BLTJE MOUNTAINS. 181 



occupy too much space to follow up this idea, and to show how 

 much lustre would be reflected on any Government which afforded 

 facilities for making observations, and collecting specimens of 

 natural history in all parts of this vast continent. In the present 

 state of affairs, the prospect is not very cheering ; but, having 

 firm faith in the future, I feel assured that out of the chaotic 

 elements around us, a melior ordo will yet arise. 



NOTE Not far from Tomah, I discovered a new species of Xanthosia, 

 and also particular attention was directed to an interesting shrub of the 

 Loranthacece, formerly called ^tytsia, but now referred to a new genus 

 (Atkinsonia). This differs from most of the order in being terrestrial^ and 

 not parasitical. It is also hexandrous. Some interesting species of orchids 

 (of Dendrolium, Solbophyllum, Sarchochilus, &c.,) were collected on the Blue 

 Mountains, by Miss Atkinson, and also amongst cryptogamous plants, Lep~ 

 topteris Fraseri, Trichomanes angustatitm, Aspleniumfalcatum, A., prcemorsum, 

 A. attenuatum, and Pteris umbrosa. The same lady, likewise, collected speci- 

 mens of Gi/mnostachi/s anceps, Symphyonema montanum, D ampler a purp urea, 

 D. ovalifolia, Goodenia decurrens, and Velleia perfoliata. The new genus 

 Atkinsonia was established in honour of Miss Atkinson, whose exertions 

 have been so successful in developing the vegetable resources of the Blue 

 Mountains. (Fragmenta vol. o) 



CULTIVATION OF WHEAT. 



A friend who has had much experience in the flour trade, has 

 lately called my attention to a plant, allied to the trefoil 

 genus, which in some parts of the colony grows amongst the 

 wheat, and imparts an aromatic flavour to the flour. On exami- 

 nation, I find that the plant is Melilotus parviflora. It has the 

 appearance of a trefoil, having small yellow flowers and trifoliate 

 leaves, but it differs from that genus in having the legume longer 

 than the calyx, and the flowers arranged in loose racemes. In 

 Don's work, an allied species (M. arvensis) is described as 

 indigenous in Germany, and growing amongst corn ; but in the 

 additional supplement to Loudon's " Encyclopaedia," it is men- 

 tioned as a native of England in sandy places, and also appearing 



