May, 1932. 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
21 
swampy country, with its different class of vegetation and 
insect life. 
Half-day trips were also made to Nursery Road, near 
Mount Gravatt, Pine Mountain, Sandgate Lagoons (a 
bird day, when a considerable number of water and other 
fowl were recorded), Coronation Park (St. Lucia), and 
Lawnton, where Mr. Ewart, Hon. Secretary, and Mr. 
Allsop, Manager of the Acclimatisation Society, explained 
in detail the various fodders, fruits, nuts and other plants 
being experimented with. 
Petrie was the rendezvous on another occasion, when 
Mr. W. R. Petrie entertained the party at ‘ ‘ Murrumba, ’ ’ 
built by the late Mr. Tom Petrie, so well-known as one of 
the early pioneers, and an authority on the Aborigines. Mr. 
Petrie explained the various trees, plants and other items 
of interest to those present. 
While the attendance has been good, it would be 
gratifying if an increased number of members would take 
a closer interest in matters generally, such as discussion on 
various natural history objects, and asking or giving in- 
formation. Also there is ample scope for members to study 
and report habits and peculiarities of natural history sub- 
jects in any branch, which would result in increased 
interest to themselves and the edification of the whole Club. 
THE LARGE-LEAFED OR GIANT STINGING TREE. 
(By J. Edgar Young.) 
One of the most noticeable features of the Eastern 
Australian, “scrub,” or rain forest, and one that perhaps 
most often makes its presence known, is the Large-leafed 
Stinging Tree, sometimes known as “Gympie Nettle” 
( Laportea moroides ), though this venacular more pro- 
perly belongs to an allied species. 
It was scientifically known in the earlier part of last 
century as Urtica gig as , but was later named Laportea 
gig as. The genus Laportea commemmorates the name of 
Monsieur F. L. de Laporte, an early French entomologist. 
The tree, which is quite soft wooded, so much so that it is 
possible to almost bury an axehead in it at one blow, is 
fibrous and juicy, and attains to a great size, in suitable 
situations probably to 100 feet or more. The bark is light 
grey and fairly smooth. 
The leaves, which give the tree its common name, are 
rather large and heart-shaped, and in the case of young 
and rapidly growing specimens attain to 12 and even 17 
