Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2 / Performed between the years 1818 and 1822

by Philip Parker King

A FEW GENERAL REMARKS ON THE VEGETATION OF CERTAIN COASTS OF TERRA AUSTRALIS, AND MORE ESPECIALLY OF ITS NORTH-WESTERN SHORES.

BY MR. ALLAN CUNNINGHAM,
COLLECTOR TO THE ROYAL GARDENS AT KEW.

It having been resolved by the British Government to employ a colonial vessel from the settlement of Port Jackson in New South Wales, for the purpose of exploring the whole of the North-western Coasts of New Holland, and that portion of the North Coast, not seen by that able navigator, the late Captain Flinders; a most favourable opportunity was thereby afforded for a partial examination of the plants of those unknown shores, with a view of adding to our progressively augmenting knowledge of the very interesting Flora of this southern continent.

Having materially profited by a twelvemonth's previous residence in New South Wales, acquainting myself with the characters (and principal peculiarities of structure) of many genera of plants absolutely proper to Terra Australis; and particularly in that period, throughout the progress of a long and very interesting journey in the interior, to the westward of Port Jackson, I was most happy and desirous to obey an instruction I received from the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, on behalf of the Government, directing me to place myself under the orders of Captain P.P. King, to whom the execution of this important service had been intrusted, and to accompany him to those particular coasts, destined for his investigation, in order to form and prepare such collections of their vegetation, for the use of His Majesty's gardens at Kew, as circumstances, and the particular season of the year proper for visiting those shores, might afford me. My very limited knowledge of the plants of that continent, especially of genera, that form a striking feature in its Flora, was moreover essentially improved during our stay at King George's Sound on the South-west Coast, previous to our arrival upon the North-west Coast, at the commencement of the first voyage of His Majesty's cutter the Mermaid.

Although the reader may inform himself, from Captain King's relation of the several voyages, of the opportunities that were afforded me in forming my collections of plants, still it appears necessary, in this place, to take a general retrospective view of those parts of the coasts under examination, whereon my researches were made, adverting, at the same time, to the prevalent unfavourable seasons for flowering plants, during which it should seem the survey of the North-west Coast could alone be effected with safety.

During the progress of the survey of the southern extreme of the North-west Coast (at which part Captain King commenced his examinations, in 1818) I landed in Exmouth Gulf, then upon one of the islands of Dampier's Archipelago, at the Intercourse Islands, and on Malus Island; but the results of these several excursions (in some of which ample time was afforded me) did by no means answer my expectations; herbaceous plants being for the most part dead, and the few (hard woody) shrubs scarcely bearing fructification: disadvantages arising, in fact, from the extreme barrenness of the land, and more particularly from the prevalent droughts of the season, previous to the change of the monsoon, which soon afterwards took place, obliging us to quit the North-west Coast altogether; the remaining periods of the voyage being employed in the examination of certain parts of the North Coast.

We again reached the North-west Coast, in the month of September of the following year, resuming the survey at its northern extremity, under the most flattering views, and with a favourable season for the prosecution of that primary object of the voyage. Between the meridians of 125 and 129 degrees, on the parallel of 14 degrees, although a large proportion of the vegetation was for the most part destroyed by the long established droughts, the number of specimens of plants bearing fructification, gathered at Port Keats, Vansittart Bay, Port Warrender, and especially in Cambridge Gulf (where we spent ten days) was nevertheless considerable and highly interesting, belonging, however, almost wholly to established genera of which Grevillea and Acacia were the most striking. The breaking up of the monsoon at length again obliged Captain King to close his examination of the coast for that season, to which we, however, returned in September, 1820, continuing the survey westerly from the point at which we had left those shores the preceding year. I had very eligible opportunities of landing upon the shores of Montagu Sound, Capstan Island, Cape Pond, York Sound, especially at the head of Hunter's River, at Brunswick Bay, and in Careening Bay, Port Nelson; at which several parts the collections formed were very important, but not extensive.

Our encampment on the shore of the latter bay, during the repair of the vessel, enabled me to examine the country around, to the distance of four or five miles; but it being at the height of the dry season, comparatively few flowering plants were detected, and no herbaceous plants of importance. Our prolonged stay there also enabled me to form some idea of the Flora of its shores and neighbouring country, from which I gathered materials for comparison with the vegetation of Endeavour River, situated at the eastern extreme of its parallel on the opposite shore of the continent: the identity of certain species on either coast, together with the inference drawn therefrom, will appear stated, towards the close of this general notice. Very few new genera were the fruits of this third voyage, but many undescribed plants of old genera were discovered, and with those that are frequent on the North Coast, and tropical shores of New South Wales, some were remarked that were originally discovered on the South Coast. The period again arrived, that rendered it necessary to depart from the coast, independent of the leaky state of our vessel, which materially hastened our return to Port Jackson, when the cutter was considered wholly unfit for a fourth voyage, in which the complete survey of the north-west, and the examination of the line of west coasts were contemplated. To effect this important service, the colonial government purchased a brig, subsequently named the Bathurst, and I again accompanied Captain King from Port Jackson, in May, 1821, to those parts of the coasts then remaining unexplored, at which we arrived at the close of July. Our very limited stay on those shores, however, was at that season wherein all vegetation was suffering under the excess of drought; I had nevertheless the means afforded me of ascertaining the general identity of the plants of Prince Regent's River, Hanover Bay, and Port George the Fourth (portions of the coast explored in the voyage) and other parts in the vicinity, that were examined the preceding year, at a like season, but under circumstances much more favourable. Upon our return to the North-west Coast from the Mauritius, early in 1822, the only part visited was Cygnet Bay, situate about 2 1/2 degrees to the south-west of the last-mentioned sound, and it happening at a season when some rain had fallen, I met with several plants in an abundant flowering state, of species, however, in part originally discovered upon other coasts, and described by Mr. Brown, during the Investigator's voyage.

Of the West Coast (properly so denominated) which was seen during the Bathurst's voyage, very little can be said in reference to its vegetable productions, and most probably nothing can be here advanced, tending to augment our very scanty knowledge of its Flora, acquired in part long since, through the medium of the celebrated navigator, Dampier, but more especially by the botanists accompanying Captain Baudin's voyage. I had no opportunity of examining any part of the main, during our run northerly along its extensive shore, but I landed on Rottnest Island, and repeatedly visited the northern extremity of Dirk Hartog's Island, off Shark's Bay, where I gathered, under every discouragement of season, some of the most important portions of its rich vegetation; in many instances, however, in very imperfect conditions of fructification. Its general features led me decidedly to assimilate it to the striking character of the botany of the South Coast; a characteristic of which it is more than probable the mainland largely partakes, if we may draw an inference from its aspect at widely distant parts.

Upon those portions of the North Coast, which were chiefly surveyed during the Mermaid's first voyage, at a period immediately subsequent to the season of the rains, I had very favourable opportunities of increasing my collections upon the Goulburn Islands, Ports Essington and Raffles, Croker's Island, Mount-Norris Bay, and on the shores of Van Diemen's Gulf; and among many described species, discovered formerly in the great Gulf of Carpentaria, there were several most interesting new plants. With a view towards an entire completion of the survey of the several coasts of the continent, that part of New South Wales within the tropic, north of Cape Bedford, which was not seen by Captain Cook, entered into the plans of the Mermaid's second voyage; and it was highly gratifying to my feelings to reflect that it was reserved for me to complete several specimens discovered formerly in imperfect states by those eminent naturalists who accompanied the above great circumnavigator, in 1770, desiderata, that have been wanting ever since this period of their discovery; no mediums of communication with those particular parts of the coast having presented themselves.

The aggregate of the several collections that have been formed during the progress of the four voyages under the general circumstances above briefly referred to, and which, as constituting a small Herbarium, will be thus collectively spoken of in the following remarks, does not exceed one thousand three hundred species of Phaenogamous plants; of these five hundred and twenty are already described by authors, the other portion being in part unpublished species, previously discovered on other coasts of Terra Australis, and in part absolutely new, referable, however, mostly to well defined genera. Of Cryptogamous plants, there are but few species, and of these, or parasitical Orchideae, none have been detected in these voyages in addition to those already described: a circumstance, that with respect to the North-west Coast can reasonably be accounted for, from the non-existence of primary mountains, or land above very moderate elevation; by the absence of lofty dense forests (points of character necessary to that permanency of atmospheric moisture, which constitutes an essential requisite to the existence of almost the whole of these tribes): and the consequent general exposure to the sun of those arid shores.

Limited in number as the new species really are, they will nevertheless constitute, when added to the discoveries recently made, through the medium of expeditions to the interior, from the colony of Port Jackson, very important materials to carry on that Flora of Australia, so very ably commenced by Mr. Brown. Since that eminent botanist has already advanced much important matter in the valuable essay, published at the close of the account of Captain Flinders' voyage, respecting the relative proportions of the three grand divisions of plants in Australia, as far as they had been discovered at that period, and has, from very extensive materials, given us a comparative view of that portion of its Flora, and the vegetation of other countries; I shall now simply submit a few general remarks in this notice, on certain plants of established natural families, that have been discovered in the progress of these voyages; closing this paper with some observations, chiefly illustrative of the geographical diffusion of several Australian plants known to authors, whose localities have hitherto been exceedingly limited.

PALMAE. On considering the vast expanse of the continent of Terra Australis, and that great extent of coast which passes through climates favourable for the production of certain genera of this remarkable natural family, it is singular that so few of the order should have been discovered: a fact in the history of the Australian vegetation, which (upon contemplating the natural economy of many other genera of plants) can only be considered as accounted for, by the great tendency to drought of at least three-fifths of its shores.

To Corypha, Seaforthia, and Livistona, the only three genera that have been enumerated in the productions of the Australian Flora, may now be added Calamus; of which a species (discovered without fructification, by Sir Joseph Banks, during the celebrated voyage of Captain Cook) has at length been detected bearing fruit in the vicinity of Endeavour River. The existence of this palm, or rattan, on the East Coast, to which it is confined, seems almost to be limited to an area within the parallels of 15 and 17 degrees South; should, however, its range be more extensive, it is southerly one or two degrees, in which direction a remarkable primary granitic formation of the coast continues, throughout the whole neighbourhood of which is a peculiar density of dark moist forest, seemingly dependent on it, and evidently indispensable to the life of this species of Calamus; but at the termination of this geological structure, it most probably ceases to exist. A dioecious palm of low stature, and in habit similar to Seaforthia, was detected in the shaded forests investing the River Hastings, in latitude 31 degrees South, bearing male flowers; but as it may prove to be a dwarf state of a species of that genus, which has lately been observed, with all its tropical habits, in a higher latitude, it cannot now be recognised as a sixth individual of the family whose fructification has been seen.

Although this order has been observed to be sparingly scattered along the line of East Coast almost to the thirty-fifth degree of south latitude, its range on the opposite shores of the continent is very limited. Upon the North-west Coast, the genus Livistona alone has been remarked, in about latitude 15 degrees South; beyond which, throughout a very extensive line of depressed shore, towards the North-west Cape, no palms were seen. If the structure of a coast, and its natural disposition to produce either humidity or drought be consulted (a point, with respect to this order, as well as certain other tropical tribes, appearing very important) those portions of the western shores recently seen, indicate no one character that would justify the supposition of the existence of the Palmae in the corresponding extremes of the respective parallels that produce them on the opposite or East Coast. Another remark relative to the economy of this family is, that in New Holland it seems confined to the coasts, Corypha australis, so frequent in particular shaded situations in the neighbourhood of Port Jackson, having never been detected in the vicinity of, or upon the mountains, much less in the distant country to the westward of that extensive boundary.

ASPHODELEAE. Among the several described plants in the Herbarium, referred to this family, that were collected upon the East and South-west Coasts, are specimens in complete fructification of a remarkable plant of arborescent growth, having a caudex twenty feet high, and all the habits of Dracaena. It probably constitutes a new genus distinct from Cordyline of Commerson, to which, however, it appears closely allied; and has an extensive range on the East Coast, where, although it has for the most part been observed within the tropic, it extends nevertheless as far as latitude 31 degrees South. The only plants of Asphodeleae remarked on the north-western shores, were an imperfect Tricoryne, probably Tenella of Mr. Brown, discovered by that gentleman during the Investigator's voyage on the South Coast; and the intratropical Asparagus, which is frequent in latitude fifteen degrees South.

CONIFERAE. To the general observations already made on that part of Coniferae inhabiting the southern hemisphere, may be added some important facts, to be gathered from the plants in the Herbarium of the late voyages, that will afford a very correct view of the fructification of some doubtful genera, as well as their limits. Among these the fruit of Podocarpus aspleniifolia of M. Labillardiere, was observed, together with the female fructification of another tree (the Huon pine) found also at the southern extremes and western coast of Van Diemen's Land, which may prove to be a Dacrydium. Callitris, of which seven species are known, and principally found in the parallel of Port Jackson, has also been discovered upon the North-west Coast, in about latitude 15 degrees South; and another species, remarkable for its general robust habit, was observed at Rottnest Island, on the West Coast. A tree, most certainly of this family, and probably (from habit) a Podocarpus, has been seen upon the East Coast, within the tropic, but the absence of fructification prevented its genus being satisfactorily determined. With respect to the extent of the order in the Islands of New Zealand, some recent specimens gathered upon the northern, prove one of its pines to be a Podocarpus; and another, producing a cone, and solitary, alternate scattered elliptical leaves, shows its relation to Agathis of Salisbury, or Dammar pine of Amboina.

URTICEAE, whose mass appears also to be confined to equinoctial countries, may be considered very limited in those parts of Terra Australis lying within the tropic recently explored. Ficus is the most considerable genus of the order in that continent; and although chiefly found on the north and north-western shores, is also traced on the East Coast, almost to latitude 36 degrees South, where the trees attain an enormous size. About sixteen species are preserved in the collections of the late voyages; all small trees, and one half of which has been gathered on the North-west Coast.

A species of Morus, bearing small white fruit, was discovered upon the continent and islands of New South Wales within the tropic, where also a new genus of the order, with radiated leaves, has been traced as far as Endeavour River. Of the genus Urtica, whose numerous species can simply be considered as of herbaceous duration, although a few of tropical existence assume a fruticose habit, there is one plant in the vicinity of the Colony of Port Jackson, remarkable for its gigantic, arborescent growth; many specimens having been remarked from fifteen to twenty feet in height, of proportional robust habit, and of highly stimulating nature.

SANTALACEAE. Nearly three-fourths of the Australian portion of the order described, were formerly discovered in the parallel of Port Jackson, upon the shores of the South Coast, and in Van Diemen's Land. The genus Choretrum, however, heretofore limited to the southern extremes of the continent, approaches within about two degrees of the tropic on the West Coast, having been lately observed on Dirk Hartog's Island. It is rather remarkable that neither Leptomeria nor Choretrum form a part of the feature of the vegetation of the arid, depressed portions of the North-west Coast,* where several of the more harsh, rigid kinds of plants, of various genera, of the South Coast have been remarked. Those extensive shores (generally speaking) are not wanting in the order, for two species of the tropical genus Santalum, Exocarpus, and a globular-fruited Fusanus, were collected in and about the parallel of 15 degrees South.

(*Footnote. Towards the North-west Cape.)

PROTEACEAE. Since the publication of Mr. Brown's valuable dissertation on this very extensive natural family, in which were described all the species known at that period, a few important discoveries have been made in Terra Australis, particularly on the North-west Coast, where the order seems to be limited to Grevillea, Hakea, and Persoonia.

In the Herbarium formed during the late voyages, are specimens of thirteen species of intertropical Grevillea, in various stages of perfection; of these seven are described from specimens formerly gathered upon the East Coast, and in the Gulf of Carpentaria; the remaining six are, however, perfectly new, and will chiefly augment the last section of that genus, having hard (in some instances spherical) woody follicles, containing seeds orbicularly surrounded by a membranous wing, more or less dilated, and a deciduous style; characters that future botanists may deem sufficient to justify its separation from Grevillea. The range of this division, which has been named by Mr. Brown, Cycloptera, has been hitherto limited to the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the tropical shores of the East Coast. Of the genus Hakea, hitherto almost wholly excluded from the tropical parts of Australia, besides H. arborescens, the only species formerly observed within that circle, the Herbarium furnishes at least two plants, that have been recently discovered in about 22 degrees south latitude, the one being H. oleifolia of King George's Sound, whilst the other proves an entirely new species, belonging to the first section of the genus, having long filiform leaves, and ecalcarated capsules.

Upon the East Coast in latitude 14 degrees two shrubs were observed having all the habits of Hakea, of the South-west Coast, but being without fructification, their identity could not be satisfactorily determined.

Viewing the general distribution of Banksiae, it is a singular fact in the geographical history of this genus, that its species, which have been traced through almost every meridian of the South Coast, upon the islands in Bass Strait, in Van Diemen's Land, and widely scattered throughout the whole extent of New South Wales to the North Coast, at which extreme of the continent, B. dentata has been observed as far west as longitude 130 degrees East, should be wholly wanting on the line of North-west Coast. Why the links of this almost perfect chain should have been broken on the seashores appears unaccountable, since they are, by reason of their general sterility and exposure, extremely favourable to the growth of the greater portion of the order. Our limited knowledge of the West Coast (properly so called) does not afford us materials to hazard even a partial conclusion, relative to the existence of this family on its shores, excepting from the total absence of any one plant of Proteaceae at those parts of Rottnest and Dirk Hartog's Islands visited during the Bathurst's voyage; an inference may be drawn of the general paucity of any part of the order on the shores of the neighbouring main. Although no species have been found common to shores opposite to each other, in the higher latitudes, the identity of Grevillea mimosoides, Persoonia falcata, and Hakea arborescens, has been established upon the East Coast, and the north-western shores, in the parallel of about 15 degrees South: but whilst this geographical diffusion has been remarked in reference to those particular species, the range of Grevillea gibbosa, a plant discovered at Endeavour River by Sir Joseph Banks, is now tolerably well defined by observations made during the late voyages, from which it appears to be circumscribed to an area not exceeding one hundred and twenty miles on the East Coast. In the course of the progress of the land expedition above referred to, the discovery of another plant of this natural order by Mr. Fraser, occurred in New South Wales, in a tract of country west of the coastline, about the parallel of 31 degrees, where I am informed it is a timber-tree of very large dimensions; and seemingly it constitutes a new genus, nearly allied to Knightia of Mr. Brown, a native of New Zealand, as I judged from a casual view of some specimens.

LABIATAE and VERBENACEAE. The mass of these orders (which are admitted to be very nearly allied to each other) seems in Australia to exist on its eastern coast, within and beyond the tropic, and the species in the collection lately formed, are referred to ten established genera, of which (as belonging to Verbenaceae) Vitex and Premna are most remarkable on the North-western Coast.

Of Labiatae, a new species of Labillardiere's genus Prostranthera was discovered upon Dirk Hartog's Island, where, as also at Rottnest Island, Westringia was observed, of species, however, common to the South Coast.

BORAGINEAE. Some very important amendments, in reference to the limits of certain genera of the order have been proposed by Mr. Brown in his Prodromus, where the characters are remodelled to the exclusion of certain species previously referred to them by authors. Of Cordia (to which Varronia of Linne, and Cerdana of Ruiz and Pavon, have at length been united) only two species have been found in Terra Australis, of which one had been previously discovered in New Caledonia; and during the late voyages C. orientalis has been observed on the North-west Coast, where a third species of Tournefortia in complete fructification was discovered; and the Herbarium contains some species of that section of Heliotropium, having a simple straight spicated inflorescence, which were also found on those equinoctial parts of the continent.

BIGNONIACEAE. Almost ninety species of this beautiful order are described by authors, the greater part of which are at present incorporated among the genuine species of Bignonia of Linne; a genus that will hereafter be divided, according to the shape of the calyx, the number of fertile stamina, and more especially the form of the fruit (which in some species is an orbicular or elliptical capsule, varying in others to a long cylindrical figure, with seeds partly cuneated, or thickened at one extremity, and in others, a truly compressed Siliqua) together with the relative position of the dissepiment, in respect to the valves of the fruit.

The greater portion of Bignoniaceae appears to exist in the equinoctial parts of America; Some, however, are natives of India, and a few occur on the western coast of Africa, and Island of Madagascar, but in Terra Australis the order is reduced to four plants, of which one is a recent discovery, and may be referred to Spathodea. In that continent, the order exists only upon the North and East Coasts; it is not, however, entirely limited to the tropic, for Tecoma of Mr. Brown is also found in latitude 34 degrees South, on which parallel it has been traced at least three hundred and fifty miles in the interior to the westward of the colony of Port Jackson.

ASCLEPIADEAE and APOCINEAE. Nearly the whole of the plants in the recently formed herbarium, that belong to these natural families, have been described from specimens formerly discovered upon the East and North Coasts, several of which appear to give a partial character to the vegetation of some parts of its shores.

Hoya (hardly Asclepias carnosa of Linne) Cynanchum, Gymnema, Gymnanthus, Sarcostemma, and probably Secamone, as belonging to Asclepiadeae, and all the genera of Mr. Brown (Lyonsia excepted) referred to the latter order, exist on that extensive coast, where Balfouria and Alyxia have each an accession of species. Of Strychnos, which is also frequent, and probably produces its flowers during the rainy season (as has been remarked of this genus in other countries) specimens in that stage of its fructification are still a desideratum; all that is known respecting the plant being the form and size of its fruit, which in some species varies considerably.

GOODENOVIAE. The Herbarium contains very few specimens of this considerable Australian family, the greater mass existing in and to the southward of the parallel of Port Jackson. The order is reduced to Goodenia, Scaevola, Velleia, and the tropical Calogyne on the North-west Coast, and the few species of the two first genera prove to have been formerly discovered upon the South Coast during the voyage of Captain Flinders, of which one plant has alsa a much more extensive range than has been given it heretofore. It is Scaevola spinescens, which forms a portion of the harsh, rigid vegetables of Dirk Hartog's Island on the West Coast, and from that shore probably occupies a part of a very considerable extent of barren country in the interior, in a direction towards the East Coast, having been seen in abundance in the latitude of Port Jackson, so near that colony as the meridian of 146 degrees 30 minutes East. A new Velleia, discovered on the North-west Coast in latitude 16 degrees, augments that genus, belonging to the section with a pentaphyllous calyx.

RUBIACEAE. The existence of several plants of this extensive family in the intratropical parts of Terra Australis especially when aided by some individuals of almost wholly exotic tribes, that form a prominent feature in the Flora of other equinoctial countries, tend, in some measure, to diminish the peculiar character of the vegetation of Terra Australis on those shores, and thus it is a considerable assimilation to the Flora of a part of a neighbouring continent that has been traced. About thirty species are preserved in the collections of these voyages, for the most part belonging to genera existing in India, but more abundant in the tropical parts of South America.

Of these, Gardenia, Guettarda, Cephaelis, Coffea, Psychotria, and Morinda, are found on the East Coast; whilst, in corresponding parallels on the opposite, or north-western shores, the order, although not materially reduced, is limited to the two latter genera, with Rondeletia, Ixora, and Genipa.

It is worthy of remark, that the range of Psychotria, which has not been observed beyond the tropics in other countries, extends in New South Wales as far south as the latitude of 35 degrees; at the western extremity of which it does not appear to exist.

CAPRIFOLIAE, Juss. The situation of Loranthus and Visvum, in the system, appears to be undetermined by authors. M. Jussieu associated them with Rhizophora, in the second section of this order, from which Mr. Brown has separated this latter genus, and with two others found in Terra Australis, has constructed a distinct family, named Rhizophoreae; suggesting, at the same time, the analogy of Loranthus and Viscum to Santalaceae, and particularly to Proteaceae. The genus Loranthus, of which nearly the whole of its described species have been limited to the tropics, is, however, sparingly scattered on all the Coasts of Australia, where about eleven species have been recently observed, parasitical chiefly upon certain trees that constitute the mass of the forests of that vast continent; namely, Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Acacia, and Melaleuca.

A solitary and very remarkable deviation from the usual natural economy of Loranthus, is observed in a species (L. floribunda) described and figured by M. Labillardiere, which is found on the shores of King George's Sound, where, in no way recognising the dependent habits of its congeners, it rises from the soil to a tree fifteen feet high, being never remarked relying upon other vegetables for its subsistence. Viscum is found in the colony of Port Jackson, to which it is not confined, having been also gathered at Endeavour River, on the same coast, within the tropic. The southern range of the two genera seems to be nearly beyond the fortieth degree of latitude; but in the northern hemisphere, Loranthus exists in Siberia.

UMBELLIFERAE. The equinoctial portion of the Herbarium contains only three or four plants of this extensive European order, belonging to Hydrocotyle, Azorella of Cavanilles and Labillardiere (from which Trachymene of Rudge is probably not distinct) and a suffruticose plant referred to Cussonia, that have been collected upon the East Coast. Upon the north-western shores, Azorella was alone remarked, of which a species is very general upon its main and islands, and chiefly remarkable for its gigantic herbaceous growth.

MYRTACEAE. With respect to that portion of Myrtaceae, lately discovered upon the north-western shores of Australia, and which are alone worthy of remark here, it is to be observed, that, considering the many points of that coast visited during the progress of the relative voyages, the number of species observed are comparatively few, for, including Eucalyptus, it does not exceed sixteen plants. Of Eucalyptus itself, only seven species were detected on those shores, and these, for the most part, form small trees, more approaching the average dimensions of all their congeners in the colony of Port Jackson. Melaleuca is limited to three species, one of which was originally discovered by the celebrated navigator, Dampier, on the West Coast, where Beaufortia has been recently seen. Four species of Tristania, their related genus, were gathered in about latitude 15 degrees South, where also an Eugenia, bearing fruit, was observed; but of Leptospermum, or Baeckea, genera chiefly belonging to the higher latitudes of New Holland, no species appeared throughout the whole extent of coast examined.

RHAMNEAE and CELASTRINAE were formerly united among the Rhamni of Jussieu, but disposed in sections, differing from each other in the position of the stamina, with relation to the petals, and in the character of the fruit; which, when viewed with other important differences of fructification, induced Mr. Brown to modify and define them as distinct orders.

In the Herbarium of the voyages, there are a few plants belonging to Rhamnus, Ziziphus, Ceanothus, or Pomaderris, and Celastrus, but both families prove to be comparatively rare in the intratropical parts of Terra Australis, beyond which Cryptandra seems only to exist. Upon the north-western shores, a species of Ziziphus (common to the East and North Coasts) forms a tree of large dimensions, where also an undescribed Celastrus has been discovered. Since Pomaderris evidently increases from the verge of the tropic southerly towards the parallel of Port Jackson, where its maximum exists, and as it is frequent on the South Coast, it is highly probable the West Coast is not wanting of the genus, particularly as traces of it were found on Dirk Hartog's Island.

LEGUMINOSEAE. There are upwards of one hundred and forty species of this extensive natural class in the Herbarium recently formed, which bear a proportion to the aggregate of the entire collections of about one to nine.

Of the Australian portion of Mimoseae, which (having been met with upon all the coasts of the continent, and equally diffused in the interior) forms a leading characteristic of its vegetation, upwards of fifty species have been collected, in various stages of fructification; nearly the whole of which are unpublished plants. Several of those discovered on the north-western shores, and islands off the West Coast, being also extremely curious in their general form and habits; and the existence of a few appears limited to a solitary particular situation, and no one species was observed common to those parts, and the opposite or eastern shores of the continent.

The Papilionaceous division exceeds seventy species, two-thirds of which belong to established diadelphous genera, found chiefly within the tropic, where some, peculiar to Terra Australis, and heretofore limited to the more temperate regions, have been discovered. Thus Hovea and Bossiaea were detected in New South Wales, in latitude 20 and 22 degrees South, as well as on the North Coast; the latter genus being likewise found on the north-western shores, where also two species of Kennedia exist; and Templetonia, a genus nearly related to Bossiaea, originally discovered on the southern shores of Australia, is abundant on an island off the West Coast.

Upon the North-west Coast, particularly in the parallels of 14 and 15 degrees South, where an exotic feature (if the usual characteristic of the Flora of other countries might in this case be so termed) is as manifest, and is as strongly blended with the pure Australian character (Eucalyptus and Acacia) in its general vegetation, as on any other parts of those shores; Jacksonia and Gompholobium, genera of Papilionaceae, with distinct stamens, almost limited to the parallel of Port Jackson and the South Coast, were observed: Daviesia, almost wholly restricted to the higher Australian latitudes, has been remarked on the North Coast. Of Lomentaceae, Bauhinia, Caesalpinia, and the emigrant genus Guilandina, are all of intratropical existence in New South Wales, as also upon the North-west Coast; but Cassia, although it has an equal extensive range in the equinoctial parts of New Holland, has also been recently traced as far in the interior, on the parallel of Port Jackson, as the meridian of 146 degrees East.

EUPHORBIACEAE. The Herbarium contains thirty-three plants of this very numerous order, whose maximum seems decidedly to exist in India and equinoctial America. The whole of the Australian species are referable to established Linnean genera, of which Croton and Phyllanthus are most remarkable and numerous, existing on all the intratropical shores of Terra Australis, but by no means limited to them, both genera, together with Euphorbia and Jatropha, being found in the parallel of Port Jackson; and Croton exists likewise at the southern extreme of Van Diemen's Land, which is probably the limit of the genus on that hemisphere.

A Tragia (scarcely distinct from a species indigenous in India) is sparingly scattered on the East and North Coasts; and Acalypha has been remarked on these, as well as the north-western shores.

PITTOSPOREAE. Of this small family, whose characters and limits were first described by Mr. Brown, there are sixteen species in the Herbarium of these voyages, referable to Bursaria, Billardiera, Pittosporum, and two unpublished genera.

Billardiera, whose species are wholly volubilous, and which are not found north of the parallel of Port Jackson, is frequent on the South-west Coast, and has been recently remarked on the West Coast of Van Diemen's Land. Bursaria on the other hand, appearing limited to New South Wales, has been traced within the tropic to latitude 19 degrees South on those eastern shores, and although the genus Pittosporum is even more extensively diffused on that coast, it has not been met with upon the north-western shores, whilst the islands off the West Coast furnished me with two new species.

DIOSMEAE, although very frequent in the higher latitudes of Terra Australis, where they are so frequent as to give a peculiar character to their vegetable productions, is comparatively rare within the tropic; for upon the East Coast Eriostemon and Phebalium appear to be the only genera, the latter having been recently discovered, in about latitude 20 degrees South.

With some undescribed species of Boronia, a new genus allied to Eriostemon has been observed on the north-western shores, in the parallel of 15 degrees South, having a remarkable pinnatified fimbriated calyx.

Of the related family ZYGOPHYLLEAE (an order proposed by Mr. Brown to be separated from the Rutaceae of Jussieu) Tribulus is frequent on the tropical shores of New Holland, and a species of Zygophyllum, with linear conjugate leaves and tetrapterous fruit, was remarked upon an island off Shark's Bay, on the West Coast.

MELIACEAE. The several genera of this order, whose maximum is in the equinoctial parts of America, differ from each other in the form of the remarkable cylindrical nectarium, the situation or insertion of the antherae upon it, as well as the character of its almost wholly capsular fruit. This structure of nectarium is most striking in Turraea, of which a species was observed upon the East Coast, far within the tropic; where also, as well as on all the other equinoctial shores of the continent, Carapa, more remarkable on account of the valvular character of its capsules, and the magnitude and irregular figure of its nuts, is very general, and probably not distinct from the plant (C. moluccensis, Lam.) of Rumphius, who has given us a figure in his Herbarium Amboinense volume 3 table 61, 62.

SAPINDACEAE. Of the very few plants referred to the family in the Herbarium, two genera are only worthy of remark here, the one an Ornitrophe, found on the East Coast, in about latitude 35 degrees, as also within the tropic; and the other, which appears to belong to Stadmannia, was discovered upon the same coast, in latitude 31 degrees South, the type of the genus being the bois de fer of the French colonists, a timber tree indigenous at the Island of Mauritius.

MALVACEAE, Juss. Tiliaceae, Juss. Sterculiaceae, Vent. Buttnericeae, Brown. These several families, of which the first is by far the most extensive, have been viewed by Mr. Brown, as so many allied orders of one natural class, to which the general title of Malvaceae might be applied. About thirty-six species of these orders collectively, are preserved in the present Herbarium, referable at least to eleven genera, of which nine are most abundant in (and form a characteristic feature of) the botany of India, and the equinoctial parts of South America. Fourteen species of Hibiscus and Sida were observed on the intratropical Coasts of Australia, beyond which also, on the opposite shores of the continent, each genus has been remarked. One species of Bombax with polyandrous flowers, and subspherical obtusely pentagonal capsules, was discovered upon the East Coast, in about latitude 14 degrees South, and on nearly the western extreme of the same parallel, it appeared much more abundant. Of Sterculia which is scarcely to be found beyond the tropics in other countries, a species exists in New South Wales in the latitude of 34 degrees, on which parallel it is more frequent in the western interior, and in that direction it has been traced to the distance of three hundred miles from the sea-coast. The genus is also found on the North and North-west Coasts, where the species assume more particularly the habits of their congeners in India. Among the plants of this family in the Herbarium is a species of Helicteris (as the genus stands at present) which was observed on the North-west Coast bearing fruit, wanting the contortion that characterizes the genus.

This plant, together with three other described species, having straight capsules, may hereafter be separated from that Linnean genus, and constitute a new one of themselves. Grewia, Corchorus, Triumfetta, and Waltheria, have been observed upon the North-west Coast, where also Abroma, hitherto limited to the tropical parts of New South Wales, has been discovered bearing flowers and young fruit. One species of Commersonia was gathered at widely-different parts of the north-western shores, and Lasiopetalum, whose species are more general at both extremes of the parallel of the colony of Port Jackson, has been also seen just within the tropic on the East Coast, and at Dirk Hartog's Island, off Shark's Bay, on the opposite shore.

CAPPARIDES. At least ten species of Capparis have been discovered upon the coasts of Terra Australis, for the most part within the tropic, but of these the fructification of two are wanting. A few have been detected on the East Coast, but they are more frequent and various in their species upon the north-western shores of the continent. Within an area on this extensive coast, not exceeding four degrees of longitude, on the parallel of 15 degrees South, a tree of very remarkable growth and habit, has been traced, having all the external form and bulk of Adansonia of the western shores of Africa. At the respective period of visiting those parts of the North-west Coast, this gouty tree had previously cast its foliage of the preceding year, which is of quinary insertion, but it bore ripe fruit, which is a large elliptical pedicellated unilocalar capsule (a bacca corticosa) containing many seeds enveloped in a dry pithy substance. Its flowers, however, have never been discovered, but from the characters of the fruit, it was (upon discovery) referred to this natural family. M. Du Petit Thouars has formed a new genus of Capparis pauduriformis of Lamarck, a plant of the Island of Mauritius, which he has named Calyptranthus. It has one division of the calyx so formed, that by its arcuated concavity (before expansion) it conceals the whole flower, and the other portions of the calyx; and should this genus be adopted by future botanists, a second species has been recently discovered upon Dirk Hartog's Island, although of remarkably different habit.

Cleome has been observed only in the equinoctial parts of Australia, and like Capparis, several species exist on the North-west Coast, being limited to C. viscosa in New South Wales.

Drosera, which Jussieu associates with these genera is generally diffused, being found within the tropic, at Endeavour River, and on the North-west Coast; at Port Jackson, and at the southern extremes of Van Diemen's Land.

DILLENIACEAE. To that Australian portion of the order lately enumerated by M. Decandolle, the present Herbarium offers, in addition, only two species of the genus Hemistemma of M. Du Petit Thouars. The one discovered on the North-west Coast, and allied to H. angustifolium of Mr. Brown; the other proving also new, but approaching in character the doubtful species, H. leschenaultii of Decandolle, and was discovered upon Rottnest Island, off the western coast of the continent, and is the first certain species of the genus, that is not limited to a tropical existence.

In addition to what has been advanced in respect to certain natural orders that appear in the Herbarium, formed under the stated circumstances, a slight mention might be made of other detached genera, or families sparingly observed on these coasts, that were more particularly investigated during the progress of the late voyages; but as these several plants form portions of orders so extremely limited, and in themselves presenting nothing remarkable in their internal structure, or external habit, a few remarks on a general comparison of the vegetation of the North-west Coast, with the other shores of Terra Australis, will conclude this notice.

It is very necessary to premise, that the plants observed and collected upon the North-west Coast, during the late voyages, are not to be considered as even a distant approach to an entire Flora of that extensive line of shore; since the long-established droughts of the seasons (as already remarked) in which the greater part of that coast was visited, had wholly destroyed plants of annual duration, with most of the Gramineae, and had indeed generally affected the mass of its herbaceous vegetation. The collections, therefore, can simply be viewed as a gleaning, affording such general outlines of characteristic feature, as will enable the botanist to trace its affinity to the more minutely defined vegetation of the other equinoctial shores of the continent, as well as perceive its general, and, in some instances, almost total want of relation to the botany of other parts, in the more temperate or higher latitudes, where certain striking peculiarities of the Australian Flora more particularly exist.

Upon a general comparison of those collections that were thus formed on the North-west Coast, with the plants of the North and East Coasts, aided also by some few observations made during the voyages, it appears that (with the exception of Gompholobium, Boronia, Kennedia, and one or two unpublished species not referred to any family) the genera (of which several are proper to India) are the same, although the species are very distinct upon the several coasts.

Notwithstanding an identity of genera has been remarked upon their opposite shores, there are, nevertheless, certain others, frequent upon the East Coast, that appear wholly wanting on the north-western shores: of these, the existence of some, even in the tropical parts of New South Wales, seems governed by the primary formation of the coast, its mountainous structure, and consequent permanency of moisture in a greater or less degree; namely, almost all the genera of Filices, the parasitical Orchideae, Piper, Dracontium and Calladium (genera of Aroideae) Commelina and Aneilema, Calamus and Seaforthia, Hellenia a solitary Australian genus of Scitamineae, some genera of Rubiaceae, particularly Psychotria and Coffea, certain genera of Asphodeleae, as Cordyline, and a genus allied to it, whose fructification is at length obtained, a solitary plant of Melastomeae, and an individual Nymphea.

Other genera also, but little influenced by those local circumstances of situation on the East Coast, that are excluded from the opposite shores, are Leucopogon (the only equinoctial genus of Epacrideae observed during the late voyages) the families Bignoniaceae, Jasmineae, the genus Erythrina, and of Coniferae, Araucaria of Norfolk Island. This absence of several orders of plants on the north-western shores, existing in New South Wales, or opposite coast, as well as the consideration (at the same time) of the evident causes of such a disparity of species on the former coast, would suggest the opinion, that such plants alone of other parts of the continent are indigenous to the North-west Coast, as are capable of sustaining themselves in a soil subjected to seasons of protracted parching droughts. This may apply to some species upon that coast, but it cannot be reduced to a general conclusion; for, on the one hand, it is singular so few of the plants of the South and South-west Coasts, and particularly that none other of their genera of Proteaceae (than those already mentioned) found altogether in an arid soil, should have been discovered throughout any part of its extensive shore; whilst, on the other hand, at a peculiar structure of a small and limited portion of that coast, in the vicinity of York Sound, a sufficiency of shade was observed to be actually produced by the unusually broken character of the country, to favour the nourishment and growth of certain plants alone to be seen beneath the shade of dense forests. These species were Myristica insipida, discovered by Mr. Brown, on one of the Prince of Wales group of islands on the North Coast; Cryptocarya triplinervis, Brown; bearing ripe fruit, Abroma fastuosa; and an undescribed Eugenia.

Although the several genera of plants lately observed on the north-western shores are also frequent in other equinoctial parts of the continent, there is, among the many species which are absolutely proper to that coast, a Capparis of such extraordinary habit, as to form a feature in the landscape of a limited extent of its shores, in the enormous bulk of its stem and general ramification, bearing a striking analogy to the Adansonia of the west coast of Africa.

The results of such observations on the vegetation as could only be made in a general way, at parts approaching each extreme of the North-west Coast, show their little affinity to each other; for the northern extremity partakes more fully of that feature of the line of coast contiguous to it, which (as already remarked) extends along the north-western shores, declines materially at, and in the vicinity of their southern limits, where the characteristic vegetation of the south, and perhaps the west, coasts has more particularly been found. Besides Eucalyptus and Acacia, which are abundant on every shore, and generally diffused throughout those parts of the interior that have been penetrated, there is another genus almost equally dispersed, which is, however, on the North-west Coast reduced to three species. This is Dodonaea, whose maximum is certainly in New South Wales, within and beyond the tropic, upon the coast, and generally in the interior of the country, extending also to the southern extremity of Van Diemen's Land.

Our very limited knowledge of the Flora of this vast continent (excepting of a part east of longitude 144 degrees, and included between the parallels of 31 and 35 degrees in New South Wales) is entirely confined to the vegetation of its immediate shores, upon every distinct coast of which, landings, more or less frequent, and under various circumstances, have been effected; although of all, very considerable portions remain unexplored, and of the line of West Coast (properly so denominated) the shores of Shark's Bay, and some few parts south of it, have alone been scientifically investigated. The interior within the tropic remains entirely in obscurity; the continental defect of a want of large streams having a distant source, to aid a penetration to the internal parts of the country, together with other effectual obstacles, draw at present a veil, and forbid all research into its Natural History and character, which will not be removed for very considerable periods (perhaps ages) yet to come!

It was the general remark made during a former expedition in the interior of New South Wales, that no absolutely entire change takes place in the vegetation east of the meridian of the new settlement named Bathurst; but that the plants of the coast were more or less frequent at a hundred and fifty miles from the sea, although in a country estimated at about two thousand feet above its level. Having to this circumstance added a remarkable and obvious sameness (arising from an extensive dispersion) of a vein of vegetation in a large tract of country, it may be inquired, how far these facts might, when applied to other parallels, identify a certain portion of the Flora of the interior, and that of the sea-coast in the same latitude; or, in other terms, how far the botany of the coast indicates the general feature of the vegetation to a certain limit, in the interior on the same parallel? Favourable opportunities were afforded me, to compare the vegetation of opposite coasts within the tropic, at the eastern and western extremes of a particular parallel; and the results of such a comparison identified many species on the two coasts. I have annexed a list of those plants that are common to the North-west and East Coasts in and about the parallel of 15 degrees South, from a contemplation of which, together with the above remarks, and a further comparison of the species with those of the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, through which that degree of latitude passes, might not a general idea of some portion of the Flora of the expanse of intermediate interior (far beyond the reach of actual investigation) be presumed?

A few observations relative to the geographical range of certain genera and species, hitherto considerably circumscribed, will close this notice.

The genus Pandanus has ever been viewed by botanists as equinoctial; nor was it till recently ascertained satisfactorily, that one of its species (P. pedunculatus, Brown) exists on the shores of Port Macquarie in New South Wales, in latitude 31 degrees South: and I have been credibly informed, that the same plant is frequent in the vicinity of Port Stephens, which is at least a degree to the southward of the above parallel. The latitude of 32 degrees South may be considered the utmost extreme of ranges from the equator of the genus in Terra Australis, on the opposite shore of which, as also in all other countries, it has not been remarked beyond the tropics.

The palms of Terra Australis, which (as previously observed) are remarkably limited on the north-western shores, have a very considerable diffusion on the North and East Coasts, and have even a more general dispersion on the latter shores, than has been allowed them formerly. Seaforthia is frequent in dense forests on the East Coast, almost to latitude 35 degrees South, where it exhibits all the tropical habits assumed on the northern shores, although the difference of climate, and consequent temperature, are abundantly obvious. On the other hand, a palm of very robust growth, with large flabelliform fronds, and spinous foot-stalks, was remarked at the head of Liverpool River, in latitude 12 degrees South, on the North Coast; and although without fructification, no doubt existed of its being the Corypha australis, hitherto limited to the shores and vicinity of Port Jackson.

Araucaria excelsa. The Norfolk Island pine, which, without doubt, must have been particularly noticed by the celebrated circumnavigator Captain Cook, in 1770, on the discovery of New South Wales, although the circumstance of the very general existence of a pine upon the islands and main of that coast, north of the Percy Isles, does not appear to be mentioned in the accounts of that particular voyage, has a far more extensive range upon that shore than has been hitherto understood. During the Mermaid's voyages, Araucaria was observed in the vicinity of Mount Warning, in New South Wales, which lies in the parallel of Norfolk Island (29 degrees South); thence northerly it was very sparingly seen towards the tropic, within which, however, as far as latitude 14 degrees, it is very abundant, forming upon several islands the only timber. This is probably the nearest approach of the species to the equinoctial line; and although it occupies an area of nine hundred miles, it is very probably limited in Terra Australis to its immediate shores; and, as appears to be the case with Pandanus, exists only within the influence of the sea air.

Calladium macrorhizon, Willd., formerly observed by Sir Joseph Banks, at Endeavour River, on the East Coast, has been recently detected in moist woods, in the country off which the Five Islands are situate, extending on that shore to latitude 35 degrees South: and Schelhammera multiflora, Br., a delicate plant of Melanthaceae, discovered likewise at Endeavour River, abounds in shady forests, in latitude 31 degrees, upon the same extensive coast.

The following plants, formerly considered as indigenous only in Van Diemen's Land, have been recently ascertained to exist also in New South Wales, in or about the parallel of the colony of Port Jackson.

Croton viscosum, Labill., originally discovered on the South-west Coast, was seen in the interior, as far to the westward of the colony as longitude 146 degrees East.

Croton quadripartitum, Labill., was observed in longitude 148 degrees.

Goodia latifolia, Salisb., was remarked sparingly in the interior, in the meridian of 147 degrees 30 minutes East: and Daviesia latifolia of Mr. Brown is very frequent in societies upon plains at Bathurst, in longitude 149 degrees East, where also Eryngium vesiculosum, of Labillardiere, was observed.

Aster argophyllus and obovatus, Labill. These two species were described by Mons. Labillardiere, from specimens gathered in the southern extremes of the above island, and have been lately seen tolerably frequent in a remarkable tract of country, in latitude 34 degrees, on the limit of the colony, where the former assumes a robust, arborescent habit. Aster phlogopappus, of the same eminent author, was recently remarked upon the more elevated parts of the Blue Mountain Range, on the margin of a remarkable cataract.

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