112 KKV. W. WOOLLS, PH.])., F.L.S., OX THE 



published), and in other works printed in Victoria. The 

 Baron in his Census, 18Si), Part I., Vascuhxres, has also 

 prepared a list of Australian plants comprising the most 

 recent discoveries; 7,814 species being admitted from the 

 Flora, and 1,025 being added by the author. Irrespec- 

 tive of introduced plants which now amount to nearly 200, 

 the number of species is probably 9,000. and these according 

 to the Baron's Census, to which I am so nnich indebted, are 

 distributed in the following manner : — 



Western Australia 3560 



Southern Australia 1892 



Tasmania 1029 



Northern Australia.... .... 1956 



These numbers include the species common to the different 

 colonies, whilst of Australian plants common to other regions, 

 the following species are recorded : — 



In Europe 



Asia 



Africa 



The distribution of the species as enumerated by the 

 Baron is highly suggestive. In Western Australia whei'e 

 purely Australian plants appear in their greatest profusion, 

 the numbers are proportionately great, and they represent 

 not only species but whole genera which are not represented 

 in other parts of Australia. It is difficult to explain the 

 cause of this phenomenon on the ground of soil or climate, 

 but it is probably due to changes wdiich occurred at some 

 remote period Avhen Australia instead of being one vast 

 continent consisted of several islands, or at all events, 

 portions of it were separated by water. As regards the 

 flora of Australia in general, Mr. Bentham was of opinion 

 that the great mass of purely Australian species must have 

 originated, or been diftcrentiated, in Australia and never 

 spread far out of it, tind that whilst the plants of Queens- 

 land and Northern Australia have .-ni Asiatic character 

 those of Victoria and 'J'asmania, cs])ecially in the Alpine 

 regions, were connected tlu-ough New Zealand with those of 

 the Southern end of South America. 



The order Tremandreaj, of whi(;h only seventeen species 

 are known (Mueller), and most of these Western plants 

 are exclusively Austrahan. Goodenoviece, with 220 species 

 (Mueller), is represented out of Australia by a solitary genus 

 (Scaivola), and though allied in some respects to other 



