128 A CONTRIBUTION TO, ETC. 



larged sense. Dr. Mueller has evidently felt the force of this 

 consideration, for whilst soliciting the sympathy and co-operation 

 of the colonial Governments, and thus endeavouring to effect 

 objects which are unattainable by isolated individuals, he has 

 adapted two measures which cannot fail to advance the cause he 

 has so near his heart. He has, in the first place, laid before the 

 Australian public, in the " vulgar tongue," a mass of varied and 

 useful information respecting the flora of this country; and, 

 secondly, he has illustrated, in a popular manner, some of the 

 most interesting species common to these colonies. 



M 



PLANTS FROM THE DAWSON AND THE DARLING 

 DOWNS. 



(1866) 



T friends Mr. E. Ross, of Dyngie, near Banana, and Mr. James 

 Mills, of the Darling Downs, have lately forwarded to me 

 some interesting specimens which they had collected in their 

 respective rambles. As many of the plants which these gentle- 

 men noticed, are but little known in this part of Australia, it may 

 not be unprofitable to make some remarks on the collection 

 transmitted to me. Amongst the Proteaceous shrubs which Mr. 

 Boss saw on the Dawson, are Hakea lorea and Grevillea striata, 

 the former being remarkable for its thong-like leaves, sometimes 

 measuring two feet in length, and for its hard woody seed vessel, 

 and winged seed. The species of Hakea common in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Sydney, are H. pungioniformis, H gibbosa, H. aci- 

 cularis, H. saligna, and H. dactyloides, which, although differing 

 in foliage and habit, may be easily recognised by their woody 

 follicles, which after a time split in half and display two black 

 seeds with a long broad wing at one end of them. The Grevillea 

 of the Dawson has long rush-like leaves, and seems identical 

 with that found on the Castlereagh. The species of the genus 



