i 4 2 AUSTRALIAN BOTANY. 



almost as far as Carpentaria, is generally known as ' New 

 Zealand Spinach ' or ' Spinage.' It is cultivated in Victoria, 

 New South Wales, and also in England as a culinary 

 vegetable. The ' Bower Spinach ' is also edible, and is a 

 perennial. T. expansa is an annual. 



Native Box. — EUCALYPTUS. See chapter ' Aus- 

 tralian Vegetation,' p. 85. 



Native Box-wood, Prickly Box, or Pouch-thorn. — 

 BURSARIA SPINOSA. (Natural Order, PittospOreje.) 

 Pp. 19, 197. — A very common shrub, with blackish myrtle- 

 like small shining green leaves, and dense spikes of white 

 flowers followed by small fruits resembling a pouch or purse. 

 The ends of the branchlets form sharp thorns, the more 

 numerous the poorer the soil. It is found from the sea- 

 coast to mountain ridges — on plains, in forests and scrubs, 

 but never in swamps — in A'ictoria, South Australia (where 

 it is also called ' Black-bush ' ), and parts of New South 

 Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. 



Native Buttercup or ' Cocksfoot.'— RANUNCULUS 

 LAPPACEUS. (Natural Order, Raxuxculace^e.) Pp. 

 54, 196. — This pretty perennial is very plentifully distributed 

 throughout Victoria. It is found in moist, sandy flats, and 

 ascends also to alpine elevations, being often found on the 

 tops of the highest mountains. It is indigenous to other 

 parts of Australia ; a variety of it is common in New 

 Zealand. Its flowers are of a bright yellow. 



Native Celery.— APIUM PROSTRATUM. (Natural 

 Order, Umbellifer.-E.) Pp. 38, 200. — A very common 

 Australian herbaceous plant, usually found in moist places 

 near the coast. 



Native Cherry.— EXO CARPUS CUPRESSIFORMIS. 



