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THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 75 
SHRUBS OF THE WESTERN PLAINS. 
Archdeacon F. HE. Haviland. 
The ‘‘Far West’’ of New South Wales has a charm 
of its own; and this is contributed to both by its flora 
and fauna, and certainly by the sense of infinitude, which 
the endless red and black, almost bare, plains strike into 
the thoughts of the traveller. ‘There may be here and 
there a gentle rise and fall caused by the crumpling of the 
earth’s surface, but scarcely sufficient to vary matters 
much. : 
Spotted about on these plains are some shrubs of 
more than passing interest. Here, for instance, is the 
“Wild Orange’’ tree, Capparis Muotchelli, L., which is 
really an ornamental shrub having symmetrical habits of 
erowth, with attractive white flowers resembling small 
Magnolias; but so fugacious are the petals that it is im- 
possible to secure intact specimens. The fruit grows in the 
manner of Capers at the end of a long .gynophore, and 
attains to a diameter of a few inches; but the taste of the 
mesocarp is most pungent and ‘‘mustardy’’; indeed, for 
the bravado of being able to say that ‘‘I have tasted it,’’ 
I had to pay a penalty of a burning mouth for two days. 
Here, too, we find the “‘ Wild Lemon,’’ Canthium oleae- 
folium, Uk., which, strange to say, does not produce lem- 
ons at.all, or anything like them; but probably takes its 
vernacular from the semblance of its leaves. It has, how- 
ever, good straight and strong stems, which should be of 
use for many purposes. The flowers are small, but in 
rather large and thick clusters. These ‘‘Oranges’’ and 
“‘Temons’’ generally accompany each other all through 
the western bush lands. Then we may mention the ‘‘Leop- 
ard Wood Tree,’’ lindersia maculosa, F.v.M., which, by 
the variegated spots on the stem, lends beauty and con- 
trast to the monotonous surroundings; but which, untrue 
to the traditions of its namesake, changes its spots every 
year. These ‘‘beauty spots’’ are caused by the thickening 
of the ecambium, making the hide-bound bark to split off 
in places and expose new surfaces. They are of various 
colours—silvery-white, red, brown, yellow, faint-green. In 
season the branches are hanging down with heavy fes- 
toons of creamy flowers; while the fruits are of three-five 
valves, expanding starlike, and having a strongly muri- 
cated surface. The wood is easily worked and useful for 
