328 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1897. 
Botany. 
PLANT'S REPUTED POISONOUS TO STOCK. 
By ¥. MANSON BAILEY, E.LS., 
Colonial Botanist. 
In the present Journal two reputed poisonous plants are illustrated, and it 18 
intended to follow up with others, as such are forwarded, like those figured, 
for identification, &. I do not hold myself anywise responsible for. the 
poisonous character so frequently given to these and others of our indigenous 
plants. The plants brought under notice from time to time will be those 
reputed as poisonous to stock, of which probably only a very few contail 
any deleterious principle at all. For instance, I remember that in the earl¥ 
days of South Australia, the two plants now under notice, or at least one 0 
them and a closely allied species of the other, were amongst the most commo2 
and abundant of the plants of the Adelaide plains, and yet no harm was evel 
heard of as accruing to the stock which ate them with the grass and other 
herbage. Yet now we find persons in South Australia, and from there 10 
Queensland, professing a belief in the poisonous properties of the two species 
of Bulbine, if not in Calostemma. With a view to arriving at the truth of the 
various statements regarding the poisonous or deleterious properties of the 
so-called “poison plant,” I would suggest that experiments be carried out at the 
Queensland Agricultural College. The cost would be small, and the advantage 
to the country great. Only a small plot of each plant would be required 
stock for experimenting upon could be obtained easily and cheaply in the 
district, and the College staff have all the intelligence for successfully carryiD& 
out the work. ; 
Calostemma luteum, Sims. (see Piate), which has lately been sent from 
O K Station, Condamine, where it was suspected of poisoning a number ° 
sheep, belongs to the order Amaryllidew. So far as my memory serves més 
this is the first time the plant has been accused of deleterious properties, an 
even supposing it to possess such, the small amount of foliage formed by eac 
bulb would prevent its doing any considerable amount of harm. The genus 
contains from three to five species, according to the views taken by different 
botanists. The flowers of the various kinds are very similar in form, but differ 
in colour from white to yellow and from purple to pink. 
The following Liliaceous plants, Bulbine bulbosa, Waw. (see Plate), and B: 
semibarbata, Haw., are the Australian representatives of the genus, and bo i 
have received the same vernacular name—Native Onion or Native Leek: 
sometimes a distinction is made by designating the latter, which forms a smaller 
plant, asthe Lesser Onion or Leek ; both are met with in Southern Queenslan4, 
and the effect on stock is said to be similar. The principal distinction made 
by the botanist may be given in the words of Bentham, Fl. Austr. vii., 34 
VIZ. :— 
Perianth usually about 4-inch long or more. All the 
filaments bearded. ‘Root often tuberous ars «. 2B. bulbosa. 
Perianth about 23-inch. Only the 3 inner filaments 
bearded. No tuber to the root .., x53 ... B. semibarbata- 
es 
