48 



bered that Mntada scandens has pods six feet long, and seeds 

 the size of the palm of the hand the peculiarity of tropical 

 vegetation can be imagined. Abrus precatorius (whose brilliant 

 scarlet seeds, with black spots, makes them so well-known as 

 objects of curiosity) is as common on the tropics of Australia, 

 near the coast, as it is in the West Indies. Hucuna gigantea 

 (Indian) is another of the great creepers of the scrubs with 

 Laportea gigas, or nettle tree, extends from the south to 

 within the tropics. It has been mistaken, however, for 

 another of the of the Urticea, L. moroides, which is very com- 

 mon in the tropical scrubs. The sting of these species leaves a 

 smart which lasts for a very long time, and is felt at every 

 change of temperature for weeks after. It is a smaller shrub 

 with fruit something like mulberries. One very peculiar 

 character which prevails in the scrubs of north-east Australia 

 is the strong odour that pervades them. It is exactly like- 

 baked bread or burnt bread, and is so strong that in those 

 towns which are built near scrubs, such as Maryboro, the 

 odour becomes almost distressing before or after ruin. This is 

 due to an euphorbiaceous plants named Claoxylon australe. In 

 the same section of the order (Crotons), we have Mallotus, a 

 species of which, M. Philippinensis, we have almost all along 

 the east coast of Australia. This species is also widely 

 spread over tropical Asia, extending to South China, and is 

 principally remarkable now for possessing wonderful vermi- 

 fuge properties, which, render certain preparations of it 

 valuable as a drug. 



In travelling northwards, along the coast, as the islands 

 within the barrier reef become more frequent, and the coast 

 line more mouutainous,the prevalence of coniferous vegetation 

 is very striking. Every island and every mountain is thickly 

 clothed with pines. On the coast these are all of one species, 

 Araucaria Cunningfiami, a tree resembling A. excelsa in 

 general aspect and foliage, but the cones very different. A. 

 Bidwilliy with its splendid spires of leaves, occurs inland, and 

 in four places. It is called Bunya Bunya by the natives, 

 and the seeds, after some preparation, are eaten. If we take 

 the conifera as one standard of comparison between the flora 

 of East Australia and Tasmania, we find a very marked differ- 

 ence. I don't pretend that it is the best standard, but, as 

 this order is low in the scale of specialized functions, its species 

 have a wider range, and if any difference is perceived in the 

 order, other orders will differ more widely, and the provinces 

 possess well marked characters. Now Tasmania has not a 

 single indigenous Araucaria, and only two Australian conifers 

 are found in the island namely, Frenela rhomboidea and 

 Podocarj)us alpina. On the other hand it has genera which 



