nt 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