Contributions to the phytography of Tasmania

(1)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO

THE

PHYTOGRAPHY

OF

TASMANIA.

[By Fred, BIueller, M.D., F.R.S,!

This

briefallusion to

some

plants, either unrecorded from

Tasmania

or rare inits territory,referstocontributionsgained fromvarioussources. Robert Brown's great treasures

fur-nished

some

ofthe data,as willbe evident onreference to the universal

work

onAustralian Vegetation, issuedbythe Pre-sident of the Linnean Society. Others of the plantswere

kindly transmitted by Mr. J. Bennett from the British

Museum, and

gathered

by

Dr. Jos. Milligan.

Some

were

detectedby Mr. Aug. Oldfield,

and

remainedunnoticedin the

supplementalcontribution,which itfellto

my

sharetofurnish

forthe "_{Flora Tasmanise."}

A

few againwereadded by Mr. Walt. Bissell, in a recent voyagetothe North-east Coast

;

while I was agreeably surprised to receivefromthe venerable Dr. Gr. StoryanextensivesetofMuseum-plants,securedinthe Oyster

Bay

district.

From

a letterof this gentlemanI

sub-mitintroductorilythe following physiographicremarks,which

claimin

many

respects originality:

—

This district is a tract of waste, extending from

Cape

Bernier on the south to Doctor's Creek, or

Seymour

Coal.

Mines, onthenorth; itwas formerly

known

astheDistrictof Oyster Bay, asthatbay occupiesa considerable portion of the

coast-line.

At

present the south part is in the Countyof

Pembroke, andtheother part formstheCountyofGlamorgan, formingtogether acoast-line of80miles.

A

stripoflandfor cultivationextends along the coast,

and

isbacked by tiersof hillsthatextend westward to the midland districts of the

island.

The

tiers are formedchieflyof basalt (greenstone),

in

some

casessand stoneandthe coalformation appears, but

thelatterisonly

met

withonthe coast-line.

The

Schouten

Island

and

Freycinet's Peninsula have a strip of porphyritic granite onthe easternside, whichgranite extendstoBicheno.

Sandy

swamps,repletewith plants, occur at intervals aloug the coast-line,and sandy

swamps

occur alsointhe granite for-mation,butwith adifferentFlora.

Oyster

Bay

isfrom 20 to 30 miles in length,

and

about 15 miles broad. MariaIslandliesat its

mouth

; the Schouten Island a.nd Freycinet's Peninsula form the eastern side

;

(2)

8

to entering the sea).

Then

several creeks, viz., Buxton's,

Meredith, Cygnet,

and Wye.

Then

comes the Great

Swan

River,

and

over atierofhillsthe Apsley. These two form

an

extensive port 12 miles in length

and

fourorfive miles in

breadth,

and

enter theheadofOyster

Bay

bya

common

mouth

close to Freycinet'sPeninsula; the only other river is the

Douglas, near thecoalmines. I have never collectedplants to thenorth of Douglas Eiver; it is, I suppose, 100miles

from thence to the north-east corner of theisland,andthe granite formation will be found in

some

places nodoubt,

whereit islikely the plants allied to those of Gipps

Land

exist.

Our

climateis dryandmild, it is reckoned the

most

salubrious ofany districtin theisland.

The

rain in1864

was

31-16in.; 1865, 19-66iu. ; 1866,24-99in.; averageforthe three

years, 25-27in.

Like all other parts of Australia, droughtsarelong

and

oftenoccur; thus the riversare swollentorrents in heavyrain

and

dry bedsin

summer

; their beds are often denselyfilled

with shrubs.

The

united collections offerednotmerelymaterialfor ex-tending our knowledge of therange of the species, but they comprised evena

number

of plants (indicatedinthe subjoined

enumeration

by

asterisks) not recordedin Dr. Hooker's great

work

as existingwithin

Tasmanian

territory, addingalso the

genera Euphorbia,Donatia,

and

Ixiolaena to the described

Tasmanian

vegetation.

Eeservingforthe supplemental volume of the Australian

Flora

more

extended notes onthese interesting plants,Ibeg meanwhileto placeasuccinctrecord thereon before theEoyal

Society ofTasmania, inorder thatresidents there,

who

cherish

a desire forpromotingscientificobjects,

may

beencouragedto

revealto us stillfurther therichvegetation which surrounds them.

For

researchesin this direction

Tasmania

possesses rare advantages, because few spots in theworld canboast of possessingso extensive a

work

onits vegetation asthatwhich

everwillremaina

monument

ofDr. Hooker's genius

and

of the sedulous zeal of Mr. Eon.

Gunn,

Dr. Milligan,

and Mr.

W.

Archer.

The

advancementof Phytographiclaborsshould be

an aim

ofeachcountry.

Without

accuratedefinitionofitsplants

we

cannotreduce anyobservationsontheir industrial,therapeutic,

or economical value to any solidbasis, notto speakof the in-formation thus arising asa never-ceasing source of delight, as

an

ever-elevatinginspiration for religiousreflection.

*Comesperma defoliatum.

—

F. Muell. Plants of Vict. L, 189.

Southport, C. St. Inexternalappearance similar to C.

(3)

*Gi/psopMla tuhulosa.

—

Bois's diagn. plant. Orient. I., 4. Localityasyetuncertain.

^Polycarpon titrapJiyllum.

—

L. fil. Suppl. 116. Swanport,

G. Story. This

and

the preceding plant

may

not beoriginally

indigenous. In

many

instauces it is

now

beyondpossibility to ascertainwhichplants are immigrated.

Under

any

cir-cumstancesthey cannot be excludedfromphytographiclists.

^Eriostemon Oldfieldii.

—

F. Muell. fragm.phyt. Austr. I.,3.

Mount

Laperouse, Oldfield. BelongstothesectionPhebalium.

EriosfemonHillebrandi.

—

F. Muell. in transact, phil. Sec. Yict. I. 10.

On

granite atApsley Eiver. G. Story.

Eriostemonvirgatus.

—

A. Cunn.inHook.Journ, ofBot., II,,

417. Swanport, G. Story.

The

ripe fruit

unknown.

The

plantformsa transit toBoronia.

*Zieria cytieoidis.

—

SmithinEees'sCyclopoed.4.

On

granite rocks atBicheno. G. Story.

Lasiopetalummicrantlium.

—

J.

Hok.

fl. Tasm.I., 51.

Swan-port, G. Story.

LasiopetalumdasypTiyllum.

—

Sieb. in Hook. Journ.II.,404. Fiinder'sIsland

and

Cape BarrenIsland,J. Milligan.

Viminaria denudafa.

—

Sin. Exot. Bot. 51 t. 27. This plant

ishere doubtfullyinserted. It

was

received from Mr. Eng.

Fitzalanalongwithother

Tasmanian

plants, without note of locality. It is extremely frequent in the coast straits of

Victoria.

Desmodiiimvarians.

—

Endl. Annal. des.Wien.

Mus.

1.185.

Cape

Grim, J. Milligan.

'^Acacia penninervis.

—

Sieb. in Cand. pr. II.,453.

Mount

"Wellington, Oldfield. This tree is not unfrequent in the subalpine regionsof Victoria,

and

occurs verylikelyin several

other parts of Tasmania.

*Acacia Oxycedrus.

—

Sieb. in Cand. pr.II., 453. Sent

by

Mr.Fitzalanalongwith other

Tasmanian

plants.

One

ofthe

mostfrequent speciesonthemoor-heathsof Victoria.

Acaciajuniperina.

—

Willd. Oper. PI. IV., 1049. Swanport,

G. Story.

Acaciaromeriformis.

—

A. Cunn. in Hook. Lond. Journ. I.,

Snug and

Oyster Cove, Milligan.

Geum

renifolium.

—

F. Muell. in Transact. Phil. Vict. lust.

II., 66. Alpine heights in the rearofMacquarie Harbour, Milligan.

SpyridiumLawrencii.

—

Benth. Flor.Austral.I.,430. Swan-port, G.Story.

Spyridium leucopTiractum.

—

F. Muell.

Fragm.

Phyt. Austr.,

Ill, 77. Swanport, G. Story.

Spyridiumobovafum.

—

Benth.Flor,Austr.I.,429. Swanport,

(4)

10

Cryptandra amara.

—

Sm.

in Transact. Linn. Soc. X.,295^

t. 18. Swanport, G. Story.

Kunzeacorifolia.

—

Reichenb. Consp.Eegn.Yeg.175.Bicheno,

G. Story.

FJiryptomeneonicrantha.

—

J. Hook, in

Kew

MiscelL, 1853,

290t. VIII.

Sandy

g-ranite landatBicheno, G. Story.

Mac-quarieHarbour, Milligan.

JEucalyptus Glohulus.

—

Labill.Voy. I., 153,t. 13. Elinder's

Island, Milligan.

^Muphorhiacliamcesyce.

—

Linne. Amoen.Acad.115. Swanport,

G. Story. This plant ranges from, theMediterranean coun-triesthrough SouthAsia,

and

extends over nearly thewhole

ofthe Australiancontinent. Itintroduces

now

for the first

time the great cosmopolitan genus Euphorbia into the

Tas-manian

vegetation.

Sicyos angulatus.

—

Linne Sp. PL, 1438. Sisters' Island,

Milligan.

*Donatia NovceZelancUcd.~-T. Hook. El. N.Zel. I.,81 t.20.

Mount

Sorell, Milligan.

Mount

Laperouse,Oldfield. Pro-bably overlooked elsewhereintheglacier regions.

^Fanacc scunbucifolius.

—

Sieb. in Cand. Prodr. IV., 255.

Douglas Eiver, Milligan.

The

Tasmanian

plant is hitherto

known

onlyin leaves. It seems,however, not distinct from

the S.E.Australiantree,whichin foliagehas provedsingularly

variable.

Aster ledifolius.

—

A. Cunn.in Cand. Pr. V., 269.

Mount

Sorell,Milligan.

^Cotula Jilifolia.—ThmBb. El. Cap. 696. Kent's Group,

E. Brown.

^Ixiolcena supina.

—

E. Muell. in Transact.Vict. Inst. I.,32. Kent's Group,

R

Brown.

^Cassinialongifolia.

—

E. Br. in Transact. Linn. Soc. XII., 127. BayofEires,

W.

Bissell. ISot rare on the opposite Australian coast.

^LeptorrJiynehus linearis.

—

Les's Oyn., 273. Derwent, E. Brown.

^ Calocephalus citreus.

—

Les's Synops. 271. Derwent, E.

Brown.

Selichrysumcinereum.

—

E. Muell.inBenth.El. Austr.III.,

629. Elinder'sIsland, Milligan.

IIeliclirysu7n lycopodioides.

—

Benth. El. Austr. HI., 634.

Tops

oftiers,where waterstagnates, near Kelvedon, also on Prosser'sEiver.

The

leaves attain alengthoffourlines,

and

(5)

HelichrysvAii BachJiousii,

—

F. Muell. in Benth. Fl. Austr.

m.,

633. G-ravelljbanksoftheEiverApsley. G.Story.

Heliclirysum dealbatum.

—

Labill. Nov. HollPlant. Spec. II., 45to190. Flinder'sIsland, Milligan.

Bampierastricta,

—

E. Br. pr. 589.

Bay

ofFires,

W.

Bissell.

Kelvedon,G-. Story.

SccBvola Rookeri.—F. Muell. in T. Hook. Fl. Tasm. I.,

231,tab. 17, Swanport, G. Story.

^Sccevolacimeifoinnis.

—

Labill. Nov. Holl.Pl, Specim.,I.,56, tab. 80. Swanport, Gr. Story. If, as Dr.

Hooker

suggested, the plantofLabillardere should prove a distinct South-west

Australian species, then the

name

Scaevola semula (Br. p. 584) should be adopted for this onefrom Tasmania. Itis

identicalwithBrown's plant,whichisdispersedfromGruichen

Bay

to GrippsLand.

*Sccevolamicrocarpa.

—

Cavan. Icon.VI., 6 to 509. Flinder's

Island, Milligan.

^Goodenia amplexans.

—

F. Muell. in Transact. Phil. Inst.,

Vict.II., 70.

On

theNile, C. St. This plantispreciselythe

same

asthe originalfromSt. Vincent's Grulf.

*Ooodenia harhata.

—

E. Br. pr. 576. Tasmania, E. Brown.

The

writer has not seen

Tasmanian

specimens of this

Goodenia,butasitis copiously occurringineast Gipps Land,

there can be no doubtthat it

was

foundbyE.

Brown

in the northern part ofTasmania, or on

some

ofthe adjacentislands which hevisited. Itispurple-flowered,though placedby E.

Brown among

the yellow-flowered species.

Velleya montana.

—

J. Hook, in Lond. Journ. of Bot. VI.,

Epacris micranthera.

—

F. Muell.

Fragm.

Phyt. Austr. VI., 72.

Mount

Sorell,Milligan.

Styplielia adscendens.

—

E. Br. pr. 536, Swanport, G.

Story.

^typlieUapinifolia.

—

E. Br. pr. 536. Swanport, G. Story. Trocliocarpa involucrata.

—

F. Muell.

Fragm.

Phyt. Austr.

VI., 57. SchoutenIsland, G. Story.

Bicliea DracopJiylla.

—

E. Br. pr. 555.

Mount

Sorell,

Milligan.

Mitrasacme distyJis.

—

F. Muell. in Transact. Phil. Soc. I.,

20. Kelvedon, G.Story.

Westringia angustifolia.

—

E, Br. pr. 501.

Between

Oyster

Cove and

Huon

Eiver. Milligan.

Westringia Irevifolia.

—

Benth. in Cand. pr. XII., 570.

(6)

12

Tricliinium sjpatulatitm.

—

E. Br. pr. 415. Kelvedon, G. Story.

Cassytliamelantlia.

—

E. Br. pr. 404. Kelvedon, G. Story. ^Pimelea serpilUfolia.

—

E. Br. 360. Minder's Island, Milligan.

One

of the most

common

ofallplantsalong the

whole shoresfromSpencer's Gulfto Gipps Land, likely tobe

foundin

some

ofthe otherliteraltractsofTasmania.

Pimelea sericea.

—

E. Br. pr. 361. Swanport, G. Story. Theresixfeethigh.

Pimelea ligustrina.

—

Labill, Nor. Holl. PI. Sp. I., 9 to 3. Douglas Eiver, G. Story.

^HaJcea ulicina.

—

E. Br. Suppl. 29. Flinder's Island,

Milligan. Closelyallied to

H.

dartyloides.

Among

the few

Tasmanian

Hakese remarkableforitsleaves, always flatand

three-nerved.

Lomatia tinctoria.

—

E. Br. pr. 389. Islands of Bass'

Straits, Milligan.

Not

yet found

on

themainland of

Aus-tralia.

BendroUum

Milligani.

—

F. Muell.

Fragm.

Phyt. Austr.,

I., 88toYl. Porphyritic rocks atBicheno,G. Story.

The

most

southernlocality ofany Dendrobium.

Sarcodulus Gunnii.

—

P. Muell.

Pragm.

Phyt.Austr., I.,90. Table Cape

and

Macquarie Harbour,Milligan. SeaElephant's

Bay, G. Story. AlsoinKing's Island.

Lypiranthus Burnettii.

—

P. Muell.

Pragm.

Phyt. Austr. V., 96. Macquarie Harbour,Milligan.

Lypiranthus nigricans.

—

E. Br. pr., 325.

Eocky

Cape, Milligan.

The

color oftheflowersissaturated purered.

*LypirantTius suaveolens.

—

E. Br. pr. 325. D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Milligan.

Caleana

major.—

R. Br. pr. 329.

North

West

Bay.

Milligan.

CalocJiilus camjpestris.

—

E. Br. pr. 320. Oyster Cove, Milligan.

Cryptostylis longifolia.

—

E. Br. pr. 317. Oyster Cove, Milligan.

Acianthus caudatus.

—

E. Br. pr. 321. Oyster

Cove

and

Plinder'sIsland, Milligan.

ChcBtospora lepidosperma.

—

C. tennissima, J, Hook. PI. Tasm. II., 81 to

CXL., non

Stend.

Glum.

II., 162.

Swan-port, G. Story. In habit this plant approaches to other

(7)

C. St.

As

yet neither flowers nor fruits are sentfrom Tas-mania.

The

plant accordsinfoliage,however,with

European

specimensandwith othersfrom Gipps Land.

*Zostirauninervis.

—

Forsk.

M.

Aeg. Arab. 157.

At

South-port, C. St.

Much

smaller thanZ. marina, extending

north-ward

tomiddle Europe.

The

peduncles areveryslender,

and

thefruitis verypeculiar.

*Solanum vescwn.

—

F. Mueller in Transact. Phil. Inst.

Vict.,1., 63. King'sIsland,

Mount

Goiran.

The

berriesare

edible.

^Veronicaperegrina.

—

Linne Spec. Plant, p. 20.