7 o 
April, 1930 
The Queensland Naturalist 
The arborescent components of the moister forest are 
very numerous, and differ somewhat in detail from those 
of the drier parts. A few trees not noticed in the drier 
parts of the forest make their appearance near the top of 
Mount Bentley. Eugenia Johnsoni, with its leaves pro- 
vided with drip tips, was flowering at the time. The 
root parasite, Balanops australiana, occurred only at the 
summit. Other trees and woody plants of the Malayan 
formation were: — Acronychia laevis, Terminalia muelleri. 
Ficus glomerata, F. cascaria, F. opposita, F, eugenioides, 
and F. Thynneana, Melia composita, Eupomatia laurina, 
Trema aspera var. viridis, Randia Fitzalani, Leea sambu- 
cina, Ratonia lachnocarpa, Panax elegans, Alyxia obtusi- 
folia, Pleiogynum solandri, Elaeocarpus grandis, Castano- 
spermum australe, Myristica insipicla, Callicarpa peduncu- 
lata, Harpullia pendula, Alstonia scholaris, Cupania 
pseuclo-rhus, Sarcocephalus cordatus, Tarrietia argyro- 
dendron, Mallotus philippinensis, Canarium australasicum. 
Abrophyllum ornans, Mackinlaya macrosciadea, Nep hel- 
ium tomentosum, Litsea zeylanica, Laportea moroides, 
Fleurya interrupta, and Hemicyclia australasica. Scat- 
tered palms (Archontoplioenix alexandrae) occur on 
Mount Bentley, but on the eastern side of the island there 
are large groves of them. These groves are one of hte 
most beautiful sights on the island. The above represent 
but a few of the species, but are the more important com- 
ponents and indicate the wealth of woody species. In the 
drier parts of the formation a few trees not found in the 
moister regions are prominent. Perhaps the most notice- 
able is Brassaia actinophylla, the umbrella tree, whose 
embrella-like cluster of terminal leaves crowned with the 
red flowering branches, makes it particularly conspicuous. 
This tree extends occasionally to the Eucalyptus forest, 
and its relatively modest moisture requirements enable it 
to flourish as an epiphyte or as a lithophyte. Found also 
in the drier parts are Macaranga tanarius (especially in 
cleared patches) and Homolanthus populifolius. 
The ground covering contains the ferns Adiantum 
aethiopicum, A. hispidulum, Pteris tremula, Pteris ensi- 
formis, Aspidium ramosum, and Polypodium phymatodes. 
Alpinia coerulea is scattered through the forest, and in 
the moister places Alocasia macrorrhiza forms a dense 
undergrowth. Its green flowers are often detected by 
their strong sweet scent long before they are noticed. The 
juice of the petioles was used with moderate success in 
the treatment of stinging by the giant nettle, Laportea, 
and its smaller ally Fleurya. In the creeks and on the 
more sheltered slopes Musa Banksii, the native banana, 
grows abundantly. Like the cultivated banana in appearance 
