ASH ISLAND. 185 



Rhagodia, Salicornia, and Ghenopodium are duly represented. 

 Tetragonia, or what is called New Zealand spinach, is also 

 indigenous on the island, and Portulaca, another succulent herb, 

 is found here, as in other parts of the colony. As a considerable 

 portion of the island is now cleared, and under cultivation, many 

 of the larger trees have disappeared. Three distinct species of 

 Eucalyptus still remain, which appear to be identical with those 

 growing in this neighbourhood, viz. Flooded gum, Grey gum, 

 and "Woolly-but. The tree which gives its name to the island 

 is a species of Elceocarpus (E. obovatus), called " ash." This is 

 a much finer tree than our E, cyaneus. Gasuarina paludosa, or the 

 swamp oak, Elceodendrum Australe, two species of Acronychia, 

 two species of Oupania, Achras Australis, and Eupomatia laurina, 

 grow on the island. Most of these occur in other parts of the 

 colony, but A. Baueri and C. anacardioides belong more properly 

 to the northern districts. The species of Croton appears similar 

 to that at the Kurrajong, and the jasmine (J. gracile), which is 

 so beautiful and fragrant that it cannot escape even a casual 

 observer, is similar to the plant growing on Mount Tomah. The 

 species of Acacia do not exceed three or four, and they are not 

 different from those of the Parramatta district, but the olive (Olea 

 paniculata), and an interesting myrtle, do not occur here. "With 

 respect to the latter tree, which is now very scarce on the island, 

 I may mention that my learned friend Dr. F. Mueller has 

 described it under the name of M. Tozeri in his Fragmenta, in 

 honour of Mr. Tozer, of Port Macquarie, but he expresses some 

 doubt as to whether this is really a new species, as there is a pro- 

 bability that that tree has already been described in Don, by the 

 name Nelitris psidioides. It appears that it was found at the 

 Brisbane by Dr. Mueller and Mr. Hill, and at the Clarence and 

 Hastings by Dr. Beckler. Perhaps the most interesting tree on 

 the island, botanically speaking, is a species of Scolopia, as it is 

 but little known and belongs to a family not well represented in 

 Australia. Nearly all the Bixinecs, belong to the hottest parts 

 of the world, particularly the East and "West Indies. In former 

 years the red and white cedar may have nourished on the island, 

 (Cedrela toona and Melia composita), but at the present time 

 there are not any of much size. The Pine or Podocarpus elongata 

 is a graceful tree, and the wood is much esteemed. At Manly 



Y 



