190 A CONTRIBUTION TO, ETC. 



The GorypJia Australia flourishes on Ash Island, and grows to 

 a larger size than it does in some parts of the colony. This is 

 termed " the Cabbage Palm Tree," and it is used in the manu- 

 facture of hats. Clerodendrum tomcntosum of the Verbena family 

 grows on the island, also a species of elder (Sambucus Gaudichau- 

 diana?), and a small tree with cork-like bark very similar in ap- 

 pearance toMyoporum, viz.,Duboisia myoporoides. These shrubs 

 are common in many parts of the colony, but as I had not an 

 opportunity of examining a flower of the elder, I feel uncertain 

 about the species. There is a dwarf elder in this neighbourhood, 

 which is probably the same as that mentioned by Sir T. Mitchell, 

 vol. 2, p. 14, as the calyx has tnree sepals, the corolla three 

 petals, the stamens three, and the carpels also three. In con- 

 sequence of these variations from the genus Sambucus, Dr. 

 Lindley named Sir Thomas's plant Tripetelus Australasicus and 

 the description of it may be seen in a note (vol. 2, p. 14). Sir 

 Thomas compares it to the European dwarf elder, but with yellow 

 flowers and fruit with scarcely any pulp. 



With respect to the cryptogamous botany of the island, I must 

 now add a few words, although the intense heat of the weather 

 at the time was very unfavourable for the collecting of 

 mosses, fungi, &c. The species of ferns are about thirteen, but, 

 with one exception, all of them abound in this district. The 

 genus Pteris is represented by the following species, viz., P 

 aquilina, P. tremula, P. vespertilionis, and the allied fern Pellcea 

 falcata, the old Pteris falcata of Brown. In addition to these, I 

 noticed Notlwclcena distans (a small fern with pinnate fronds, 

 pubescent or hairy on both sides) ; Davallia pyxidata (a species 

 frequently growing in company with Platycerium, and remarkable 

 for its stout creeping caudex, which is densely clothed with 

 hairy scales) ; Polypodium rugosulum ; Adiantum assimile, or the 

 maiden hair fern ; two forms or species of Doodia (D. aspera and 

 D.caudata)', Asplenium nidus or the bird's nest fern; Platy cerium 

 alcicorne, or the elk's horn fern ; and Polypodium rupestre. The 

 elk's horn grows much larger than in the Parramatta district, and 

 the fronds hang from the forks of trees, but after a careful exam- 

 ination, it appears that the species is the same. Polypodium 

 rupestre is nearly allied to P. confluem of this district, but its 

 name appears somewhat inappropriate, as it climbs trees rather 



