THE TRAVELLER'S TREE. 279 



glued together by the yellow or red resin with which the plant 

 abounds, and usually burned and blackened outside by bush-fires. 

 The leaves are long, wiry, and grass-like, and are borne in a dense tuft 

 at the top of the stem, hanging gracefully all around it. Their long 

 flower-stalks aspire from its centre, sometimes growing as high as 

 fifteen or twenty feet, and carrying aloft a thick cylindrical flower 

 spike. 



Among the lowlier plants are found a few Hectias, such as the 

 Hectia Pitcairnicefolia, one of the Bromelias, very curious from its 

 mode of vegetation ; and the Stipa crinita, a very common grass. 

 The leaves of the latter have been manufactured into paper of tole- 

 rable consistency. 



The sandy and colder tracts are the habitat of the annual or 

 perennial Compositse, distinguished by their smooth and shining 

 flowers. On the other hand, the dry rocky surfaces are besprinkled 

 with inconsiderable woods, or rather thickets, formed in part of the 

 Santalum acuminatum, whose nutritious fruit are called "peaches" 

 by the colonists ; the Santalum persicarium, or sandal wood ; several 

 Nitrarias,* with edible fruits ; a great number of Acacias, notably 

 the Acacia verticillata, A. sophora, and A. doratoxylon, whose very 

 hard wood is employed in the fabrication of javelins ; a considerable 

 series of Proteacese, particularly the Banksia Australia, B. serrata, 

 and B. integrifolia, so characteristic in aspect and foliage ; and a few 

 Eucalypti,-]- or " Gum Trees," of small stature among others, the 

 "Traveller's Tree," or Eucalyptus oleosa.^ Its roots extend hori- 

 zontally, and retain a quantity of water sufficient to quench the way- 

 farer's thirst in the hour of need. All the Eucalypti are curious 

 trees, with entire and leathery leaves, affording an unusual amount of 

 aromatic oil. Many of the species abound in resinous secretions ; 

 some attain a great size, with trunks of from 8 to 16 feet in 

 diameter, and 150 or 160 in length. The Eucalyptus resinifera 

 "Red Gum" or "Iron Bark Tree" reaches to an elevation of 



* Order, Malpighiacex. f Order, JUyrtacex. 



\ The same name, ' Traveller's Tree," is applied to the Urania speciosa. 



