ON THE FLORA OF AUSTRALIA. 
89 
a title it shares with the vermilion-flowered Br achy chiton 
acerifolium of the order Sterculiacece. In addition to its stately 
habit and massive flower-clusters this Grevillea possesses 
attractive foliage. The timber, too, is useful, and furnishes 
staves of excellent quality, and is used (as is also that of some 
Banksias) in making picture-frames. It may be remarked 
here that the wood of all our Proteads is of a very distinctive 
character. 
Very closely allied to the Grevilleas a^e the Hakeas—the 
main difference being in the position and character of the 
inflorescence, texture of seed-vessel, and wing of seed. Hakea 
is (as far as is known) a distinctly Australian genus, embracing 
about a hundred species. Already gardens are embellished with 
several varieties. H. laurina, syn. H. eucalyptoides, is one of 
the best known representatives, and well worthy is it with its 
showy flowers and distinctive foliage to represent this unique 
family. More gorgeous still is the superb H. grammatophylla, 
a variety of H. multilineata, which deserves rank as a distinct 
species. This rare but meritorious plant I described at length 
in the Scientific Australian for June, 1897, and it was figured 
from my original photographs in the Gardeners' Chronicle , 
January 18, 1896. I also had the honour of sending the Eoyal 
Horticultural Society photographs and seeds of this stately 
shrub. The magnificent Waratali ( Telopea speciocissima) is 
sometimes regarded as the national Australian flower. It 
requires a warm sub-tropical climate to bring its superb blossoms 
to perfection. Its generic name aptly indicates its attractiveness, 
which causes the plant to be readily seen from afar. 
Many other plants among the Proteads are deserving of 
careful attention, but cannot now be referred to in a superficial 
sketch like this. 
Distributed throughout the entire length and breadth of the 
continent may be found charming representatives of the large 
order Compositce. Moist forest valleys in the southern parts pro¬ 
duce abundantly the Native Musk ( Aster [ Olearia ] argophyllus ). 
It has large handsome leaves lined beneath with a silky silver- 
coloured down, and emits the musk-like odour from which it 
derives its common name. Timber cut from its gnarled roots 
forms a handsome veneer that rivals Birds-eye Maple, which it 
somewhat resembles, Aster argophyllus and Senecio Bedfordi 
