ON THE FLORA OF AUSTRALIA. 



91 



(Thysanotus spp.) speedily arrest the attention of even the most 

 casual observer by their exquisite beauty. It is difficult to say 

 which is the more admirable, their delicate tints or the fairy- 

 like fringe from which these plants derive their generic and 

 popular names. The "Queensland or Spear-lilies" (Dory- 

 anthes spp.) are strictly amaryllidaceous plants of huge size. 

 They produce an excellent fibre. The Butaccce are represented 

 by about 200 species. The native Fuchsias (Correct spp.) are 

 handsome flowering shrubs. Eriostemon and Boronia are the 

 largest genera, each possessing many horticultural desiderata. 

 Boronia megastigma from Western Australia produces copiously 

 its sombre-looking but exquisitely fragrant blossoms. Dried 

 specimens in the herbarium will continue for years to emit this 

 delicious perfume. Several other plants of this genus are of 

 rich beauty. 



Ficus macrophylla, the " Moreton Bay Fig," may be chosen 

 to represent the genus Ficus, which includes some twoscore 

 native species. It grows into a stately tree and produces large, 

 handsome, glossy leaves. Another representative of the order 

 Urticacecv, the " Tree-nettle " (Laportea gigas), has already been 

 referred to. The sting of this nettle causes such severe pain as 

 to actually drive cattle mad when they inadvertently brush 

 against the branches. 



Epacrids of delicate and almost inconceivable beauty cover 

 immense areas. They are locally known as " Native Heaths." 

 They are allied to the true Heaths (Ericacece), which outwardly 

 they somewhat resemble, but differ in structure and dehiscence 

 of anthers. A by no means uncommon, but never-to-be 

 forgotten, sight is an extensive tract, called a "heathbed," 

 covered with these beautiful plants in full bloom and exhibiting 

 the richest as well as the most delicate tints. The genus 

 Styphelia is the richest in species. Several plants of this 

 order (EpacridecB) possess more than ordinary horticultural 

 merit, but many of them seem averse to artificial culture — a 

 characteristic which they share with many other desirable native 

 plants. Epacris impressa is a striking feature among our indi- 

 genous vegetation. Its brilliant and copiously borne blossoms 

 and the vast numbers of individual plants render it exceedingly 

 noticeable and attractive in many an Australian scene. It 

 exhibits great variation in colour, from purest white to brilliant 



