on the flora of Australia. 



do 



species. Every shade of green is here seen. The unfailing 

 stream babbles musically below. Spanning its fern-shaded 

 waters here and there are natural bridges — the huge decaying 

 trunks of prostrate forest giants. These, like the Fern-tree 

 trunks, are daintily draped with tender ferns and delicate mosses, 

 which here grow in richest profusion. Mint-trees (Prostanthera 

 spp.) laden with their beautiful blossoms add a new aspect to 

 the scene, which forms an ideal earthly paradise, and entirely 

 baffles description. 



One Baobab (Aclansonia Gregorii) is found in Northern, or 

 more strictly in North-Western, Australia, while the Bottle-trees, 

 of the genus Br achy chiton (Stcrculia), are remarkable for their 

 gouty trunks. B. Delabechci, F. v. M. (Stcrculia rupcstris, L.), 

 the Queensland Bottle-tree, is of a most quaint appearance. B. 

 acerifolnis, the "Flame-tree," presents a gorgeous appearance 

 when in full bloom. Its brilliant blossoms are borne in great 

 abundance, and the flower stalks partake of the vermilion hue of 

 the flowers. At the same time the effect is heightened by the 

 shedding of the large and glossy leaves. Of food plants 

 Australia possesses hardly any. The few edible fruits are for 

 the most part remarkably insignificant. A few yield also edible 

 leaves or roots, but the flora is exceptionally poor in plants 

 suitable for human food. 



Timber-producing species are numerous. Many of the 

 seasoned native woods possess a specific gravity greater than 

 that of water, and are remarkable for durability. Medicinal 

 plants are not particularly well represented, or, at any rate, their 

 medicinal qualities are not known. The Eucalypts yield the 

 well-known and widely used antiseptic oil ; the Alstonias spp. 

 yield a tonic bitter, useful as a febrifuge ; Euphorbia pilulifcra 

 is commonly known as the "asthma herb," from its use in that 

 ailment ; the Gentianca and many others possess valuable tonic 

 properties. While there are others deserving notice, yet many 

 indigenous plants enjoy a quite unearned reputation for medicinal 

 or curative virtues. 



Interesting examples of insectivorous plants are included in 

 the genera Nepenthes (three species), Ccphalotus follicularis, 

 Drcsera spp., and Utricularia, which I have fully dealt with 

 in my lecture, Insect Traps, " Geelong Naturalist," vol. v. 

 No. 4. In a superficial and rambling way I have noted a few of 



