44 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
VoL. I, 
Only one ground orchid was collected. In the proper 
season at least twenty different sorts can be found, among 
tlieni the large orchid Phaius grandifolius, Geodorum pictum, 
Dipodium punctatum, of which a white variety was discovered 
there by Mr. Kefford, and two very interesting ones, Drakea 
irritabilis and Caleana major. The labellum in both of 
these is irritable. On the slightest touch, the flower seems 
to turn itself inside out. These movements, no doubt, 
assist in the fertilization, and offer a fine field of study to 
those of our members who wish to emulate Darwin. Later 
on in the day we saw some beautiful orchids — Cattleyas 
and Cypripediums , from Brazil and India. Needless to say, 
our collecting books were not enriched, Mr. Kefford, in 
whose bush house they were flourishing, strangely enough 
preferring to see them growing in all their beauty, to having 
them dried and labelled as mere specimens. 
An interesting plant was a small tree Exocarpns cvpressi- 
formis, resembling a Jacksonia, and sometimes mistaken 
by liushmen for a Casuarina. Its leaves are reduced to 
minute scales. This is the tree referred to b}^ some people 
as a cherry, with the stone growing outside the fruit. The 
real fruit is a nut. This is the so-called stone. What 
is taken for the fruit is really the fleshy pedicel, wdiich is 
thick, red, and succulent. 
On the gravel ridges was seen a species of Xanthorrhcea, 
probably hastilis, so named from the spear-like appearance 
of the scape. 
The Xantliorrliaea belongs to the order Ju7icaceae, and are 
a purely Australian genus. They are generally found growing 
on stony ridges, and are indicative of poor soil. They are 
dioecious. Both male and female spikes were obtained. 
The stems of the arborescent Xanthorrhaea appear to be wood, 
but the only true wood formed by this genus is a flat- 
bottoiued cone found in the centre of the stem at the base 
of old tall trees. This formation may be met -with two feet 
long, but its usual height is only a few inches. It is almost 
black and very hard, and appears almost indestructible, 
as tliese jjortions of the stem may be seen on land where the 
trees have been destroyed many j^ears before. In this 
state they have the appearance of large turned pegs, ratlier 
than of natural growtli. 
The common grass tree (X. arborea), is a valuable 
plant. Xo one, lost in the busli, need die of starvation 
if there are a.ny grass trees near. The wdiite bases of the 
leaves are edible, and before the advent of the wliite man 
were used as food by the aboriginals. A useful resin is got 
from the tree, and it is from this yellow resin that it receives 
its name, Xanthorrhaea. This resin is used in the manufac- 
ture of picric acid. It has medicinal qualities also. If 
given as a powder, it stops diarrheea, and it is an anti- 
