19 
in Queensland, and among the plants will be found some of the 
smallest weeds and largest timbers. Many of the latter will be found 
described in the Catalogue of Queensland Woods. 
It may not be out of place here to say that the many showy 
plants cultivated in our gardens and bush-houses under the popular 
name of Croto7is belong to the genus Codimum^ of which there are but 
few species, say 3 or 4 ; but these have produced the large number of 
varieties that adorn our gardeus. Of the genus Croton 500 or more 
species are known. The following may be noted as a few of the 
distinguishing marks in the genera : — In Croton the leaves are 
furnished with two or more glands at the top end of the leaf-stalk or 
on the base of the leaf-blade ; the calyx-segments imbricate or almost 
or quite valvate in the bud. 
The Isettle Family — IJrticace;r — like the Spurge Family, to the 
casual observer might appear to contain too widely dissimilar plants to 
be classed in one order, especially when he is told that the botanist 
places here the Elm, Hop, Hemp, Mulberry, Fig, and Breadfruit and 
Jackfruit, as well as the lowly Stinging Nettle* of Europe and our 
gigantic Stinging-trees. Yet when one looks into tlie matter there 
will be seen much that is common to all, and that when these various 
plants are separated into tribes the arrangement will be acknowledged 
all that could be desired. In the following particulars, all plants of 
this order will agree • — Q^^^ry 1-celled, with 1 ovule, and 1 or 2 
oblique styles or unilateral stigmas; albumen usually scanty ; stamens 
opposite the perianth-lobes. 
Order Casttarixe.e — the family of Australian Oaks, — A few 
notes to assist in identifying our so-called Oaks {Casmrinas) . The 
Horsetail Oak (<7. eq^idseiifoli(i) is a coast tree, and the Moreton Bay 
variety (var. incana) is distinguishable from other Oaks by its soft 
cottony cevering. The teeth at the joints of the branchlets are 
usually 7, but may be from G to 8, and the cones are nearly globular. 
C. swSerostf.— This name would lead one to suppose that the stem- 
bark was of a corky character, hut it is less so than some others. 
The teeth at joints are also 7, or from 6 to 8, but the cones are oblong 
and about 1 in. long. 
The Threadybark Oak (f7. inopliloia^ is at once known by the 
loose thready character of its bark, resembling in this respect no other 
species. 
The Scrub Oak {C. Cunninghaniiana) has the same number of 
teeth as the preceding species. The cones, however, are nearly 
globular, smaller, and the tree is larger. 
The “ Billa” or Swamp Oak {Q, glauca) inay at once be known 
by its greater number of teetli in the whorl around the joints (which 
number 10 to 12), its shoi’t dense male spikes, and small flat-topped 
cones. The form of this species met with inland, however, has larger 
cones, which, as stated by Mr. Bentham, resemble the cones of 
Casuarina eqidsetijolia. 
The Forest Oak {C. torulosa) may be readily known by its corky 
bark ; teeth at the nodes are usually only 4, the cones rather large, 
oblong-globular, hairy, and tuberculose. 
In the Order CrcADE^, persons are frequently found confusing 
the plants of Cgms with Macrozamia. They would not do so if they 
could only remember that species of Cycas have a prominent midrib 
