II HOBART AND THE MIDLANDS 55 



inserted into a cap formed by the perianth ; but 

 on ripening the perianth sphts, exposing the 

 stamens and setting the style free. A ripe flower 

 is shown to the right of the figure, and two unripe 

 flowers on the left. The vivid scarlet colouring 

 of these flowers, shining out among the sombre 

 blue greens of the gum forests, is certainly one 

 of the most beautiful sights that the Tasmanian 

 bush affords. Although scarce in the frequented 

 parts, the Waratah grows in the most splendid 

 profusion at the source of the North- West Bay 

 River across the top of the mountain ; owing 

 to the exposed situation it here takes on the 

 growth of a low bush, but with a mass of bloom 

 that is really marvellous. A related shrub is 

 the Hakea or native Pear ; it has needle-like 

 leaves and small inconspicuous white flowers, but 

 the fruit is a large pear-shaped capsule which 

 may remain on the bush for several years, and 

 only cracks to let out the seed when thoroughly 

 dried or even roasted by fire. Dwarf Hakeas 

 and a closely related bush Orites, which possesses 

 rather bright yellow needles, form a prominent 

 part of the stunted vegetation which grows upon 

 the top plateau of the mountain. 



On attaining to the top of Mount Wellington 

 we stand upon an extensive undulating plateau 

 of greenstone or diabase, stretching for many 

 miles in a westerly and south-westerly direction. 

 Indeed in these directions a vast army of mountains 

 is disclosed, stretching in serried ranks across 



