4 
saccharine secretion from its stem ; Cucurbita micrantha, a small species of melon, as bitter 
and probably as valuable as the medicinal colocynth ; Santalum persicarium, a dwarf kind of 
sandal tree, of which the root-bark furnishes an amylaceous food to the natives. It has been 
repeatedly related by travellers, that a small supply of water may be relied upon from the 
root of Eucalyptus dumosa, one of the Mallee bushes. The Murray lagoons, which are 
periodically dry, furnished a small number of plants, allied or identical to foreign, chiefly 
Indian or African species, and consequently important to phytogeography — (Mollugo, 
Glinus, Ammannia, Jussima, Epaltes, Lycium, &c.) 
Returning from the Darling, I resumed my journey along the Murray River, with a 
deviation to Mount Hope, up to Albury, where I arrived about the middle of January of 
this year. 
Desirous to devote the summer months to the exploration of the Australian Alps, I 
chose the Mitta Mitta line for further operations, ascended and crossed the Gibbo Ranges at 
an elevation of at least 5000 feet, and followed thence again the course of the Mitta Mitta 
into Omeo. At the Gibbo River argentaceous lead ore has already been discovered by the 
Rev. Mr. Clarke. 
From here I attempted in vain to reach the Bogong Range, probably the highest 
point in this Island-Continent, being compelled to retreat by the extensive bush fires then 
raging in the intermediate mountains. The summit of this range, covered with eternal 
snow and glaciers, can hardly be estimated of less altitude than 7000 feet. 
In order now to accomplish the examination of the Alpine Flora on the eastern 
frontiers, I started for the Cobboras Mountains, the most prominent points of the Great 
Dividing Range within the borders of this Colony. Not only these mountains, but also the 
greater part of the interjacent plains or plateaus are of a truly alpine or of a subalpine 
nature, ranging in elevation from 5000 to 6000 feet above the level of the ocean. As some 
of the highest sources of the Murray and of the Gipps Land rivers rise in this vicinity, the 
supply of water is plentiful. The valleys are either covered with spongy mosses (chiefly 
Sphagnum), which become transformed into peat, or produce nutritious grasses, some 
luxuriant enough to recommend their introduction into countries of the arctic zone — (Iliero- 
chloe antarctica, II. submutica, Agrostis frigida, A. nivalis, &c.) The vegetation of the 
Coborras Mountains does neither fully agree with that of Mount Buller, examined last year, 
nor with the Alpine Flora of Van Diemen’s Land, although the following series of its plants 
may indicate its partial identity with both : — Ranunculus pimpinellifolius, R. scapiger, 
Geranium brevicaule, Acacia bossiaeoides, Hovea gelida, Oxylobium alpestre, Anisotome 
glacialis, Didiscus humilis, Celmisia astclifolia, Eurybia megalophylla, Brachycome nivalis, 
B. multicaulis, Ctenosperma alpinum, Ozothamnus Hookeri, O. cinereus, Antennaria nubi- 
gena, Seuecio pectinatus, Goodenia cordifolia, Gaultheria hispida, Leucopogon obtusatus, 
Lissanthe montana, Richea dracophylla, Prostanthera rotundifolia, Euphrasia alpina, Gen- 
tiana Diemcnsis, G. montana, Grevillea Australis, Pimelea gracilis, Podocarpus montana, 
Exocai pus humifusa, J uncus falcatus, Restio Australis, Oreobolus pumilio, Lomaria alpina, 
Pol\ ti idium deiidroides, &c. Here all these plants are alpine, notwithstanding some of them 
de. cend in lasmania to the low land. But to those already known I had the gratification of 
a ( ing se\ ei dl new species, probably peculiar to the Alpine Flora of Australia, namely: — 
ejaium phyl iconics, Asterolasia trymalioides, Mniarum singulifiorum, Bossima disticho- 
c a( a Gentclhi cun ei folia, Anisotome simplicifolia, Eurybia alpicola, Ozothamnus planifolius, 
nap la lum alpigenum, Ilierocliloe submutica, Glyceria Hookeriana, Agrostis gelida, &c. 
lcm tlic Cobboias Mountains I continued travelling over a large tract of subalpine 
countiy m a noith easteily direction to the Snowy River, as far as the boundaries of New 
° Ut 1 J CS ’ ^ lU sev eial curious plants observed in the valleys of this stream, I ought 
to mention Brachychiton populneum (Sterculia heteropliylla, All. Cunn., not Beauv.), a 
eautifu ticc fiom the tiopics, growing with its turgid stem out of the bare granite rocks, 
washed by the tremendous floods of the melting snow. With many of its usual companions, 
