryptandra {C. propinqua) with minute wax-like flowers ; a 

 TetratJieca (T. thymifolia) with purple petals ; and an elegant 

 Veronica with perfoliate leaves (V. perfoliata). The genus 

 Veronica is w r ell known to gardeners, but the most admired species 

 are natives of New Zealand (V. Lindleyi and V. speciosa). The 

 common species of New South "Wales is V. plebeia, a small decum- 

 bent plant with blue flowers, and ovate serrate leaves, resembling 

 the European species V. chamcedrys. Some of the species, 



