120 
NaN(’Y T. HTIRBII)(iF:. 
cr(M)k miin.4 {Eucalyptus caitialduicnsis), which are almost invariably associated 
with tluari. Other charact(M‘isti('. [)lants ar(5 jiimwood {Acacia, I-iurkiUi) and 
<;reek (‘assia {Cassia artetnisioklvs). 'riu3 botaiiit^al differences between (a) 
and (b) arts (juitts ma,rk(sd and arts ])ro})ably rtslattsd to the water supply factor. 
(b) W ide Hats where the wattsr (Itjws, as a sluset, atsross the almost level 
surfatMs. 'riiose Hats irichido most of the ttnil^a country that is pastorally 
valiarbks, all the btstter types of muljjca {Acacia amvura) bein^^ found in this 
habitat, 'riieso includt^ the “ Silvia’ bt^avtul ” nml^a and nn^diuni leavt^d forms. 
Curara bush {Acacia geuistoides) is characteristii^ of this ctnintiy tliough, where 
tlie creeks narge Into th(’ Hood j>lain pro])(‘r, curara may mingle with jarnwood 
for a shoi’t distance. Erciuophila LatmbH, E. Margarcthac and E. tnacidata 
o(^c\ir in the IndtiM' watcrcHl patcla^s. AH arc genmally n^ferred to as fuchsia 
buslies tlu)ugh this name is most commonly attached to E. uiaculata. This 
spiK’ies, though rega-rded \\'ith suspiiaon by some as a poison bush, is consid- 
ered quite useful f(‘ed on (llenoni. 'TIk' lirst named of tho three specios is the 
rriost vviilespread. Otlua* shrubs include Cassia erctnophila and, amongst the 
smallf'r foi’ins, Eurhylacfui (oua’ufosa, RJaujotlia. sp. AhutUmi crypiopcfalum. and 
A. olor(frpin}i. (Sne Transects III., IV'., Xll.) 
After the winter rains tfui flats carry an abundant crop of ephemerals, 
though at' other lina's the ground betwiH^ii trees and occasional shru])s is 
coinpl('t(Hy bai’e. '‘IHie ai’i^a covered by, and tho individual size of, those 
plants is strikingly related to tho amount of water available. By far the 
best dcvolopnu'nt. taints place on tin*, lower levels (3X(*ept where claypan form- 
ation, witli conseijueiU watia’-logging of thi' soil, has pi’i^ventod any growth 
whatever. Vh'mlxa’s of t he ( V)mp(>sit a«>, ( ’rncifera(>, C'lienopodiatH'ae and Amar- 
antaceae ar(> th(> most' important const itiaaits. 
'IHio gi'owth resultiTig from sminner rains includi^s a number of annual 
gi’asses of which Aristida airnarlay Neurarhuc MitchetHana and Knneaiiogon 
cacrulcscrus aiM^ tho most- abundant. 
Tlu> clu(>f soil of tln^ Hood plain is a sandy-cla.y loam (Teakh', 193()) over- 
lying a silici'oiis hardpaii which rests on the country rock. 'Fhe surface of the 
hard[)an, wliicli is eluiraeleristic of the whok^ pastoral r(>gion, is variable so 
that' soil (l(q)1h may cfiangc from a few inches to two or throe feet within a 
few yai’ds. 
H'hi’oughout tlio Hood plaiii low I’idgcs of v’ariahio- extent and importance 
liave dmolopi'd. ][(^re sand ovi'i'lii^s th(3 hardpan to a eonsiderablo depth. 
HHicsi' an*, refern'd to us “ W'anila.rrii^ ” I'ountry and the voge?tatio?i differs 
markedly from that of the low«‘r Hats, 'riu* inulga nanains more or Ic^ss the 
Sana* though, so far as could i>e judged iu th(3 tun(‘ available, it was in a poorer 
condition, (’uiani is (unnpletely ahsimt and. is replaci'd by bogada bnsh 
Acacia hnu'hystachipi. It' may bi* noted her-e that this common name is used 
ill the Murchison ania to refen* to Acacia IhiophyUa^ while Acacia brachystachya 
is known as suga.r bi'oMu'r. A. liuophylla was not collected at (.Henorn. 
Amongst tlu' smaller shrubs poverty bush {Ercuurphila lcuct>phylla) hath. 
iiuiiua’ically and past'orally, imiierlanl as sIuh^) will f(‘(‘d on it when more 
palatahl(3 speck's disappi^ar during dry seasons. Aiiotlua* species, E. co}}tpacta 
also occurs hut is not so important on eitlua’ [)oint'. Both these' shrubs are 
(‘apable of st-a, titling (k)rmanl' for k)ng perioils. After I’ain th(*y respond with 
fresli growth within a short lime. Also the eoiulitions favouring gt'rminaiion 
tlo not stH'in (-0 l)e as exacting as in ttie case of .-Icao/a. aucura. In gooil seasons 
with satisfactory summer rains the soil carru>s an abundant growtJi of Wan- 
darrit' givissos which give the typt' of (‘ountry its name. The most important 
of tht'se art' Eragrostis vriopoda, E. setifolia and Erlachuc Hvlntsii, During 
