390 BOTANY OP NORTH-EASTERN NEW SOUTH WALES, 



masses on rocks. Amongst the latter is P. rigidulum Swartz, 

 with dimorphous fronds, the fertile ones being pinnate, from two 

 to four feet long, while the barren ones, from six to twelve inches 

 long, and three to four inches broad, are lobed and very pro- 

 minently veined. There are two distinct forms of this curious 

 fern, which is common in many places. P. irioides Poir., the 

 "Iris-leaved Fern," grows on the margins of some creeks and 

 swamps in the northern part of this area. Acrostichum aureuin 

 Linn., popularly known as the " Golden Swamp-Fern," is fairly 

 abundant in some of the saltwater marshes on the coast, and is 

 very striking when growing in masses. Its fronds sometimes 

 attain a length of six or more feet. The two species of Platy- 

 cerium are epiphytes and common on trees in the dense brushes 

 and open forest country. Although they vary in form according 

 to situation, they cannot be regarded as distinct varieties. Quite 

 a number of ferns in different genera have crested or bi- or multi- 

 plied fronds which are variations from the typical form. They 

 are well worth cultivating for their singular appearance, as they 

 would be an acquisition to any collection. Many years ago Mr. 

 Latham, Curator, Botanic Gardens, Birmingham, England, a 

 great authority on ferns, informed me that the crested and lobed 

 varieties or forms of ferns would reproduce themselves true to 

 the parent from spores. 



The southern portion of North-eastern New South Wales was 

 traversed in 1818 by the early explorers Oxley, Evans and Fraser, 

 the last-named being the botanist of the expedition. It was 

 on that journey from the Liverpool Plains to the sea that Oxley 

 discovered and named the Hastings River. In 1827 Allan 

 Cunningham crossed Oxley's tracks to Port Macquarie and 

 botanised en route. Since those early exploring days the follow- 

 ing botanists have made the largest collections of plants, prior to 

 my own, in different parts of this region : — James Backhouse, 

 Dr. H. Beckler, Charles Moore, F.L.S., late Government Botanist 

 of New South Wales, and W. R. Guilfoyle, F.L.S., Director, 

 Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Victoria. Collections of plants 

 have also been made by Messrs. Wilcox, Tozer, Fawcett and 

 Bauerlen. 



