TOPOGRAPHICAL, ECOLOGICAL, AND TAXONOMIC NOTES. 331 



country species, extending from the Port Jackson district 

 south to Tasmania. It ascends the Blue Mountains to 

 Lawson and reaches Hilltop on the southern highlands. The 

 weak, diminutive, Cryptandra ericifolia Sm., is occasional 

 in the damp soil pockets, its slender branches in this 

 exposed area prostrate and scantily clad with foliage. In 

 the peaty soil of the swamp, — its customary habit — the 

 branches supported by the crowded cyperaceous growth, 

 assume an erect habit and are more plentifully supplied 

 with leaves. 



Numerous tufts of Restio fastiglatus R. Br., are 

 scattered among the rock crevices. This species, endemic 

 in New South Wales, was known only from the Blue Moun- 

 tains and the Port Jackson district, until collected by Mr. 

 R. H. Oambage at West Dapto and Pigeon House, Milton. 



Along the verge of the ocean escarpment of the headland 

 running south to Port Jackson, Gleichenia circinata Sw., 

 hangs in heavy festoons from the topmost ledges, its creep- 

 ing rhizomes invading the crevices on the face of the cliff, 

 the tangled masses losing in volume as it descends to the 

 wave splashed region at the base of the escarpment. The 

 New Zealand Spinach, Tetragonia expansa Murr., which 

 maintains its xerophytic succulence from the sea-coast to 

 the salt-marshes of the interior, has here developed leaves 

 much larger than those noted in any other station. When 

 growing on an escarpment flanking the beach it occasionally 

 descends to the strand, but cannot proceed far from the 

 base of the cliff. Its presence on the headland is casual, 

 the large area covered by its carpet in the tidal basin or 

 salt-pan, disclosing its partiality for an estuarine station. 



In such an environment the heavy fleshy limbs and foliage 

 perform the dual oflSces of maintaining stability and regu- 

 lating its water supply. In a note on this species in the 

 Fl. Tasm., Vol. i, p. 148, Sir. J. D. Hooker, says, "It 



