JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1923 



25 



56559 to 56570— Continued. 



always growing in a tuft from the end of a 

 very short stem, and scapes 6 to 18 inches 

 long bearing a simple raceme of pink flowers. 

 For previous introduction, see S. P. I. 

 No. 44324. 



56564. Casuarina subeeosa Otto and 

 Dietr. Casuarinaceae. 



A tree 30 to 40 feet tall, quite similar to 

 C. equisetifolia, with smooth, slender branch- 

 lets. It is considered a valuable fodder tree 

 in the interior districts which are subject to 

 drought. The wood is of great beauty for 

 cabinetwork, but should be used only in 

 veneers, as it is apt to split in drying. 



56565. Cervicina gracilis (Forst.) J. Brit- 

 ten. Campanulaceae. 



(Wahlenbergia gracilis DC.) 

 A very variable species, either a slender 

 annual 6 to 18 inches high or a perennial 

 with a rootstock which is almost woody. 

 The leaves vary in shape from oval to linear, 

 and the blue flowers, up to an inch across, 

 are borne singly on long stems. The plant 

 is native to many parts of Australia, extend- 

 ing to New Zealand and perhaps to the East 

 Indies. 



58566. Danthonia semiannularis (Labill.) 

 It. Br. Poaceae. Grass. 



Spreading through the pastures, this native 

 grass, known as wallaby grass, is becoming 

 very popular, and rightly so. It is a peren- 

 nial tufted grass, producing a fair amount 

 of soft succulent fodder suitable for either 

 sheep or cattle. The leaves are narrow, 

 usually hairy, and light green. The flower 

 stems grow to a height of about 2 feet, and 

 the seed, which sheds easily, is produced 

 in clusters that have a white woolly appear- 

 ance when ripe. Wallaby grass provides 

 good pasturage during the spring and sum- 

 mer and remains green in the winter months. 

 (Adapted from The Agricultural Gazette of 

 New South Wales, vol. 28, p. 286.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. 

 No. 49018. 



56567. Eucalyptus REGNANsF.Muell. Myr- 

 taceas. 



A large tree, the largest, in fact, in Aus- 

 tralia; trees 300 feet tall are known in Victoria, 

 and Mueller states that frequently a height 

 of 400 feet is reached. The trunks are whitish 

 and very straight, and the narrow leaves, 

 shining on both sides, are of rather thin tex- 

 ture. The wood is well adapted for shingles, 

 planking, and general construction. (Adapted 

 from Maiden, A Critical Revision of the Genus 

 Eucalyptus, vol. 1, p. 183.) 



56568. Exocarpus cupressiformis Labill. 

 Santalaceae. 



Usually a tree about 20 feet in height, with 

 very numerous green rigid wiry, apparently 

 leafless branches; the leaves are reduced to 

 minute scales. The flowers are very small, 

 appearing in short spikes; usually only one 

 of these flowers is fertilized, and the small 

 roundish nut is borne on a red succulent 

 stem which is eaten by the natives. The 

 close-grained handsome wood is used for 

 cabinetwork and for tool handles. Native 

 throughout Australia. 



58569 and 56570. Stipa spp. Poacese. 



56569. Stipa pubescens R. Br. 



A tufted perennial grass much relished 

 by stock, found only in the wooded 

 portions of Australia, where it seeds in 

 October. The seed heads differ from 

 those of other species of Stipa in being a 

 rich brown. 



56559 to 56570— Continued. 



56570. Stipa semibarbata R. Br. 



A perennial grass with stems 2 to 3 

 feet high, which is abundant in dry soil 

 throughout Tasmania and also in many 

 parts of Australia. The leaves are narrow, 

 often almost subulate, and the panicles,' 

 6 to 10 inches in length, are very dense. 



56571 to 56576. 



From Georges Bay, Tasmania. Seeds pre- 

 sented by Dr. Arthur H. Clarke. Received 

 February 16, 1923. Quoted notes by Doctor 

 Clarke, unless otherwise specified. 



56571 to 56573. Acacia spp. Mimosaceae. 



56571. Acacia discolor Willd. 



"An autumn flowering acacia 5 to 7 

 feet high." 



A tall unarmed shrub or sometimes a 

 small tree, with bipinnate leaves, pale 

 beneath, and yellow flower heads in axil- 

 lary and terminal clusters. It is native 

 to southeastern Australia and Tasmania. 



56572. Acacia longifolia sophorae 

 (Labill.) F. Muell. 



"A yellow-flowered shrub 15 to 20 feet 

 high." 



A rapid-growing acacia which frequents 

 the seacoast of southeastern Australia 

 from southern Queensland to South 

 Australia, and also in Tasmania. It 

 often becomes a small tree and is excellent 

 for preventing the encroachments of the 

 sea along sandy coasts. The wood is 

 white, hard, and durable. 



56573. Acacia myrtifolia Willd. 



"A yellow-flowered shrub 2 to 3 feet 

 high." 



A glabrous shrub with very angular 

 branches and phyllodia (leaflike stems) 

 which vary in shape from oval to linear, 

 the linear forms being much longer than 

 the others. The flower heads, almost 

 sessile, contain only a few large flowers. 

 The shrub is native to dry and rocky 

 places in many parts of Australia. 



56574. Eucalyptus virgata Sieber. 

 taceas. 



Myr- 



" Tasmanian ironbark. A tree 150 feet tall, 

 with very tough hard wood, excellent for 

 making piles." 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 

 38727. 



56575. Indigofera australis Willd. Fa. 

 baceae. Indigo , 



An erect branching shrub 2 to 4 feet high 

 with attractive compound leaves and dense 

 or loose clusters of showy red flowers. It is 

 very variable in regard to habit and foliage, 

 and in its various forms is found almost 

 throughout Australia, except in the Northern 

 Territory. 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 

 47152. 



56576. Kennedia prostrata R. Br. Fa- 



" Creeping, about 2 feet long, with pink to 

 scarlet flowers." 



A prostrate or sometimes twining hairy 

 perennial, with leaves composed of three 

 roundish leaflets less than an inch long and 

 scarlet flowers, usually solitary, nearly three- 

 fourths of an inch long. Native to most parts 

 of Australia. 



