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A CONTRIBUTION TO THE BOTANY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 



By J. H. Maiden, Honorary Member. 

 [Read September 8, 1908.] 



Introductory. 



South Australia will ever be of especial interest to the- 

 Australian botanist, because it was the first ttrra incognita 

 that Robert Brown explored (coastally). He was with Flind- 

 ers on his voyage of discovery, but the Australian 

 land first touched by that navigator, South-Western Aus- 

 tralia, had been previously visited, and some attention had 

 been given to its botany ; but in South Australia Brown was 

 the first botanist to see its plants (with the reservation, as 

 regards Leschenault de la Tour, who visited, it is believed, 

 a portion of Eastern South Australia). ^i' 



The Association for the Advancement of Science met at 

 Adelaide in January, 1907, and the Government of South 

 Australia graciously placed the steamer "Governor Mus- 

 grave," Captain P. Weir, at the disposal of a limited number 

 of local and visiting naturalists, in order that certain places 

 rich in historical associations or promising useful scientific 

 collections might be visited. The following formed the 

 party: — South Australia — Mr. Thomas Gill, I.S.O., Dr. R. 

 S. Rogers, Dr. W. Torr, Messrs. W. Howchin, D. Mawson,. 

 B. S. Roach, and J. W. Mellor ; Victoria — Professors R. 

 Berry and E. W. Skeats, and Mr. Sweet; New South 

 Wales — Rev. Clement Wilkinson, Mr. Charles Hedley, Dr. 

 W. G. Woolnough, Messrs. J. Clunies Ross, T. G. Taylor,, 

 and the writer. 



It will thus be observed that various sciences were re- 

 presented, and valuable observations and collections were the 

 result of the cruise. Mr. Thomas Gill and Dr. R. S. Rogers 

 were my special mates for botany, and I am very grateful 

 to them for the unselfish help they gave me. The latter 

 has since sent me specimens from some of the places visited 

 by us, and also from other South Australian localities ; these 

 have been incorporated in the present paper, which is an 

 expression of gratitude and an indication that the hospitality 

 of the South Australian Government has not been bestowed 

 in vain. I would remark that the foregatherings of scien- 

 tific men from various States on occasions like these promote 

 good fellowship and make for the advancement of science. 



I was landed alone by the '"Governor Musgrave" at Port 

 Lincoln, and spent several days in that botanically rich dis- 



(1) Select Bibliography (2). 



