Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 20 December 1861, page 8


"CHRISTMAS BUSHES."

To the Editor of the Herald.

Sir,-As this is the season of the year when most of our Cunoniaceous trees and hrsubs are in flower, a few words respecting them may not be unacceptable. Amongst them are some of our nicest ornamental shrubs, and in one species the wood is of considerable importance to the coach builder Callicoma serratafolia is very abundant in the creeks to the north of Parramatta, and amongst the early colonists it was sometimes called black wattle, the twigs being used in making baskets. When in flower, its light yellow blossoms are gay and conspicuous, but at any season tho leaves are calculated to attract attention, being sharply serrated, bright green above, hoary beneath, and with well defined veins on each side of the mid-rib, reticulated between the interstices. This shrub has just passed its flowering season but others of the same family are now in flower in this neighbourhood, particularly Schizomeria ovata, Ceratope-

talum gummiferum, and C. apetalum, all of which are popularly termed Christmas bushes. Callicoma takes its general name from kalos,

beautiful, and kome, hair, an allusion to the tufted heads of

the flowers.

Schizomeria (from schizo, to cut, and meris, apart, in allusion to the jagged petals) is found principally in this district, in one portion of the Toongabbie Creek, and is remarkable for its crowed panicles of white flowers S. ovata with us is a shrub, but in the vicinity of Tomah it becomes a forest tree, and perhaps is the one to which Cunninghame alludes under the name of Ceratopetalum apetalum (?) It is probable, however, that the latter may yet be found on the mountains, or, at all events, the allied species C montanum. The flowers of Schizomeria, like those of Callicoma, are without scent, but the fruit, which is about the size of a small marble, has rather an agreeable acid flavour. This would be an ornamental shrub in a garden, provided that it were planted in some moist place or near a water-hole ; but it is seldom seen in a state

of cultivation.

The genus Ceratopetalum is so called from the horn-like

petals of some species. C. gummiferum is the Christmas bush of the colonists, and is well worthy of the name. Dr Bennett, in his "Gatherings of a Naturalist," remarks that "in every instance in which an attempt has been made to remove it, the tree has perished, nor have seeds succeeded except such as have been self sown." There may probably be some difficulty in rearing this tree, especially in dry soils, but of late years it has been intro-duced into several gardens in the neighbourhood of Sydney

with tolerable success. In the Parramatta district this tree occurs principally at the North Rocks, but I have never seen any specimen of it there sufficiently large to be of any use to the coach builder or carpenter. In Dr. Bennett's work there is a drawing of this tree, by Miss H. Scott, representing the flowers in their last stage, when the petals have fallen away and left the reddened calyces. This species has ternate leaves, standing on petioles which are jointed at the apex, a peculiarity which is one mark of dis-

tinction between it and Schizomeria.

C. apetalum is so called because it is des-titute of petals. The leave are simple, oppo-site serrated, of a lanceolate shape, and sometimes more than six inches long. The flowers and bark are fragrant, but in its general character it so strongly resembles Schi-zomeria, that it may readily be mistaken for it. Notwith-standing the work of destruction which has been going on in our creeks, there are still some good -sized trees of this species in the creek near Mr. Jenner's property on the Baulkham Hills Road, and within the last week or so I have gathered flowering specimens about a mile beyond Mr. Pye's orchard. This appears to me to be the true " lightwood " of the colonists, and being of a white colour, fine grained, and light, it is serviceable to the coach builder and carpenter. As this tree resembles Schizomeria it may be useful to state that it differs from that genus in being destitute of petals, and having anthers with a beak-formed process. Should these notes however, be regarded as too scientific, it may be distinguished by its fragrance and the joints at the apex of the leaf stalks.

Aphonopstalum (which derives its name from its incon-spicuous petals) is said by Dr. F. Mueller to occur in woods from Illawarra even to Moreton Bay I have not noticed this plant near Parramatta, but it flourishes in the native vineyard, near the Rev. T. Hassall's, and also at the Kurrajong. The species referred to is A. resinosum, it generally flowers earlier in the season than the Christmas bushes. Its calyx is four-parted, and it has eight stamens. The smaller branches are somewhat warted, and the leaves are opposite, simple, ovate, and shining. Like the pro-ceding, this plant is well worthy of cultivation.

Weimannia Australis is mentioned, particularly by Cun-ninghame, in Field's New South Wales, p 353, and is apparently a rarer plant than those enumerated, for I have never met with it in this part of the colony. A specimen,

which I had in my possession, come, I believe, from the

vicinity of Springwood, and it was there where Cun-ninghame procured his specimens. It is an ornamental

shrub, with trifoliate leaves, and the flowers are racemose and terminal. In the same loca-lity Calycomis is said to occur, a shrub growing on moist rocks, and having leaves simple, nearly sessile, and three in a whorl, the flowers being described as small, white, copious and worled.

The last species of this family to which I shall refer is Bauera rubiœfolia, belonging to a genus named in honour of the celebrated German draftsmen, Francis and Ferdi-nand Bauer. This docs not grow in the Parramatta district, but it may be found plentifully at tho North Shore near Sydney. The flowers are of a pink or pale red colour, and

the leaves are six in a whorl.

The study of the Cunoniaceæ is interesting on account of the gay and ornamental flowers which characterise the species, and some of them possess medicinal properties as yet but little understood.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, I

W. W.

George-street, Parramatta, December 19.

'inn GiiAvr.-It buries every error-covcre every defect- extinguishes every resentment. From its peaceful boBom spring none but fond regrets and tender recollections. Who can look down upon the grave of an enemy, and not feel a compnnctuous throb tint he should have warred wiih the poor handful of dust that lies mouldering before him ?

One principal point of good-breeding is to suit our behaviour to the three several degrees of men-our superiors, our equals, and thoBC below us.

Proud men never have friends-neither in pros-perity, because they know nobody; nor in adversity, because then nobody knows them.

Many politicians are in the habit of laying it down as a self-evident proposition, that no people ought to be free till they are fit to use their freedom. The maxim is worthy of the fool in the old story who letolved not to go into the water till ho had learned

to swim !