550 



Locally, annuals were abundant on these sand ridges; 

 these were largely composites. The annual flora is strikingly 

 different from that occurring on the plain. On, the crests of 

 the ridges, and apparently confined to such situations, were 

 Calandrinia dispeima, StenopetaZum lineare, Myriocephalus 

 thisocephaXus, Waitzia acuminata, and Podotheca angustifolia. 



Others are less restricted in their habitat, as Trir/lo- 

 chin centrocai'pa, Trichirdum alopecuroideum, Calandrinia 

 voluhilis, Stenopetalmn sphaerocarpum, Crassula verticillaris, 

 Erodium cygnorum (very local), Zygophyllum sp., Poranthera 

 microphylla, Didiscus cyanopetalus , Minwria leptophyll-a 

 (perennial), Brachycome ciliaris, Angianthus tomentosus, 

 Helichrysum, amhiguum (perennial), H. Lawrencella., H. 

 ftorihundum, H . hyalospermum, H. strictum, H. moschatum,, 

 H . roseum, Senecio Gregorii, S. hrachyglossu^. 



The geophyte Thysanotus exiliflorus also occurs) here. These 

 herbaceous plants for the most part grow on the sand in the 

 spaces between the bushes and not immediately under them. 

 Below most of the bushesi or trees there was an area covered 

 by dead leaves, fruit, branches, etc. This appeared to pre- 

 vent the development of an annual flora. 



Hollows between Sandhills. — While in a general way a 

 distinct flora for sandhill hollows can be recognized, this flora 

 varies greatly in accordance with the amount of sand that is 

 present in the hollow. In nearly all cases the soil is much 

 firmer in the hollows than on the ridges and the vegetation 

 less dense and more easily penetrated, largely owing to the 

 presence of tallish trees in addition to the bushee. The 

 generally most abundant plants are Myoporum. platycarpum^ 

 which is a tree 20 to 30 ft. in height, with Heterodendron 

 oleifolium, a bush or small tree. These form the general 

 character plants, but grow in association with many others. 

 Of trees Pittosporum phillyraeoides is most abundant, and 

 of bushes Acacia Randelliana, A. aneura, A. Oswcddii, A. 

 colletioides ^ Eremophila glabra, E. Latrobeiy E. alterwifoliay 

 Cassia Sturtii, C . eremophila, Fusanms acuminatus, F . persi- 

 carius, Dodonaea microzyga. When more sand is present 

 Casuaritia lepidopJiloia becomes abundant, growing into large 

 trees, which form an open forest, which will be referred to 

 later. As in all the communities around Ooldea the plants 

 are rarely in close contact with one another, but stand at 

 intervals. 



The undergrowth in the hollows is variable both in 

 amount and in composition. In parte it is quite absent, but 

 for the most part some undershrubs or herbs are present. Of 

 the former Olearia Muelleri and Westringia rigida are the 



