310 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JouRNAL. [1 Aprit, 1898. 
Food Plants.—These food plants comprise several distinct species of 
Menispermaces—twiners with usually large orbicular or ovate-cordate leaves 
growing as a rule in the scrubs. Local observations, conducted by Messrs. F. 
P. Dodd, T. Batcheler, and the writer, prove that the following are included 
in this category. Representations of the foliage of the several ones described, 
in each case reduced in size, are given on Plate XXII. :— 
(1.) Pericampylus incanus, Miers, or Moore’s Cocculus (as obligingly identified by 
the Colonial Botanist, F. M. Bailey, F.L.S.), Plate XXII., Fig.4. A widely-extending 
rampant climber with smooth bright, green “ vines,” along the course of which occur 
alternatively, at rather remote intervals, usually large leaves. In the case of the 
young growth both the stems and leaf-stalks, as well as the leaves—their upper 
surface especially—are hispid with short erect pale tawny hairs; but these 
are lost with age, so that the plant becomes ultimately smooth and glabrous. 
The leaves are provided with leaf-stalks (petioles) from 4 inches to 6 inches in length, 
and these are suddenly thickened at their points of attachment with the stem. They are 
broadly ovate—when old sometimes almost orbicular—and apiculate or tipped with 
little points. Occasionally—especially in young plants—they are excavated or lobed 
at the base. They may attain a measurement of 7 inches by 64 inches, but are 
usually somewhat smaller. Above they are dark glossy-green with paler veins ; 
beneath they are sage-green or glaucous, with the raised veins yellowish-white. These 
are raised, and radiate from the point of attachment with the leaf-stalk to the margin, 
being connected with numerous irregular veinlets. The flowers are small, grven, and 
inconspicuoas, and occur on branched stalks in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is 
a red-coloured berry (drupe), measuring 4. to 6 lines in length, and includes a small 
round compressed stone. This food plant was indicated by T. Batcheler as one to 
which O. fullonica is especially partial. (For a full description the reader is referred 
Mueller’s “ Fragmenta,”’ Vol. I., pp. 162-3; Melbourne, 1858-9.) 
(2.) Stephania hernandiafolia, Walp. (Plate XXII., Fig. 1). A winding climber 
that may reach several feet from the ground, when the support of neighbouring bushes 
is ayailable, but that otherwise forms dense low masses. ‘Ihe stemsor vines are slender, 
brownish hued, and faintly furrowed. ‘The leaves are alternate on the stems and, placed 
somewhat distantly from one another, are broadly-ovate or almost orbicular, suddenly 
narrowed toa point at the end, and measuring from 2} inches to 3} inches. ‘They 
have a somewhat fleshy consistence, and their under-surfaces are paler green than 
their glossy upper ones, and slightly velvety or pubescent, owing to the presence of 
numerous short whitish hairs. ‘The leaf-stalk is from 2 inches to 3 inches long, 
peltately fixed—i.e., inserted at a point situated well (usually }-inch) within the leaf 
margin. The primary veins or nerves are raised, and radiate from the point of attach- 
ment of the stalk, being from’8 to 10 in number. The flowers are minute, and occur 
in umbels on short ellis in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is orange-red and 
smooth, and measures about }-inch in length. ‘Lhis plant seems to be especially 
common on shaded rocky declivities along the sea-coast, where it may form dense 
masses. (For a full description, the readcr is referred to F. Mueller’s “Plants 
Indigenous to the Colony of Victoria,” Vol. I., pp. 220-221, Melb. 1860-2, and to more 
recent publications. It appears also to be the plant figured in A. W. Scott’s ‘ Aus- 
tralian Lepidoptera and their Transformations,”’ Vol. 11., Part 1, with the designation 
Sarcopetalum Harveyanum),. 
(3.) Stephania aculeata, Bail. ‘The Prickly-stemmed Stephania.” (Plate XXII, 
Fig. 3.) This is also a climbing plant, but one of much more slender habit than is 
P. incanus. Its stems and leaf-stalks are armed with thickly-set fine, brownish- 
coloured spines, each measuring about 4 inch in length. The leaves are of.a pale-green 
or bluish-green colour, have rounded lateral angles, and are gradually narrowed 
towards the tips. They are, moreover, peltate, having the point of attachment of their 
stems placed some distance (about }-inch) within the margin. hey may measure from 
3 inches by 23 inches, butare usually smaller. Their veins also have a radiate arrange- 
ment. According to F. M. Bailey, the male flowers are minute, and occur in cymes, the 
hair-like branches of which bear bracts in the axils of the leaves. Both the female 
flowers and fruit have not hitherto been described. (For a full description, except 
for the Jast-mentioned exception only, reference may be permitted to F. M. Bailey’s 
“Contributions to the Queensland Flora,” Bulletin 9, page 7; Department of Agri- 
culture, Brisbane, 1891.) Though evidently not an uncommon plant. in the scrubs 
adjacent to Brisbane, its appearance was, it seems, overlooked till November, 1887. 
