320 A. A. HAMILTON. 



several places. Velleia lyrata is more restricted, occurring 

 most frequently in the Port Jackson district, though it has 

 been collected as far north as Gosford. 



Three shrubs were noted on the headland with xeroph ytic 

 heath-like foliage, two of which, Calycothrix tetragona 

 Labill., and Kunzea capitata Reichb., found colonies on the 

 rock benches, the former maintaining the larger and less 

 intruded association. The third, Styphelia vnicrophijlla 

 Spreng., has a scattered membership among the boulders. 

 A dwarfed form of Pimelea linifolia Sm., common and 

 variable — the latter the natural corollary of the former — 

 is occasional on the headland and was also noted on the 

 plateau and rearward slopes of the dune. The fugacious 

 flowered Patersonia sericea R.Br., is plentiful, and the 

 slender wiry-stemmed Ccesia parviflora] R. Br., more 

 scantily represented among the undershrubs, the former 

 arranged in circular clusters in well drained positions on 

 the hillside. The Patersonia is represented on the Blue 

 Mountains by its var. longifolia, a much smaller plant with 

 narrower leaves, a result of the deleterious conditions 

 obtaining in its selected habitat, a peaty, badly drained 

 soil with a cyperaceous association. 



Ruelingia hermannicefolia Steetz, a low spreading 

 twiggy shrub, descends the hillside to the exposed terrace 

 above the escarpment. For the greater part of the year 

 the plants are plentifully furnished with foliage, but during 

 the fruiting period leaf production is suspended, the plants 

 expending the whole of their energy in the propagation of 

 the capsular fruits, which are borne in great profusion on 

 the upper side of the leaf denuded branches, the dwarfed 

 shrubs presenting an extensive fruit covered surface. A 

 tall neighbour, Casuarlna distyla Vent., which has per- 

 manently reduced its leafage to a minimum, also devotes a 

 considerable effort to the formation of the large woody 

 fruits with which its branches are laden. 



