213 
Size.— See vol. ii, p. 139. 
A very tall, straight-stemmed tree of 80-100 feet high, having a girth 6-8 feet.—(W. Dunn and 
J. L. Boorman.) 
Fruit. —See vol. ii, p. 139. 
Mr. W. Dunn lias sent (end of January) some dead-ripe fruits of this tree. 
They are of a bright yellow colour, nearly spherical, rather larger than shown in the 
plate. The fleshy portion is rather paler than the outside, sweetish and luscious, 
and must he very acceptable to fruit-eating birds and animals. It has a pleasant 
odour, resembling that of pears. 
When ripe it is so soft that it will not carry well. It must certainly be added 
to our list of edible native fruits. My experience of it is limited. I ate it and 
enjoyed it, and no evil consequences have resulted so far. 
No. 68. Part XVII. 
Casuarina stricta , Ait. 
THE DROOPING SHE-OAK. 
(Natural Order Casuarinacea;.) 
Habitat. —See vol. ii, p. 144. 
Following is an abstract of a paper :— 
Notes on the Native Flora of New South Wales.—Part IV. The Occurrence of Casuarina stricta, Ait., 
on the Narrabeen Shales :—- 
Casuarina stricta is one of the She-oaks found chiefly in the southern part of Australia, including 
Tasmania; and it is also common in the interior of New South Wales. The author recently found it 
growing on the Narrabeen Shale formation at Newport. The shales dip southerly from Narrabeen, and 
pass under Port Jackson at a depth of nearly 1,000 feet, but outcrop again at Otford and Stanwell Park, 
where C. stricta also reappears. The theory is advanced that in late or Post-Tertiary time this species 
flourished on what is now regarded by geologist as the submerged continental shelf, but which formerly 
was a continuation of the present land surface, extending, perhaps, 20 miles easterly to the 100-fathom 
line. As the Narrabeen Shales in the vicinity of Port Jackson also rise to the eastward, they will probably 
have formed the surface in places beyond the present shore-line; and it is suggested that C. stricta worked 
its way up from the south, partly along this old land suiface, but, owing to the subsidence, has all been 
destroyed with the exception of these isolated remnants at Newport, Otford, and Jervis Bay. Evidence 
is advanced to show that the species is one of great antiquity, antedating the time when Tasmania ceased 
to be connected with the mainland, and having adapted itself both to the conditions of cold in Tasmania 
and the heat of Central New South Wales.—(11. H. Cambage, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 1905.) 
With reference to the note at p. 144 on its occurrence on the Narrabeen Shales, 
Mr. A. G. Hamilton states that it occurs 100 feet higher than the pit-mouth at 
Mount Kembla, on this formation. 
ILLUSTRATION. 
The photograph (by Mr. II. H. Cambage) was taken at the Otford—Stanwell Park locality referred to. 
