30 CAMPANULACE. 
On waste ground it is best pulled up, piled, and burnt, and the ground if 
possible kept covered with other vegetation to prevent ‘its re-establishment 
by seedlings. On cultivated ground it gives no trouble, though apt to 
spread along hedges, the borders of fields, the banks of streams, &c. Here 
cutting it down is sufficient, and the seed in the soil, being short-lived, are 
soon exhausted. 
Proclaimed for the whole State—May, 1907. 
RBS” Trachymene australis, Benth. the native Wild Parsnip. This 
is commonly supposed to be poisonous, but no exact investigations have 
been made. Flowers regular, bell-shaped, usually blue, ovary inferior, 
‘stamens five. Petals more or less united from the base upwards to form 
a corolla. 
GAMOPETALZE. 
CAMPANULACEE (BLUE Bett Famtty). 
A small herbaceous order distributed over nearly the whole of the globe, 
containing many decorative plants and a few weeds, but no reported 
poisonous plants outside those which have come under suspicion in Aus- 
tralia. A large number of the members of the order yield food products 
(leaves and roots in various parts of the world, especially Asia and Africa), 
and although some have a certain medicinal value no definitely poisonous 
principle has as yet been shown to be present normally in any member of 
this order. 
«@" The sub-order Lobeliacee, however, is characterized by the presence 
of a sharp burning or ‘even narcotic milky sap, large doses of which are 
poisonous, although small amounts have a certain tonic or stimulating action. 
The following Australian species have been recorded as poisonous to stock : 
—Isotoma axillaris, Lindley; 7. Browimi, Don; Pratia erecta, Gaud. 
(Lobelia pratioides, Benth.), ‘but no exact investigations have been made 
upon their action, and upon the limit of safety in.time and quantity. The 
Lobeliacee differ from the Campanulacez in the corolla being split on one 
side, and in the anthers cohering together. The genus /sotoma appears to 
be the most poisonous one of the order. 
Thus the /sotoma longiflora, Presl., of South America, is peculiarly 
deadly to horses, and the /sotoma axillaris, V.indley, of Victoria, though 
less poisonous, has also been known to kill or seriously affect stock. The 
action is due to the principles contained in the acrid, burning or even 
narcotic milky sap, which in large doses taken internally produces inflam- 
mation of the alimentary canal, and ultimately death; in smaller doses 
usually induces strong purging, and in minute doses merely acts as a tonic 
stimulant. 
The plant should be hoed up, or pulled up after rain before seeding. 
and stock kept from land where it is abundant, especially if other food is 
scarce. The unpleasant taste usually keeps stock from it unless they are 
hungry, or have abnormal appetites. 
Lobelia concolor, R. Br. (Pratia erecta, Gaud.), a native of Australia. 
It is a small perennial with prostrate or erect stems bearing bluish axillary 
flowers usually paler on the inner side, and unstalked oblong or oval leaves 
with toothed edges. The plant is very generally reported as being 
poisonous, and according to some, one of the symptoms of poisoning is a 
paralysis of the hind quarters. No definite poisonous principle appears 
to have been extracted and no remedy is known. Prevention is the best 
remedy, and the plant is usually eaten only when stock are starving or 
when they reach new ground after travelling. 
