171 



Atriplex spongtosa, F. v. Mueller. 



Through a great part of Central Australia, extending to the so ith 

 and west coast. Available, like the preceding and several other species, 

 for salt- bush culture of particular nutr ; veness as p isture-fodder, but 

 herbaceous. 



Atriplex vesicaria, Howard. 



In the interior of south eastern and in central Australia. One of the 

 most fattening and most relished of all dwarf pastoral salt-bushes of 

 Australia, holding out in the utmost extremes of drought, and not 

 scorched even by sirocco-like blasts. Its vast abundance over extensive 

 salt-bush plains of the Australian interior, to the exclusion of almost 

 every other bush, except A. halimoides, indicates the facility with which 

 this species gets disseminated of its own accord. Splendid wojI is pro- 

 duced in regions where A. vesicaria and A halimoides almost monopo- 

 lize the ground for enormous stretches. With other woody species 

 easily multiplied from cuttings also ; but, as remarked by Naudin, pro- 

 ducing thousands of fruits in less than three months after sowing, and, 

 as stated by Millardet, has become the marvel of the Delta of the 

 lvhone. 



ORNAMENTAL PLANT IN THE GARDENS. 



Ceropegia Sandersoni, Deem. This interesting plant was lately in 



flower at Hope Gfardens. The flowers are pale green, mottled and 

 veined with darker green, with a peculiar translucent appearance. The 

 corolla 2\ inches long, is tubular below, expanding upwards like a 

 salver with five points which open out and unite again, in a most 

 curious manner into an umbrella-like covering. It doubtless serves as an 

 attraction for flies to creep into and effect fertilisation, but the umbrella- 

 like covering is not, strictly speaking, a fly trap. This species was 

 discovered by Mr. John Sanderson, in Natal, who sent living plants in 

 a Ward Case to Kew, in 1868. The plant at Hope was received from 

 Kew last August. Other species are natives of the East Indies, and 

 Southern Africa. 



