50 
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
[Vol. io, 
The heavy forest in Queensland is restricted to a relatively narrow strip 
adjacent to the east coast. Inland the conditions are not favorable for 
tree growth, and a very large portion of the 600,000 square miles of the 
state has no heavy forest growth. Maiden has summarized the situation 
as follows: 
Westerly there are broken elevated table lands with rolling country beyond, much of 
it covered with open forest, of which Eucalyptus is an important constituent, and then 
sloping away to the centre of Australia are found conditions rarely favorable to tree-life, 2 
New South Wales 
As the ship enters the celebrated harbor of Sydney, one sees the numerous 
headlands and rocky promontories covered with the familiar Eucalyptus, 
interspersed with numerous characteristic low trees and shrubs, Casuarina, 
Melaleuca, Leptospermum, Callitris, and many others. The great city has 
spread of late years over most of the hills surrounding the harbor, and the 
native vegetation is rapidly disappearing, although in a few places there are 
parks or other reservations where it is being protected. 
A walk over such areas as are still intact is full of interest. In the 
spring the sandy soil between the trees and larger shrubs produces many 
charming flowers—most of which are quite unfamiliar to the newcomer. 
On the rocky banks, especially where water seeps through, there are some 
very interesting ferns and liverworts, and sometimes huge sundews, giants 
of their kind. Some of the large shrubs at this time are also extremely 
ornamental: Grevilleas with pink or scarlet flowers; Acacias, masses of 
golden bloom; Melaleuca and Leptospermum, loaded with exquisite 
white flowers. 
Approaching the wharf in Sydney, one catches a glimpse of the beautiful 
botanical gardens which extend down to the water. Adjoining the gardens, 
on a conspicuous elevation, is the picturesque Government House surrounded 
by stately Norfolk Island pines. 
The botanical gardens in Sydney are extremely interesting botanically, 
as well as being very attractively laid out. The climate of Sydney is warm 
enough to permit the growth of all subtropical, and even of some tropical, 
plants. The garden is handicapped by a rather poor, sandy soil, and 
suffers at times from lack of water during the long, hot summer. This, 
however, was not evident in the spring, when an abundance of rain made 
everything look very fresh and attractive. Surrounding the garden on two 
sides is the "Outer Domain,” a public park devoted to playgrounds and 
other similar purposes. A notable feature of this domain is an avenue of 
giant banyans, Ficus macrophylla, a native species known as Moreton Bay 
fig. On one side of the domain English oaks were planted, and had reached 
a very respectable size. 
2 Maiden, J. H. Australian Vegetation, p. 207. Federal Handbook for Australia. 
Melbourne, 1914. 
