6Q THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The large order of RutacecB was poorly represented at this 

 time of year by flowering plants, though in the springtime much 

 of the beauty of the bush is due to the great variety and 

 abundance of the large flowered Boronias and Eriostemons. One 

 handsome representative of this order, however, occurred in 

 shady spots, E. Crowei, a shrubby, erect plant, bearing pretty 

 pink flowers about an inch across. 



In damp spots two members of the sedge family — Caustis 

 flexiiosa and C: recurvata — the one with curiously curved 

 branchlets, the other with most delicate green ones, resembling 

 in appearance one of the ornamental asparagus plants, con- 

 trasted favourably with the duller greens of the adjacent 

 bushes. The ferns were neither novel nor very abundant, and 

 comprised Gleichenias, Lomarias, Pteris, and Blechnum. 



I had an opportunity of seeing vegetation between Sydney 

 and Newcastle of an entirely diff"erent character to that of the 

 coast. About ten miles north of the Hawkesbury, near the 

 Oarimba railway station, are the remains of some cedar brush. 

 Here for some miles you may walk or ride along roads cut 

 through a dense forest of semi-tropical character, the like of 

 which is not to be found in any part of Victoria, except, perhaps, 

 in the far east. Magnificent specimens of both the feather and 

 the fan palm ( Ptychospermum Ctinninghmni and Livistona 

 Ausiralis) stand on either side the track, or bend over the 

 water-courses I estimated the height of some of the former at 

 from 60 to 80 feet. Nearly every broken branch or angle 

 in the trunk of the larger trees is festooned with the stag-horn 

 fern (Platy cerium alcicorne) and the birds' nest (Aspleniwn) may 

 be seen encircling the trunks of the trees in shady spots. 

 A great variety of creepers, some furnished with sharp spines 

 and recurved prickles, stretch from tree to tree, and render 

 it difficult to penetrate far into the recesses of the forest. This 

 striking and interesting bit of woodland scenery is within three 

 or four hours by rail from Sydney, and will well repay a visit. 



Of the \vooded districts of ISIew South Wales I may say 

 generally that there is a greater variety of timber trees than 

 occurs in Victoria, and the forests, are not, therefore, as mono- 

 tonous, though, no doubt, where the soil and aspect are for many 

 miles of a uniform character, you may meet with as few species 

 of trees as in our stringy bark or box forests. 



The great family of the Myrtacese is represented among the 

 forest trees by Angophora, Metrosideros, Backhousia, and 

 Rhodomyrtus, as well as by Eucalyptus. 



M. ( Syncarpiaj laurifoUa, as a young tree, with its large, 

 deep green leaves and its conical crown of foliage, affords a 

 pleasing contrast to the duller green and more straggling and 

 irregular growth of the eucalypts. One of the large Ango- 

 phoras, with a smooth, reddish bark, has a peculiar aspect stand- 

 inq- outaarainst a dull green background. 



