TOPOGRAPHICAL, .ECOLOGICAL, AND TAXONOMIC NOTES. 313 



old and young — occupied positions with free drainage, the 

 smaller plants with lesser leaves, all growing under swampy 

 (xerophytic) conditions. 



The stout ropy stems of the parasitic Cassytha melantha 

 R. Br., twine round and attach suckers to any vegetation 

 within their reach. The habitat of this species is given in 

 the Fl. Tasm. i, 317, as "Abundant near Launceston grow- 

 ing principally on Acacias." In the Fl. Austr. v, 311, its 

 habitat in W.A. is given as "South West Bay, on Acacias 

 near the sea." It was not noted to exhibit a preference 

 for any member of this genus as a host in the Port Jackson 

 district. 



Two Banksias, B. ericifolia L., and B. marginata Oav., 

 approach to within a few yards of the shoreline. The 

 former does not attain more than a shrubby growth on the 

 rocky headland, a moist peaty soil in a sheltered position 

 being essential for its arboreal development. B. marginata 

 is better adapted to this harsh environment, and in favoured 

 positions makes a passable shrub, but its maximum growth 

 is reached on the landward sandhills. B. ericifolia is 

 restricted to the coastal districts of south-eastern Australia, 

 its congener, which extends to Tasmania, having a much 

 wider range. 



A floriferous undershrub, Eriostemon buxifolius Sm., is 

 sparsely represented on the headland. It extends coastally 

 from Gosford to Oonjola, but it is most abundant between 

 South Head and Port Hacking, the rocky terraces in the 

 vicinity of the ocean escarpment — it is not found on the 

 dune — accommodating the major portion of its member- 

 ship. At Waterfall, where it reaches its greatest distance 

 from the coast, and at French's Forest, inland from Manly, 

 the leaves lose their apical roundness and are produced into 

 a lanceolate point. Within the area extending north and 

 south from Manly to George's River, and onwards, as far 



