Ill 



So-called delicate plants, such as this species, may be successfully grown 

 in rather cold districts, e.g.. Blue Mountains, Moss Vale, &o., in Kew Soutb 

 iWales, by taking advantage of a fact well known to gardeners, namely, theyi 

 should be planted with a westerly aspect, so that the sun will not shine on. 

 them too early after a severe frost. 



Mr. Brown gives the life of this tree at from ten to twelve years, and 

 states that it may be stripped from the sixth to the ninth year, according 

 to circumstances. It lives longer in sandy soils than in clay oneS, 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 107. 



A. Flowering branch. , 



B. Individual bud. 

 c. Flower-head. 



D. Flower. 



E. Flower, opened out, showing— (a) Calyx, (6) Corolla, 



(c) Stamens, (d) Pistil, 

 r. Pods. 

 G. Seed. 



Acacia penninervis, Sieb. 



The Mountain Hickory. 



Botanical Name. — Penninervis, from two Latin words — penna (a feather)', 

 nervus (a nerve, or, in botany, " a vein "). So that penninerved means that 

 the phyllodes (" leaves ") have their venation arranged after the fashion of a; 

 pinnae of a feather. 



Vernacular Names. — Usually called " Hickory," or " Mountain Hickory."' 

 Occasionally called "Black Wattle," e.g., Blue Mountains. 



Unfortunately there are several so-called Hickories in this State, and, 

 therefore, care is necessary to indicate the right one. Amongst those whichj 

 are known as Hickory in different places are Acacia hinervata (another ofi 

 the Black Wattles), and even the Blackwood {Acacia melanoxylon) and the 

 closely-allied Acacia implexa. 



Synonyms. — 



1. Acacia penninervis, Sieb. The normal form, usually a shrub, and 



of no economic importance. 



2. Variety falciformis, Benth. (the Tanning Wattle). Often a bigi 



tree. 



Leaves. — It is worthy of note that in some districts in which Mountain 

 Hickory occurs the bark has never been stripped and tried, for the reason 

 that people do not look upon it as a Wattle, imagining it to be a Gum-tree- 

 because of the appearance of its leaves (phyllodes) ! This state of things 

 is passing away, as the bark is now becoming appreciated in certain quarters, 

 to my personal knowledge, and it is only another instance of the unknown, 

 wealth waiting to be known, and therefore utilised. 



My readers will observe from the plates how variable in size and contour? 

 are the leaves (phyllodia) of the Mountain Hickory. It is, in fact, a very 

 variable species, but it may be usually knovni by means of the thickene J 

 dot or gland which is found a little distance along the rim (or marginal 

 vein) of the leaf, and from which another vein extends, in a curved manner, 

 to the leaf -stalk. A small leaf -shaped enclosure, varying in size, is thus, 

 partitioned off out of the area of the leaf itself. 



