ON THE FLORA OF AUSTRALIA. 



89 



a title it shares with the vermilion-flowered Br achy chiton 

 acerifolium of the order Sterculiacece. In addition to its stately 

 habit and massive flower- clusters this Grevillea possesses 

 attractive foliage. The timber, too, is useful, and furnishes 

 staves of excellent quality, and is used (as is also that of some 

 Banksias) in making picture-frames. It may be remarked 

 here that the wood of all our Proteads is of a very distinctive 

 character. 



Very closely allied to the Grevilleas are the Hakeas — the 

 main difference being in the position and character of the 

 inflorescence, texture of seed-vessel, and wing of seed. Hakea 

 is (as far as is known) a distinctly Australian genus, embracing 

 about a hundred species. Already gardens are embellished with 

 several varieties. H. laurina, syn. H. eucalyptoides, is one of 

 the best known representatives, and well worthy is it with its 

 showy flowers and distinctive foliage to represent this unique 

 family. More gorgeous still is the superb H. grammatophylla, 

 a variety of H. multilineata, which deserves rank as a distinct 

 species. This rare but meritorious plant I described at length 

 in the Scientific Australian for June, 1897, and it was figured 

 from my original photographs in the Gardeners' Chronicle f 

 January 18, 1896. I also had the honour of sending the Royal 

 Horticultural Society photographs and seeds of this stately 

 shrub. The magnificent Waratah (Telopea speciocissima) is 

 sometimes regarded as the national Australian flower. It 

 requires a warm sub-tropical climate to bring its superb blossoms 

 to perfection. Its generic name aptly indicates its attractiveness, 

 which causes the plant to be readily seen from afar. 



Many other plants among the Proteads are deserving of 

 careful attention, but cannot now be referred to in a superficial 

 sketch like this. 



Distributed throughout the entire length and breadth of the 

 continent may be found charming representatives of the large 

 order Composite. Moist forest valleys in the southern parts pro- 

 duce abundantly the Native Musk (Aster [Olearia] argophyllus). 

 It has large handsome leaves lined beneath with a silky silver- 

 coloured down, and emits the musk-like odour from which it 

 derives its common name. Timber cut from its gnarled roots 

 forms a handsome veneer that rivals Birds-eye Maple, which it 

 somewhat resembles. Aster argophyllus and Senecio Bedfordi 



