he
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 fr