SKETCH OF THE VEGETATION OE AUSTRALIA. 
209 
yellow flowers, being a very fine grass, tlie 
spikes as much as six indies long ; T. alopecu- 
roideum has a branching stem with smooth 
lanceolate leaves, and long cylindrical spikes 
of flowers ; T. parvl/lo)'um has oval acute 
leaves, the under sides of which as well as 
the stems are covered with rusty down, and 
the flowers are produced in long graceful 
spikes ; and T. sessUifolium has oblong blunt 
leaves, covered, as well as the stems, with 
rusty down, and bearing oblong downy spikes 
of flowers. Two of the most valuable grasses 
in this district appear to be Agrostis virgi7iea 
and a species of JBchinochloa, both affording 
rich food for cattle. Among the " lilies of 
the field" are three beautiful species of Cal- 
lostemma, which occur in great abundance in 
some districts ; C. candiduvi has heads of 
pretty white fragi'ant flowers, with an entire 
crown in the centre of each ; C carneum 
has similar flowers of a pink colour ; while 
those of C. luteian, produced in a similar way, 
are of a clear yellow colour. Of the curious 
rusty genus Xerotes two new species occur ; 
X. typhina, having long narrow leaves whose 
edges are clothed with hairy filaments, and 
interrupted spikes of fragrant flowers, which 
are produced from the edges of stems closely 
resembling the leaves in appearance, and 
which, drooping outwards while the true leaves 
retain a rigid upright direction, give the 
plant a peculiar and elegant appearance ; X. 
ejf'usa has hard long rush-like half-round 
leaves, and panicles of spreading flowers. 
A singular plant belonging to the Caprifoils, 
forming a bush resembling the dwarf elder, 
also occurs in this district. The leaves are 
opposite, pinnate of five serrate leaflets, and 
the flowers and fruit are remarkable for every 
part being in threes, as three sepals, three 
petals, three stamens, three stigmas, and three 
carpels. The flowers of this plant (Tripetalus 
australasicus) are yellow, produced in lax 
panicles, and are succeeded by fruit with 
scarcely any pulp upon them. Jasminum 
lineare is also met with, forming a singular 
upright bush, with short axillary bunches of 
white blossoms. Among nightshades is one, 
Solanum esurmle, with narrow blunt leaves, 
which, as well as the branches, are sj^iny and 
downy, and small inconspicuous flowers, suc- 
ceeded by a berry which the natives eat. S. 
Jh'ocissimum is chiefly remarkable for being 
so totally beset with yellow curved spines as 
almost to hide its leaves and flowers. 
In some districts plains occur, showing their 
saline nature by the quantities of salsolaceous 
plants which they produce, among which oc- 
curs a Chenopod {Scleroloena hicornis) curious 
for its woolly branching habit, smooth linear 
succulent leaves, and solitary calyx with two 
horns. Of malloworts one or two small spe- 
50. 
cies of Sida occur, Sida fihidifera, a small 
spreading plant covered with white wool, has 
ovate notched leaves, and small yellow very 
fragrant flowers, produced on long foot-stalks. 
S. corrugata is another small plant, with mi- 
nute yellow flowers without the fragrance of 
those of the last to recommend them. 
Among leguminous plants the wattles (^Aca- 
cias) occur in great numbers, and afford several 
new forms : A. leticophylla is a graceful droop- 
ing plant, with thin angular branches, linear 
sickle- shaped leaves (phyllodia), which, as well 
as the young branches, are densely clothed 
with silvery hairs or down ; the flowers are 
produced in bunches in the axils of the leaves. 
A. salicina has the appearance of a graceful 
drooping willow, with narrow oblong lance- 
shaped leaves covered with bloom, and bunches 
of yellow flowers produced on the young shoots 
from the axils of the leaves. A plant very 
generally distributed, although perhaps at wide 
intervals, over this part of Australia, but at 
any rate occurring in the beds of lagoons and 
rivers as soon as the floods are off", from the 
Murray to the Darling, is Trigonella suavis- 
sima, a species somewhat resembling clover, 
and singular among Australian vegetables in 
approaching, in form, those leguminous plants 
more peculiarly characteristic of the south of 
Europe. It is a trailing prostrate herb, with 
trifoliate leaves, the leaflets heart-shaped and 
toothed ; the flowers are produced a few to- 
gether in heads, and are succeeded by smooth 
sickle-shaped pods. The plant emits a per- 
fume exactly similar to new-mown hay, and 
the succulent fresh herbage affords a most 
grateful vegetable cooked like spinach. The 
natives call it " Cdlomha" and use it as an 
article of food. 
Among rueworts. Correct leucoclada has 
the young shoots covered with a white down, 
oblong oval blunt leaves, and large campanu- 
late flowers ; C glabra also has white branches 
with smooth oval leaves, and small green bell- 
shaped flowers. Near the Lachlan occurs 
Loranthus Quandang, as a parasite on the 
Fusanus acuminatus : it has opposite narrow 
blunt white leaves, and flowers growing in 
sixes from the axils of the leaves, of a 
bright crimson colour, and produced in such 
quantities as to be very urnamental. Among 
beancapers occurs R'dpera aurantkica, a beau- 
tiful little under-shrub, with narrow blunt 
fleshy leaves and orange-coloured flowers, suc- 
ceeded by broad thin-winged fruit. A Sandal- 
wort {Eiicarya MurrayancC) closely allied to 
the Quandang nut, is also sparingly met with 
between the Lachlan and the Darling. It 
forms a handsome small tree, something re- 
sembling a weeping willow when in fruit, 
which latter resemble a pear in shape, and 
are produced at the ends of the branches. The 
P 
