Census oF THE NATURALIZED ALIENS OF VICTORIA. 69 
species between them, and this, in spite of the fact that some of the orders 
(Liliacees, &c.) are large and widely spread ones. A disproportion is 
shown, hot only in the relative numbers of alien species, but also in regard 
to the orders which they compose. Thus the Gramine (true grasses) form 
about one-twenty-fifth of the total flora of Australia, whereas they form 
no less than one-fourth of the introduced flora of Victoria, and if all 
those plants are included, which are of greater or less value for fodder or 
grazing, the proportion is at least one-third. In other words, the pastoral 
phase from which agriculture in Victoria is just emerging has left its mark 
not only on the native, but also on the alien, flora. In the absence of any 
* adequate power of check or control over their introduction and spread, the 
future’ is likely to see an increase in the number of weeds of cultivation, 
some of the worst of which have only reached us comparatively recently, 
while there are many more still to come. 
Many of our alien weeds have reached us in an indirect manner, instead 
of coming direct from their original home. Thus, the Cape Weéd reached 
us vzéd Western Australia, the Water Hyacinth and Cactus wid Queensland, 
the Stinkwort vi¢@ South Australia, and the Shrub Aster vid New South 
Wales. Many of our worst weeds of early days appear to have reached 
us vid Tasmania, and we have to thank New Zealand for a good deal of 
our European Dodder, as well as for some other weeds. 
The case of the Spiny Emex is especially interesting, since this weed, 
with spiny fruits, which are obnoxious in pastures, is a native of South 
and Western Australia, as well as of South Africa, and though now widely 
spread in Victoria and New South Wales, is not native, but has become 
acclimatized from the other States. 
The name of Californian or Canadian Thistle for the perennial thistle 
indicates a popular idea as to origin, which is, however, incorrect. It is 
not a native of America, and reached Australia direct from Europe. 
Excluding those of our aliens which are native to at least three con- 
tinents, to the number of 157, or to two continents (taking North and South 
America as one) to the number of 67, the remainder mainly come from. 
Eurepe (38). Thirty-two aliens are exclusively American, and mainly 
North American, while of the 27 aliens from Africa, most are from South 
Africa. The Mediterranean region, although it includes. parts of three 
continents, is a very natural division in regard to floras, and 20 of our 
strangers are derived from this region. Only three of our aliens are exclu- 
sively Asian, and only two are derived from other parts of Australia. 
It is very striking to note how the spread of weeds follows the great 
trade routes mainly traversed by British shipping, so that the well-known 
aphorism holds good in the form of ‘‘ Weeds follow the flag.’’ It is, again, 
only natural that the majority of our aliens should be widely spread, and 
not more than one-fourth originally restricted to single continents. A few 
of our naturalized plants are, however, of very limited range. Thus 
Amsinckia comes from Chili, Avellina from Italy, and Lycium chinense 
from China, but such cases are rare, and observations on the spread of such 
plants should be of interest. In the Transvaal the little burred amaranth 
known as Alternanthera echinata is called Khaki weed, and is said to have 
been introduced and spread in the Australian forage during the war, 
following the khaki clad host. A. echinata (Achvrantha) is however, a native 
of South America and does not grow in Australia, although other harmless 
species of the genus are native to this continent. In fact, the weed was 
probably in the Transvaal long before the’ war broke out. 
