48 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
No. 26. Fibre prepared from the leaves of Yucca gloriosa : Willdenow. (“Adam’s 
Needle.”) Ord. Liliaceae. — A native of America, but growing to great perfection 
in Victoria. Its leaves are very rich in fibre of good texture, suitable for ropes, 
cordage, and matting, and would no doubt yield a strong packing and writing 
paper. Sample prepared at Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
No. 27. Paper prepared from Carex appressa : Robert Brown. Ord. Cyperaceas. 
— A species of sedge grass which grows very plentifully on the margins of rivers, 
creeks lagoons, &c., throughout Victoria. Yields a valuable pulp for paper of a 
strong coarse texture, but with proper appliances a good writing paper might be 
obtained. Sample prepared at Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
No. 28. Paper prepared from the stems of Isolepis nodosa : Robert Brown. 
Ord. Juncagineae. — A rush found growing plentifully on river banks, and 
marshy places and yielding a valuable material suitable for packing and writing 
paper. 
No. 29. Paper prepared from the stems of Juncus maritimus : Lambert. Ord. 
Juncaginem. — The “Sea coast Rush.” Found growing extensively along the 
coast and in salt marshes throughout Australia. Sample prepared at Melbourne 
Botanic Gardens. 
No. 30. Paper and fibre prepared from the stems of (small form) Juncus 
vagin at us : Robert Brown. Ord. Juncaginese. — “The Sheathed Rush.” Found 
growing very plentifully throughout Australia. Yields a valuable pulp for paper 
making, and can be collected in large masses with ease. Samples prepared at 
Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
No. 31. Fibre prepared from bark of the Queensland “ Bottle-tree.” Sterculia 
rupestris : Bentham. Syn. Brachychiton Delabechii : F. Mueller. — This tree 
attains a considerable height and has an enormous bottle-shaped trunk. Its bark 
is very thick, and yields a very strong fibre, suitable for manufacture of rope, 
strong cordage, matting, paper, &c. Indigenous to Queensland. Fibre prepared 
from tree growing in Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
No. 32. Paper prepared from “ The Native Nettle.” Urtica incisa : Poiret. 
Ord. Urticese. — This plant yields a pulp of very fine texture, which becomes a 
beautiful white color when bleached, producing what seems to be a very valuable 
paper. Sample prepared at Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
No. 33. Fibre prepared from bark of Commersonia Fraseri : J. Gay. Ord. 
Sterculiacese. — A tall-growing shrub or small tree. Found growing chiefly on 
the banks of rivers in the colonies of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 
Its bark is extensively used by the settlers as a tying material and yields a fine 
fibre, in large quantities, suitable for rope, cordage, paper, &c. 
No. 34. Fibre prepared from bark of Abutilon Bedfordianum : Hooker. Ord. 
Malvaceae. — One of the “ Lantern flowers.” A tall rank growing shrub, native 
of Brazil. The bark of this shrub, which grows quickly in Victoria, yields a fibre 
of a very superior order, suitable for whipcords, fine matting, paper, and, perhaps, 
textile fabrics. Sample prepared from plant grown in Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
35. Fibre prepared from bark of Plagianthus pulckellus: A. Gray. Syn. Sida 
pulchella : Bonpland. — A small shrubby tree, found growing extensively on the 
banks of the Yarra Yarra and other rivers in Victoria, also in the colonies of New 
South Wales and Tasmania. It yields a very fine bast, the fibre of which is very 
strong, and suitable for manufacture of whipcord, fishing lines, nets, fine matting, 
and paper. Sample prepared at Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
