92 PLANT HABITS AND HABITATS IN THE 



which is halophytic. Thus, on the upper portion of such slopes Kochia 

 sp. is dominant, while below are various species of Atriplex and Bassia. 

 Along the washes one finds Lycium australe and Pimelea micrbcephala, 

 as well as a few specimens of Acacia rigens (plates 25a and 24c). 



On the higher flats, upon which the village is situated, the most 

 conspicuous shrub is Acacia tarculiensis (plate 24d). As the name 

 indicates, Tarcoola is the tj^e habitat of the species. This shrub is 

 2 meters or less in height, with a shapely shoot, well clothed with 

 phyllodia, which are of fair size and placed in a vertical, upright 

 position on the branchlets. The young phyllodia, at least', are covered 

 with a somewhat sticky substance, possibly resinous, which may be 

 of importance as protection against destructive water-loss. In the 

 same neighborhood and at the time of my visit to Tarcoola in Septem- 

 ber, there were several species of annuals, but no study of these was 

 made. There was seen a very striking community of "everlastings," 

 which made a dense carpet-Uke growth, many meters in extent, to 

 the total exclusion of other species of annuals. 



Not far to the north of Gold Hill, a second hill, also granitic, was 

 visited. On the south the slope of this hill is fairly abrupt, but on the 

 opposite face it is gradual and merges insensibly with a wide-spreading 

 sandy plain which lies to the north of the village. The vegetation of 

 the hill appears to be about the same as that of Gold Hill, but a view 

 over the plain from the hill shows that the general character of its 

 woody vegetation is rather different from that of the lowlands near 

 Gold Hill, for example. Thus there are trees in some abundance, 

 although not large in size, and numerous shrubs. The plain very 

 evidently carries the largest perennial population of any habitat at 

 Tarcoola. At the north base of the hill in question Acacia tarculiensis 

 is to be found; below and beyond A. aneura can be easily recognized, 

 and still further, at the border between plain and hill, is a belt of 

 Myoporum platycarpum; finally there may be seen, scatteringly over 

 the plain, Casuarina lepidophloia. Masses of yellow blazed here and 

 there, where groups of Cassia eremophila were in flower. Between 

 the larger shrubs and trees the blue-green foliage of Kochia decaptera 

 occupied the interstices, hke the background of an oriental rug. 



When examined more closely, the plain to the north of Tarcoola, 

 or at least its southern portion, is composed of fairly coarse, sandy 

 soil, apparently derived, at least in part, from the disintegration of 

 the hill already mentioned as lying on its south. There was little or 

 no evidence of washing from the rains. It is likely, therefore, that 

 the rainfall mostly penetrates where it falls, so that the maximum 

 benefit to the plants is had. That this is the case is also suggested 

 by the relatively large number of large woody plants, especially of 

 trees, which have survived the destructive influences of man and of 

 animals. The growth-habits of the species of the plain have in the 



