TOPOGRAPHICAL, ECOLOGICAL, AND TAXONOMIC NOTES. 299 



ward bank of the valley, following its course in belt form- 

 ation until it merges into the dune flat, a few straggling 

 trees crossing the dune in Indian file, the outermost reach- 

 ing the embankment plateau and extending to within a few 

 yards of the strand. Under cover of this arboreal shelter, 

 several adventurous shrubs have reached the dune valley, 

 which do not, except under very favourable circumstances, 

 approach so closely to the strand. Of these, Marsdenia 

 rostrata R. Br., a plant with a lengthy coastal range, and 

 recorded from several elevated stations on the Blue Moun- 

 tains, is here represented by an individual specimen, the 

 only one noted on the shoreline. A climber in the brush 

 forest, — its customary habitat — it has here adopted a 

 matted habit, and spreads outwards for some distance, 

 establishing its position by smothering the undergrowth in 

 its vicinity. A few bushes of the soft, porous wooded,. 

 Clerodendron tomentosum R. Br., have taken advantage 

 of this opportunity to press forward into the valley. Though 

 not a strictly halophilous species, it is frequently found in 

 the vicinity of tidal waters. Another small group of these 

 plants was noted on the rocky hillside — facing north — at 

 the southern end of Manly beach. 



A large leaved form of Notelcea ovata R. Br., a species 

 which extends from Illawarra to Queensland, has here found 

 its way through the Banksian forest into a frontal position 

 in the valley. 



The "Port Jackson Beech," Monotoca elliptica R. Br. r 

 and Breynia oblongifolia J. Muell., also attain, in this valley, 

 their closest proximity to the strand. They are both more 

 or less dependent — in this situation — on the surrounding 

 vegetation for protection, neither venturing alone on to 

 the frontal dune slopes. On other parts of the shoreline, 

 the "Beech" exhibits a preference for a Banksian associ- 

 ation, the White and Red Honeysuckle forests being 



