ESCULENT PLANTS OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. 
the side of Mount Wellington, but has not 
yet been successfully introduced into gar- 
dens. This tree, however, is not a species 
of Betula, the young shoots, in their ear- 
lier stages, appearing to have been mis- 
taken for the male blossoms by the English 
Botanists. 
Billardiera fusiformis (Sollya hetero- 
phylle, Lindl.—Bot. Mag. t. 2523.), Spin- 
dle-fruited Appleberry,—and B. scandens,1 
Climbing Appleberry, are found on the 
northern side of the island, and bear a green 
eatable fruit. 
Cassytha pubescens, Downy Cassytha : 
—C. melantha, Black-budded ditto :—and 
C. glabella, Smooth-budded ditto, These 
three curious plants are generally known 
in the colony by the name of Wire-Grass, 
and present a great obstruction in passing 
through the bush in various parts of the 
country, especially in the dense scrub 
which extends for many miles on this side 
of Macquarrie Harbour, growing so thick 
in some places as to bear the weight of a 
man walking upon them. They are all 
parasites, depending on other plants for 
Support instead of taking root in the 
ground. About Hobart-Town the first 
Species is common, forming often near the 
ravines pleasing shady natural arbours, its 
long wiry stems hanging in mats from the 
other trees, which it weighs down and co- 
67 
species has been called He-Oak, in con- 
tradistinction of She-Oak, as if they con- 
stituted one diecious plant, the one male 
and the other female; whereas they are 
perfectly distinct species. C. torulosa, or 
the Cork-barked species, closely resembles 
C. equisetifolia, or the Horse-Tail of the 
South Sea Islands, its leaves or branches 
hanging down in bunches from twelve to 
eighteen inches in length, like a horse's 
tail, and all jointed from top to bottom. 
The tree has a brownish colour, but is of 
a very elegant appearance ; some beautiful 
specimens growing in the Rev. Mr. Conol- 
ly's allotment, beside the Roman Catholic 
Chapel. C. stricta is of a darker green, 
with short upright leaves, and grows abun- 
dantly in the ravines about Hobart-Town. 
The South Sea Islanders call it ** Club- 
wood," from the use they make of it in 
warlike weapons. 
Chorizandra spherocephala, Globe- 
headed Chorizandra. A plant, common 
in moist places, resembling the Juncus 
conglomeratus, or Common Rush of Eng- 
land, and like it, useful for making bands, 
or light baskets: hence its name from 
Jungo, to join, because the first ropes or 
binders were made of rushes. The pith is 
often used in the stock-huts, dipped in fat, 
to burn as watch-lights. 
Cibotium Billardieri, Common Tree- 
vers. All are destitute of thorns, and fern (Dicksonia antarctica of La Billardi- 
. produce greenish slimy berries. C. me- 
lantha, which is of a darker green, and 
. far more beautiful than the others, is fre- 
quent in the northern part of the island ; 
while C. glabella, a very slender species, 
grows about George-Town. They are 
easily propagated by slitting the bark of a 
smooth tree, as any of the Acacias, anå 
inserting the seed; while rough-barked 
plants, as the Geranium, are uncongenial 
to the young slender shoots. 
Casuarina torulosa? She-Oak: — C. 
stricta? He-Oak:—C.tenuissima ? Marsh- 
Oak. The name of the first of these is 
Said to be a corruption of Sheac, the name 
~ f an American tree, producing the Beef- 
. Wood, like our She-Oak. The second 
xd ' Bot. Mag. tab. 801. 
ére). This noble tree was introduced last 
summer into the gardens of Hobart-Town, |. 
and seems to thrive best, where it enjoys 
shelter, and is not much exposed to the 
high winds, which break its beautiful and 
far-extended leaves. It is said to 
well in England, being much better suited 
to that climate than the Zree- Fern (Dick- 
sonia arborescens) of St. Helena. It will 
bear removing to Europe, if laid on the 
deck or other airy situation during the 
voyage. It grows in the ravines and shady 
places round Hobart-Town, a particularly 
fine grove being seen on the northern 
branch of the town rivulet, about a mile - 
from the Cascade. But the place where it - 
can be surveyed to most advantage, and | 
which is of easiest access in this vicinity, is 
