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GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



The Flora of Australia. 



I have often tried to imagine, writes Mr. G. N. Adcock, F.L.S., F.R.II.S., in a 

 most interesting contribution to the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 

 what must have been the feelings of Mr. (after Sir Joseph) Banks and his com- 

 panion, Dr. Solander, as they— the first scientific investigators of living Aus- 

 tralian plants— gazed on the enchanting beauty and rich floral profusion which 

 aptly suggested the name " Botany Bay." Fancy an enthusiastic botanist in the 

 present day finding himself in a new land with a flora so unlike that of any other. 

 In attempting even a sketch of our splendid flora, it is with the consciousness that 

 the subject requires an abler pen than mine to do it anything like the justice to 

 which it is entitled. In the U Second Systematic Census of Australian Plants," 

 published in 1889, my esteemed friend the late Baron von Mueller included 

 among the Vasculares 8,839 indigenous species. Of these he gives 7,501 as 

 endemic to continental Australia and Tasmania ; so that in round numbers 85 per 

 cent, of our plants are exclusively Australian. The area is, roughly speaking, 

 about 3,000,000 square miles, much of it presenting almost insuperable difficulties 

 to the work of collecting. All zones of plant life are here represented, from the 

 Alpine vegetation to the luxuriant and varied flora of the tropics ; and it is a record 

 of which we who have made Australia our adopted home may be reasonably 

 proud that so many species, totally different in so many respects from those 

 included in other and better-known floras, have been so closely observed and so 

 carefully and accurately described. When we consider that there are countries — 

 each with a history going back far beyond the commencement of the Christian era, 

 each the birthplace of generations of eminent scientific men — that have never yet 

 had their floras described as systematically as ours, we cannot but feel the deepest 

 admiration for the scientific genius, perseverance, and research by means of which 

 such splendid results have been achieved. Australian botanical science presents 

 an illustrious roll of indefatigable workers. 



It is a matter of great regret that so many of the names bestowed on native 

 plants and animals by the pioneer settlers are singularly inappropriate. Thus 

 " Gum-tree " is the colonial name for all species of Eucalypts. The Banksias 

 are known as " Honeysuckles." Our native " Fuchsia " is a Correa belonging to 

 the Rutacere. Exocarpus cupressiformis is the native " Cherry." f * She Oak " is the 

 name given to some of the Casuarinas, whose cone-like fruits are called " Oak- 

 apples." Australian "Tea-trees" are members of the order Myrtacece, and 

 include plants belonging to the genera Melaleuca and Leptospermum, while 

 " Native Hops " represent various species of Dodoncea and Goodenia, or maybe 

 Daviesia Iatifolia. And so this list might be almost indefinitely extended. The 

 flora of Australia presents many peculiarities, of which much capital has often 

 been made. Thus our trees are, many of them, peculiar in giving but little 

 shade. Some are leafless. Our Cherry is stated to grow its stone outside 

 the fruit— really on a succulent fruit stalk— while our Tear {Xylomelum 

 pyrif*rnu} % one of the Proteads, is not only wooden but reversed on its 

 stalk, and our Nettle assumes the proportions of a fair-sized tree up to 

 one hundred feet in height, and so we might go on. The first thing that 

 will probably strike a botanical observer in Australia is the great extent and 

 wide distribution of its forests, composed chiefly of Eucalypts, which form the 

 principal timber vegetation of the continent with perhaps the exeception 

 of some limited areas in the north and north-east. Of these remarkable trees we 

 have over one hundred and fifty distinct species. It is remarkable that none of 

 them are indigenous to the romantic and adjacent islands of New Zealand, nor, 

 indeed, are any of our larger trees also native there. Hence the Eucalypts are 



typical Australian trees, and like many others in our flora are relics probably of the 

 hocene age. 



In this brief sketch no more than a passing mention can be made of the many 

 species .deserving much closer attention for their utilitarian or horticultural value. 

 Individuals of some species grow to be gigantic trees. Eucalyptus amygdalina is 

 said to equal if not to surpass in height any other tree in the world, not excepting 

 Sequoja (Wellingtons) gigantea. The latter, however, much exceeds the 

 huca ypt in 1 the size of its massive trunk. While we must admit that the heights of 

 fcucalypts have been frequently much exaggerated by travellers who have trusted 

 to their imagination rather than to scientific observation, yet reliable measurements 

 have been taken by authentic observers of great heights up to and even con- 

 siderably exceeding four hundred feet. The Western Australian Karri, \E. 

 ^versicolor) is .another species remarkable for its towering height. But while 

 some are noted for their lofty growth and stately habit, especially in humid forest 

 glens, yet many species are gnarled and dwarf and almost shrubby. The Euca- 

 lypts are locally and popularly known under an almost endless variety of names, 



C J'\ a te ' redf and s P otted 8"™, stringy or ironbark, peppermint, apple- 



scented, or manna gum, and mallee. It should be remarked that the same 

 popular name sometimes represents a totally different species in a different locality. 

 Bushmen and splitters tell the varieties by the appearance of the bark, which in 

 some cases is shed m long strips, while in others it is persistent, and may be 

 stringy and soft, or hard and rugged, or furrowed. The leaves of some varieties 

 krow to a large size, and are liberally provided with stomata. The majority of 

 species produce leaves tough in texture, full of oil glands, and are suspended 

 n nn ™ r j**™' that the edges are vertical-these provisions being 

 doubtless Mature s devices to protect the blade of the leaf from the scorching 

 Australian sun As aids in the classification of these interesting plants, we 

 may cite the character of the bark as already referred to, the presence or absence 

 rlr^Zrt^l the arrangement, structure, and dehiscence of anthers, 



m,mv!fJ f \ ! ' ? ctlons of Petioles, and uniformity or otherwise of the 

 number of stomata cm the upper and under surfaces of the leaf. 



ofiilJ t m " (E ' * M , u/us ) is a lofty tree, remarkable for the quickness 

 on accoun of £ *T *T* * is popularly called the " Fever-tree » 



mofatoe 2 Iri i 6 m ma I arial re gi°ns. It rapidly absorbs the excessive 



caly 



nm tie ****** ™ d ™Y 53, be seen 



lercourses m almost every part of the continent. It takes 



the colour of the timber, which for its 

 the rapid decay 



Australia. The gmVlhe^niV^ m the Jarrah (E ' mar £ inata ) of Western 

 ably E. ficifolia. Its striVWi* u , om a horticultural standpoint is unquestion- 



Jts vernacular name from 



«&&&$s,z ass « 



forms 



pedes 



are E. miniata mhTe" ^Z&t SU( ? P rofusi °n. "Other brilliantly coloured species 

 colour. The "Sugar gum'',£ ' . . A of which vield flowers of a bright scarlet 



Ac «OS T 6, 



uicuiuai practice. 111c icsuii 01 a qphap ~f ft* " lnc *easin£l v «it^ 



to 



— ~ w ~j — r ^ — - — - — — ' — 



12 per cent, of the flora. 



blosso 



How- 

 present abo* 



The acacias, numbering some three hundred odd soed^ m*i 

 rest Australian genus. The golden and delicately £ St i5 ke Up b * far 

 hese soecies are amongst the first rn rw^nU\^ ^/ n ^ dnc . DI °ssoms of man. 



largest _ 



of these species are'amongst the first to proclaim The^ad^nTof 

 represented almost everywhere in the continent. Some }\^\t^ g \ 



They 



pastures 



tk iany 

 1 ney are 



and the 

 many of 



sandy 



larg 



*v K .^..^u, mm iuiui iu w»ca an almost lmnenetrahlp 5Pmk »i7 y ^ 



&^*Jr&£US!*£*& » his U^^tS 



euner n.ano or mm. in some oi our dense southern forests thev form, 

 proportion of the undergrowth. Lven in the arid and desolate interior thev 

 IfPf^.: £? u f iT m _ f "]!, C _ aSes a ? ^impenetrable scrub tl»fl 



those dreary and inhospitable solitudes. From 

 have earned the names of " deadfinish " and 



this circumstance some 



i. k a w*i u . — wait-a-while." These Wal 



names have been doubtless bestowed on them by travellers «fa K 

 experienced a disappointing repulse in their onward march bv an im™ 

 able barrier of the dense growth Strictly speaking, many species haT^o 

 true leaves, but are amply provided with phyllodia. Acacias are not witUt 

 utilitarian value. Several yield a bark exceedingly rich in tannin, e.g., A. deal 

 rens, A. molhssima, while the "golden wattle " (A. p y cnantha\ besides beir^» 

 attractive to the senses of sight and smell, yields one of the richest harks fa 

 tanning purposes in the world. The gum, which is very copiously exuded bv 

 several kinds, is used for the same purposes as gum arabic. The delicate perfume 

 of the blossoms has been extracted, and furnishes an agreeable scent. Several 

 species, as A. parvissima, A. cultriformis, and others, possess considerable horti- 

 cultural merit, and are extensively planted. The timber of the 11 blackwood " or 

 14 lightwood " (A. mclanoxylon) is one of our most valuable, and is used in cabinet 

 work, railway carriage fittings, and for similar purposes. A. acuminata produce* 

 wood whose scent resembles that of raspberries, while the timber of A. homalo- 

 phylla is violet-scented. Both these species are known as " myall." The parts 

 of the flowers that are conspicuous in our eucalypts and acacias are the parts that 

 are more or less concealed in many of our cultivated blossoms. Included in the 

 same order is a gigantic bean {Entada scandens) whose pods are sometimes six feet 

 to eight feet in length . The individual seeds are often hollowed, mounted with 

 silver, and convered into fancy match-boxes Very many of the papilionaceous 

 section of the Leguminos^e produce handsome flowers, such as Indigofera, Dill- 

 wynias, Pultenseas, and Swainsonias. Many of the latter are remarkable for 

 spiral or curved lower petals and beautiful blossoms, but are frequently dele 

 terious. Besides these there are others equally attractive in almost endlm 

 variety. But probably none are more charming than Clianthus Dampieri, Stuart's 

 Desert Pea, whose silver-green foliage and large, bright, gorgeous blostoms render 

 it peculiarly conspicuous and attractive. 



Next in importance, when we consider the number of species, are the Proteads 

 than which, perhaps, no order of indigenous plants has greater interest eithr r fw 

 the gardener or the botanist. The name bestowed on this order (from the Soath 

 African Protea of Linnaeus) is singularly appropriate, for these plants exhibit t 

 variability which excels even the mutable characteristic for which the mythicw 

 sea-god was so remarkable. Probably the commonest and most widely distr ihipd 



Proteads are the native honeysuckles (Banksia spp.) They owe their singukf 



popular name probably to the fact that they, in common with many other j»o- 



teaceous olants. vield a enninns snnnlv of nectar. While the aborigines grecdiiy 



frequer/ijr 



attended with feelings of nausea and headache. Dryandra plumosa is often calf 

 vated for the sake of its large cylindrical flower-clusters and its deeply -serrated 

 peculiar foliage. Both flowers and foliage of this unique plant will keep >aW« 

 indefinitely. Of grevilleas there are probably over 160 varieties, J**J 

 about half-a dozen species are in cultivation. These include the stately!., loomh 

 or silky oak, as it is popularly called. Its immense comb-shaped trusses olDtjp 

 orange flowers render the tree a strikingly conspicuous object in th V a ™"2 

 These blossoms have sometimes been fancifully compared to flame, m ■ 

 have earned for this species the popular name of . r 1 V amc r tK !^fc 

 title it shares with the vermilion-flowered Brachychiton 

 Sterculiacese. In addition to its stately habit and massive «^ CT ^ e , 

 Grevillea possesses attractive foliage. The timber, too, is useful, » d ro . ^ 



P fn,. fl , ~c — i. __ 3 • :„ fV,ot nf some oan^iasj 



lwm.wv.wuo pittiiw, y n-iu a tUJJIUUS supply Ui iiw^io-t. * ' — - 



suck the flowers to obtain this sweet fluid, yet with Europeans 



Australian genus, embracing about a hundred species. ™'^ A ^ - a m 4 

 embellished with several varieties. H. laurina, syn 



Grevilleas are the HtM*- 

 :r of the inflorescence^aW* 

 ir as is known) » *« d » 

 «cies. Already gart 

 , H. eucalyptoido^B 

 it with its showy flow** 



id 



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

 distinctive foliage to represent this unique family. More ,?). h ^ (lesen . eJ B* 

 superb H. grammatophylla, a variety of H. multilinear, wnicn 

 a distinct species. This rare but meritorious plant I descrioeu 

 Scientific Australia for Tune. i8o7, I also had the honour oi 



\ the &f 

 Theiw^ 



Horticultural Society photographs and seeds ot tnis swi<=y - n«tio»l 

 cent Waratah ( Telopea speciosissima) is sometimes regarded « in 



perb 



lian flower. It requires" a warm sub-tropical climate to 

 to perfection. Its generic name aptly indicates its attractivenr , 

 plant to be readily seen from afar. Many other plants «w»8 « upe rlietf 

 deserving of careful attention, but cannot now be reierrea vj 

 like this. , , h continent Bif** 



I >istributed throughout the entire length and breadth oM^ Mo dt 

 found charming representatives of the large order 1,0 > ^ y*0* 

 valleys in the southern parts produce abundantly the »»» . with g s»fT. 

 argophyltus). It has large handsome leaves lined wwj ^ iw 



m 



name. Timber cut from its gnarled roots torms » "7^: o rhyllu« - jm 

 birds-eye maple, which it somewhat resembles. Aster > ccam^*^ 

 Bedfordi attain with us the proportions of trees whicn ^ 

 order. Included among the Composite are very many ^ j, fgJJ^ 



here, a? p wniKiiro „r...:j_ j:„ t »;Kntinn. WeSieiu _.._««,iclK. 



r„„j f ,„ . " .—gar gutn ' (E. lorvnnmU. ^\ „ i Z- 'CVt' "^T""T v *" "t yMUC caampics onnese aeserveuiy p^k— — f „ re tnsn * 



food for stock in seasons of drought %-* x) P'odnces sweetish foliage, which affords contains some three score species, many of them of more 

 many other meritorious «^;i nt \ fim !. an d space would fail even to refer to the The allied Penn* H«.1,W™™ s-,.1, Lfe* about forty species. ^ 



ofmoretn^j^Jrf^ 



mentonous sneci^ r 1 Q s P a ce would latl even to refer to the 



^ 5 * ln addition to the useful timber, many; yield 



The allied genus Helipterum includes about forty spec"- - Qtba grt«* 

 strong-growing shrubs— are rather more numerous 



