376 BOTANY OF NORTH-EASTEaN NEW SOUTH WALES, 



able for its variable foliage. The " River Mangrove," JEgiceras 

 majus Gsertn., is common in many of the marshes on the sea 

 coast and on some of the low banks of the principal rivers. 

 Generally it is of shrubby habit, but sometimes attains the 

 dimensions of a small tree. It has sweetly scented, white flowers 

 and a curious, curved, horn-like fruit. Several species of 

 Sapotacece produce plum-like fruits which are eaten by the abori- 

 gines, but not esteemed by the settlers. Achras australis Benth., 

 is a beautiful evergreen tree. Its almost globose, plum-coloured^ 

 large, fleshy fruits when ripe are a very tempting sight, but are 

 insipid to the taste. There are only one genus, two species, and 

 one variety of the Order Slyracacece known in the North-East, 

 and they are not common. Symplocos thwaitesii F.v.M , the 

 more floriferous, may often be seen flowering as a dwarf shrub, 

 though it finally attains the dimensions of a fair-sized tree. In 

 addition to the three species of Jasminum and three of Notelcea, 

 Jasminece include a true olive, Olea paniculata R.Br., which 

 grows into a moderate-sized tree with ovoid drupes, resembling 

 those of the common olive, and may eventually prove of some 

 commercial value. Apocynecs are represented by trees, shrubs 

 and climbers, which are found over a great part of this region. 

 Of the seventeen known species no less than eleven are climbers, 

 and the vigorous-growing ones partly clothe the trunks and larger 

 branches of trees with their stems and large leaves. Carissa 

 ovata R.Br., is a dwarf shrub sometimes producing a quantity of 

 ovoid fruits which are eaten by the aborigines, whilst one of the 

 most ornamental shrubs of this Order is Alyxia ruscifolia R.Br. 

 I have grown it successfully in Sydney, and in some seasons it 

 produces a profusion of small, orange-coloured fruits which make 

 it an attractive object in a shrubbery. The two species of 

 Ochrosia, 0. elliptica Labill , and 0. moorei F.v.M., are hand, 

 some, slender trees, the former occurring on the coast and the 

 latter generally in the dense brushes further inland. Their 

 large, scarlet fruits are very conspicuous and form a pleasing 

 contrast with their vivid green foliage. Several interesting 

 twining plants are included under Asdepiadece, some of them 



