49 



are peculiarly its own, and some with affinities that are not at 

 all Australian. Thus Diselma Archeri is endemic, as also 

 Microcachrys tetrogona, and the genera are not found outside 

 our island. Athrotaxis, with three endemic species, is a 

 genus so nearly allied to the Chinese Cunninghamia that 

 Zuccarini proposes (in Siebold's Flora of Japan ii. 9) the 

 union of the two. Dacryduim Franklinii is another of our 

 Tasmanian pines (the Huon pine) but this genus, though dis- 

 persed over the Indian Archipelago and New Zealand, is not 

 so far known Australian. Fherosphcera is another Tasmanian 

 genus of pines, unknown outside the island. These facts have 

 a remarkable bearing on the question of the relations between 

 Tasmania and Australia. Time alone prevents me from extend- 

 ing it to other orders. 



It will afford some idea of the general flora on the coast 

 near the tropics, if I submit just a list of names which I find 

 in my note book, as observed by me at Port Denison, Port 

 Mackay. Thus, among ferns I notice, Acrosticum aureum, 

 Mephrodium molle, Uteris tremula, Doodia media, Adiantum 

 Mspidum, Phymatodes ixioides. The other plants I shall read 

 just as they occur in my note book, without reference to the 

 order to which they belong „• Sponia aspera, Celtis paniculata, 

 Hibiscus tiliaceus, Hibiscus lieterophylla, Solanum verbascifo- 

 Hum, Commersonia echinata, Cupania sp., Morinda jasmimoides, 

 Lyonsia straminea, Smilax lutifolia, Vincetoxicum sp. Ipomea 

 palmata, I. caprea,Alphitonia excelsa, Alpinia cerulia,Callicarpa 

 pedunculated, Flaggelaria indica, Brassaia actinophylla, Sarcoce- 

 phalus cordatus, Eendrobium undulatum, D. teretijolium, Cymbi- 

 dium canaliculatum, G. Fitzalani, Anacliaris alsinastrum, 

 Acanthus ilicifolius, Dalbergia chiusa Thespisum populneum, 

 Exocarpus latifolia, Excoecaria agallochia. The latter is said 

 to be one of the most poisonous plants known, almost rivalling 

 the West Indian Manchineel, and belonging to the same 

 order, Euphorbiacea. The smoke from the burning wood is 

 said to produce blindness, and the milky juice •will cause 

 ulcers. The latter, however, I have tried, but without success. 

 The whole coast is also fringed with 2k>giceras fragrans, a 

 kind of mangrove which is common in Sumatra, Java, &c. 

 Near the coast Fandanus australis, Avicenna tomentosa (man- 

 grove) Heritiera officinalis (looking glass tree of India) and 

 various fig trees are common. Further inland, on the plains, 

 we have Tristania conferta, Careya Barringtonice, Eucalyptus 

 eorymbosa, E. tereticornis, M Siderophoia (?) A species of iron 

 bark, but perhaps distinct from that found further south, 

 E. platyphylla. This is a gum tree with immense leaves and 

 silvery bark only growing in the poorest soil in the tropics, 

 but admirably adapted for shade in desert regions. Sea 



