104 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
VoL. I. 
EXCURSION TO BENNETT’S SCRUB, 
17th APRIL, 1909. 
By J. Wedd. 
The ubiquitous lantana, the spell of dry weather^ 
and the lateness of the season, rendered our visit to 
Bennett’s Scrub less productive than it might otherwise 
have been. Still, many interesting plants were seen, and 
we were able to identify by their foliage many that, from 
the absence of flowers and fruit, were not considered good 
botanical specimens. 
One of the most interesting plants seen Avas Duhoisia 
mi/O'por aides, a small tree common on the borders of scrubs. 
It had no flowers or fruit, but Avas easily recognised by its 
light yelloAV bark and crowded leaves. In the Queensland 
flora it is put in the order Solmiaceae, but in Bentham’s 
Flora Australiensis it appears among the Scrophularineae. 
It has valuable medicinal qualities, and needs to be handled 
Avith caution. The juice of the leaves and fruit acts rapidly 
on tlie iris, producing a widely dilated pupil in tAventy 
minutes. The extract Avas introduced into practice some 
years ago by the late Dr. Joseph Bancroft, and the 
alkaloid that it contains continues to be largely used in 
ophthalmic surgery, both in Europe and Australia, under 
the name of duboisine.” 
This tree has recently been supposed to have caused 
blindness in cattle Avhich broAVsed upon its foliage. 
The late Rev. Dr. Wm. Wooils states that the 
aboriginals make holes in the trunk of this tree, and put 
some Avater in them, which Avhen drank on the folloAving 
morning ]>roduces stupor. The same efcect is brought about 
by ra])idly cheAAung the leaves. He also says that branches 
of the tree are throAvn into pools for the purpose of intoxi- 
cating the eels and bringing them to the suiface. 
Under the heading of Eye Opening Tree,” the 
“ Rural Australian ” a feAV years ago, referred to this tree 
as follows : — “ The alkaloid* knoAvn as duboisine is similar 
in action upon the eye to atropine, the active principle 
of belladonna or deadly nightshade. An illustration of 
this has occuired on one of the Government experimental 
farms. A lad Avas cutting a tree Avhen a drop of sap fell into 
one of his eyes. The pupil dilated to an extraordinary 
extent, and did not subside entirely for two days ” 
Closely related to this tree is Duhoisia Hopwoodii, 
which contains an alkaloid similai to nicotine. The leaves 
of this shrub are the Pituii of the aboriginals, and are chewed 
by them as tobacco is by some white men. 
