Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
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.
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