THE CASSOWARY TREE. 277 



bread or porridge, is a kind of cryptogamous plant, with leaves formed 

 of four folioles, like those of a truffle. It abounds in the low grounds 

 and inundated districts, especially on the banks of the Murray. 

 Finally, the Stag-horn (Acrostichon grande), a gigantic mushroom, 

 clings to the branches of the great trees. 



Small bushy clumps are scattered over the plains, and flourish 

 with peculiar vigour along the water-courses. They consist of various 

 shrubs. The traveller will not fail to notice a whole series of Legu- 

 minosas Chlorozoma, Pultencea, Viminaria, Mirbelia, Podolobium 

 (all are shrubs of exceeding elegance, and now form the rare orna- 

 ments of our English gardens) ; of Epacridse Epacris stiphelia, E. 

 leucophogon, and others, which have also been imported into our 

 home-parterres ; a great number of Euribias, a genus of subfrutescent 

 Compositse, of which a few are rendered interesting by their heath- 

 like foliage ; the Pimelea axiflora, whose supple and tenacious bark 

 is fashioned into bands and straps ; the Myrsine variabilis, with its 

 woody stems and drupaceous fruit ; the Aralia crassifolia, a singular 

 shrub, with long, narrow, and very rigid leaves ; the Callistemon 

 salignum (vulgarly called "stonewood"), employed for xylographic 

 purposes ; the Casuarina equisetifolia,* or " Swamp Oak" also called 

 " Cassowary Tree" a lofty tree, with very durable wood, long, slender, 

 drooping, emerald-green branches, and conical fruit, inclosing small 

 winged nuts ; various species of Melaleuca, yielding the green aro- 

 matic oil called cajaputi or cajeput oil, valuable as a stimulant 

 or antispasmodic ; finally, some Cordylines, or Tis, plants of the 

 natural order Liliacese, and nearly allied to the Dragon's Blood Tree, 

 attaining a height of ten to fifteen feet, with a berry-like fruit, and 

 lanceolate leaves of a reddish hue, which afford a nutriment for cattle, 

 thatch for houses, and whose fibres are frequently made into cloth. 

 The root, when baked, is much used as an article of food, and the 

 fermented juice yields an intoxicating beverage. 



The dry, rocky, arid, and sandy districts, which may be com- 

 pared to the Landes of Brittany, are clothed with a peculiar vegeta- 

 * Order, Amentaccx. 



