FIVE CORNERS ('Stypelia?')
This fruit is well known and very common in the neighbourhood of
Sydney, and was found in the scrubby region about the Richardson
Range, which, as before mentioned, is of similar character to that
description of country. It does not, so far as I am aware, exist in
any other part of Queensland.
THE NATIVE PLUM ('Owenia.')
This tree, of which there are several species, ('Owenia Cerasifera'
and 'Owenia Vanessa' being most common in Queensland), is found along
the whole of the east coast, as far south as the Burnett, and is one
of the handsomest of Australian forest trees. Its purple fruit has a
pleasant acid flavor, and is probably a good anti-scorbutic. It is
best eaten after having been buried in the ground for a few days, as
is the custom of the natives. The stone is peculiar, having much the
shape of a fluted pudding basin. The timber is handsomely grained
and is of durable quality.
On the subjects of the fruits, edible plants, and roots of
Queensland, Mr. Anthelme Thozet, of Rockhampton, whose name is well
and deservedly known to Botanists, has been at great pains to prepare
for the approaching Exhibition at Paris, a classified table of all
that are known as consumed by the natives raw and prepared, and to
his enthusiastic attention to the subject, we are indebted for the
possession of a large and important list, a knowledge of which would
enable travellers in the wilds of the colony to support themselves
from their natural productions alone, in cases where their provision
was exhausted.
THE CALAMUS ('Calamus Australis.)
This plant belongs to a genuis of palms, the different species of
which yield the rattan canes of commerce. Its form in the scrubs of
the Cape York Peninsula is long and creeping, forming a net work of
vines very formidable to progress.
THE PITCHER PLANT ('Nepenthes Kennedyana.')
This interesting plant was first noticed to the north of the Batavia
River, and is common to the swamps of the peninsula. It has been
described and named in honor of the unfortunate Kennedy, who first
noticed it.
THE FERGUSON OR STAATEN.
This stream, whose arid banks Mr. Jardine was forced to trace to the
sea, in consequence of the sterility and waterless character of the
levels to the northward, is neverthless of some importance. Like
most of the northern rivers, it is a torrent stream, whose bed is
insufficient to carry off its waters during the flooded season,
causing the formation of lagoons, back-waters, and ana-branches, and
yet in the dry months, containing only a thread of water trickling
along a waste of sand, sometimes three or four hundred yards wide,
and at intervals loosing itself and running under the surface.
Should the northern branch which was seen to join amongst the
ana-branches near its debouchure prove to be the larger stream, that
followed by the party might still retain the name of "the Ferguson,"
given to it by the Brothers, in honor of the governor of Queensland.
It receives Cockburn Creek, one of importance, which, just before
joining it, receives the waters of another large creek from the
south, which was supposed to be Byerley Creek, but this as mentioned
in the text, is unlikely, for when the Brothers were in quest of the
Lynd (which they never reached at all) they left Byerley Creek
trending to the south, at a point considerably to the west of the
longitude of that influence.
