Australian Plants. 5 
Art. Il. Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian 
Plants, chiefly collected within the boundaries of the Colony 
of Victoria and examined by Dr. FERD. MUELLER. 
IF I venture to lay before the Philosophical Society a series 
of descriptions, by which a number of plants, but im- 
perfectly known or entirely new to science, are briefly 
illustrated, I beg to state, that in doing so I am only actuated 
by a desire of combining my humble acquirements with those 
of so many superior minds for the purpose of contributing 
perhaps towards that important object, for which this Society 
was formed, to diffuse useful knowledge throughout our 
adopted couutry, to elucidate its own productions, or to show 
how much a land, equally favoured by inexhaustible mineral 
resources, by aserene climate and most fertile soil, may produce, 
so that we may learn to appreciate those vast treasures, which 
as yet hidden and undeveloped are dormant in its virgin soil. 
In offering some results of my last researches to the Philo- 
sophical Society, I endeavour to fulfil those duties which every 
one of us has seriously taken upon himself injoining this union; 
although I must confess, that I only answered with hesitation 
the honourable call of commencing the series of dissertations, 
which we hereafter may expect before this auditory, and with 
which so many will adorn the annals of this Society, as I 
could not conceal from myself how inadequate my powers are 
for such a task. Only the thoughts, that science does not 
disdain the smallest gift, that the last links ofa long chain of 
observations are often closed by a most insignificant discovery, 
which isolated would be unimportant—only those thoughts 
could induce me to offer out of the botanical treasures of this 
country some novelties or rarities which rewarded my last 
explorations. 
I shall bring under review chiefly such plants as have en- 
larged genera, with but a limited number of species, such as 
