68 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



observed covering the whole underside. This dust is composed 

 of a multitude of tiny spores, or seeds. Now, remark that the 

 broad, outside fronds produce no such spores, and this gives us a 

 ready sign by which we may distinguish the whole tribe of 

 lomarias. I have discovered five species of these ferns in this 

 district, differing more or less in shape, but all agreeing in bearing 

 fruitful and unfruitful fronds. The laficeolata is much smaller, 

 and its fronds more slender than the discolor. It also inhabits 

 the banks of streams, generally springing from clefts in rocks, 

 bending down towards, and occasionally touching, the sparkliijg 

 water with the tips of its glossy green fronds. 



The Capensis bears what are termed simple fronds — that is, 

 their margins are not indented; the leaf is borne on a long, 

 slender stalk. This plant may be called gregarious, for it some- 

 times completely covers large patches of the river bank. It does 

 not, however, confine itself to the valleys, for I have found it 

 nestling in shady spots many hundreds of feet up the hill-sides. 

 This fern is easily distinguished by the rough feel of its leaves, 

 and the way in which each frond is marked by straight, grooved 

 lines running from the midrib to the edge. The fourth species 

 of Lomaria is the Fatersotii. It abounds in very damp nooks, 

 its long, grass-like fronds beautifying the dark rocks on which it 

 generally grows. 



Turning our attention to the shrubs overhead we find a 

 great variety — the musk, native hazel, blanket tree, cassinia, 

 dog wood, and many others vie for mastery ; while the 

 beautiful climber, Clematis arisiata, everywhere basely tries to 

 overtop its supporter in its struggle for light and heat, putting us 

 in mind of Mr. Taylor's theory of the '' morality of plants." 

 The clematis bears beautiful, cream-coloured blossoms, which 

 contrast well with the back-ground of green leaves. In the centre 

 of each flower is placed a number of bodies called carpels, which 

 bear the embryo of the future seed, and when these are ripe 

 long, light plumes growing from one end enable the wind to waft 

 them far from the parent plant The native hazel, which has the 

 long name of Foffiaderris apetala bestowed upon it, has no 

 coloured leaves to its flowers, so that they are rather incon- 

 spicuous, but the beauty thus wanting in the flower is more than 

 made up by the lovely star-shaped hairs, which completely cover 

 the under surface of the leaves. A lens is, however, required to 

 see them properly. In the Flora Austraiiefisis this plant is 

 mentioned as sometimes attaining to the height of 6ft., whereas 

 in our mountain gullies it is frequently found 50ft. in height, 

 with a girth of nearly 5ft. 



A thin-stemmed shrub with long-pointed leaves and a pro- 

 fusion of small white flowers is very common in the district. The 

 bark is so strong that it will peel off to the very tips of the 



