Root woody ; stem slioit, stout, woody, giriug off many slender, procumbent, abnost filifonu, terete branches,
2 -1 0 inches long, sparingly silky or pubescent towards their tips with appressed babs, Leaves shortly petioled,
coriaceous, singularly variable in size and form on the same branch ; tbe lower generally broadly eUiptical-ovnte,
acute, mucronate, 4 - 4 inch long; the upper (sometbnes all) 1 - 2 inches long, narrow linear, linear-oblong or
narrow elliptical, glabrous above, beneath glabrous or covered with appressed hairs, reticidated ; margins recmwed,
apex generaUy mucronate. Flotcers small, blue, pediceUed. Pods \ inch long, obbquely orbicular, acuminate.
Valves pubescent or glabrous. Seed ovoid, almost black, ivitb a large carúncula.— P l a t e XV. F ig . 1, 2, leaves ; 3,
flower; 4 , vexillum; 5, ala; 6, carina; 7, stamens; 8, p istü ; 9, vertical section of ovary; 10, ovule; 11, pod;
12, pod with one valve removed ; 13, seed ■.— all magnijied.
Gen. IX . B O S S IÆ A , Vent.
Calyx bilabiatus, labio superiore majore, bifido, inferiore tripartito. Vexillum planum, subrotundum.
S tam in a 1 0 , monadelpha, vagina integra. Ovarium sessile, pluri-ovulatum. Legumen pedicellatum, plano-
compressum, polyspermum, sutura utraque incrassata.— Erutices v . suffruticuli; ramis te retibus v . com-
p r e s s is , p h y llo d iifo n n ib u s, a p h y llis ; foliis dum a d su n t simplicibus, a lte rn is, s tip u la tis ; floribus J ia v is, p u r-
p u reo -va rieg a tis ; pediceUis hracteolatis.
Between thirty and forty species of this genus are known, aU of tbem confined to Austraba, and equally divided
between tbe east and west extratropical parts o f tbe contment, a very few being common to both coasts, and there
are also several tropical ones. The -species are often exceedingly protean in fonn and habit ; many ai-e leafless,
having compressed or w inged stems ; others have leaves, which are always aîteimate, simple, and stipulate. Flowers
pediceUed, yellow, variegated w ith purple. Chiyx two-Hpped ; upper bp large, bifid ; lower three-parted. Stamens
ten ; the filaments united into a complete tube. Ovary many-ovuled. Fod stalked, compressed, generally oblong,
its margins thickened. (Named in honour of M. Boissieu-LamarÜnière, a companion of La PejTouse.)
1 . Bo ssiæa ensata (Sieb. P la n t. E x sic c . n. 4 3 4 ) ; erecta v. decumbens, aphylla, ramis complanatis,
costa crassa, alis tenuissime striolatis denticulatis, denticulis floriferis, pedicellis medium versus bibracteo-
latis, calyce glabro, carina nuda, legum inibus linear i-oblongis glabris, seminibus 2 - 3 rufis transverse
ob lon g is, carúncula crassa.— DC. P r o d r . ii. 1 1 7 ; Sweet, FI. A u stra la s. t. 5 1 . B . virgata, Hooh. B o t. M a g .
t. 3 9 8 6 ; Sweet, FI. A u s tra l, t. 5 1 . {Gunn, 1 7 6 , 1 0 5 9 , 1 0 5 9 ? )
H ab. Abundant throughout tb e Islan d , in various soils and situations, ascending to 4000 feet, L aw rence,
Gunn, etc.— (El. Oct.) {v. v.)
D i s t e i b . N ew Sou th W a le s, S outh-east and S outh-we st Australia. (Cultivated in England.)
A very common plant, and extremely variable in size and habit, becoming a taU shrub, 3 -5 feet h igh, in rich soils,
a dwarf plant in sterile places, and procumbent in alpme situations. I cannot detect the smallest difference in the
flowers or fruit o f aU the forms. The South-west Austraban specimens (which are perhaps the B. rufa, Br.) have more
slender pedicels, but are otherwise identical ; there is sometimes a sbght ftinge o f hairs on the Branches flat,
4 - 4 inch broad, with a stout, prominent, flexuose costa, and thick, coriaceous, obscurely striate w ings, that are toothed
occasionally at the margins. Flowers sobtary from the teeth at the margins o f the branches. Pedicels variable in
length, never exceeding 4 inch, with two bracteæ at the base and two deciduous ones on tbe middle, glabrous, as is
the calj-x. Flowers 4 inch long. Rods flat, 4 - 1 inch long, red-brown. Seeds transversely oblong, red-brown.
2 . B ossiæa prostrata (Br. in Ilo r t. Kew. iv. 2 6 6 ) ; parvula, caule brevi lignoso, ramis obscure
compressis teretibusve prostratis gracilibus appresse puberulis, foliis petiolatis e llipticis oblongis lanceolato-
ovatis ovato-cordatisve mucronulatis plauis glabris v. subtus pilosulis, pedicellis pubescentibus foliis lo n gioribus
basi bracteolatis, legum ine breviter pedicellato lineari latiusculo.— D C . F ro d r. ii. 1 1 7 ; Sims, B o t.
M a g . 1 . 1 4 9 3 ; Sieh. P I . Exsicc. 3 5 1 . {Gunn, 4 7 2 .)
H ab. A bundant in dry so il throughout the Islan d , Gunn, etc . (El. N o v .) {v. v.)
Dist r ib . N ew South Wales and S outh-east Australia. (Cultivated in En g lan d .)
A small, very variable species.— ßte?« sbort, stout, woody. Branches slender, pubescent, trailing on the ground,
terete or sbghtly compressed, with a thickened bne ou each side. Stipules sinaU, ovate, acute, brown. Petiole
slender, one line long. Leaves thin, but lìmi in texture, 4 - 4 inch long, vaiying from ovate-cordate to ovate-lanceolate,
elliptical and oblong, entire, blunt or shai-p, mucronate, glabrous or pilose, reticulated. Pedicels erect,
longer than tlie leaves, slender, pilose, ebracteate, except at the base. Flowers 4 inch long. Calyx pubescent.
Standard emarginate, or two-lobed. P o d 1 inch long (or less), hnear, 4 inch broad, suddenly acuminate. Seeds
6- 1 0 , oblong, renifovm, compressed, pale red-brown.
3 . B ossiæa eordigera (Benth.) ; fruticulus diffuse ramosissimus, ramis gracilibus teretibus, ramulis
pubescentibus, foliis p e tiolatis parvis late cordatis acutis pilosulis, pedic ellis foliis pluries longioribus pilosis
supra medium bracteolatis, calycis tu b o conico limbo venoso late explanato labio superiore lobis un-
cmatis recurvis inferiore parvo, legum ine gracile pedicellato lineari-oblongo acuminato. {Gunn, 1 7 1 .)
(Tab . X V I .)
H ab. W id e ly distributed over the northern parts o f tb e Island, from the sea-level to 4000 feet, L aw rence,
Ounn.— (Ei. N o v .)
A very pretty species, o f which Gunn says that it is one o f the least variable leguminous plants of Tasmania.
It generally forms a subscandent or stragghng, diffusely branched, veiy slender -gh.x\X.—Branches a few inches to
several feet long, terete, slender ; tenninal ones filiform, pubescent. Stipules ovate-subidate, bromi. Petioles 4 bne
long. Leaves very small, unifonn in size over aU the specimens and from every locahty, broadly cordate, acute,
about 4 - 4 broad, rather membranous, glabrous or pubescent. Pedicels axülaiy, very long, slender, pubescent,
I - I 4 inch long, bracteate at the base, and with two small bracteolæ above tbe middle. Flower large, 4 inch long,
Calyx remarkable for its short conical tube and spreading veined limb, with thickened edges ; upper Up large,
recui-ved, w ith broad uncinate lobes ; lower hp smaU, of thi-ee lanceolate teeth. Standard with a slender claw ; limò
broader than long, two-lobed. Po d ivith a very long pedicel, hnear-oblong, acuminate. Seeds small, ou slender
funiculi, oblong-reniform, mottled red-brown.— P l a t e XVI. Fig. 1. branch and flower; 2, flower with corolla removed;
3, vexiUum; 4, ala; 5, keel; 6, stamen; 7, poUen; 8, ovaiy; 9, vertical sectiou o f ovary; 10, pod with
valve removed; 1 1 , seed; 1 2 , vertical section of seed -.—all but fig. 1 0 magnified.
4 . Bossiæa cinerea (Br. Hor t. K ew. ed. 2. iv. 2 6 6 ) ; frutex erectus, ramis robustis teretibus, foliosis
ramulisque pubescenti-tomentosis, stipulis setaceis, foliis breviter petiolatis triangulari-ovatis ovato-lanceolatisve
basi latioribus subeordatis coriaceis acuminatis marginibus recurvis p ungentibus glabris v. supra
scabris subtusque pubescentibus, pediceUis foliis subæquilongis medio bibracteolatis calyceque campanulato
glabris, limbo in tu s puberulo, legum inibus e lliptico- v. ob longo-lanceolatis acuminatis glabris.— B o t. Beg.
t. 3 0 6 ; B C . F ro d r. ii. 1 1 7 . B . cordifolia, Sweet, FI. A u s tra l, t. 20. {Gunn, 4 7 4 , 1 3 5 , 1 0 5 8 .)
H ab. Abundant in dry situations throughout the Island, L awrence, etc .— (El. Oct. N o v .) («. v.)
Dist r ib . South-eastern Australia.
A very common and rather variable shrub, 2 -4 feet high, geuerally with erect, strict branches, sometimes
straggling.— Rrawc/ies terete, stout or slender, more or less pubescent, tomentose, or villous. Leaves crowded,
spreading, ovate-cordate or ovate-lanceolate or triangidar-ovate, 4 - 4 inch long, acuminate, rigid, pungent, nearly
sessile, ivith small subulate stipules, generally scabrous above and more or less pubescent below, rarely whoUy
glabrous. Pedicels rather longer or sliorter than the leaves, glabrous, bibracteolate at the middle. Flowers
nearly 4 inch long. Calyx campanulate, glabrous, pubescent witliin. Pods pedieelled, eUiptic-lanceolate, acuminate,
bluc-blaek, 4—1 inch long. Seeds few, large, broadly transversely oblong, subrcniform, dark red-brown. Dr.
Miillcr sends a curious variety of this plant from South Austraha (along with the common fonn), having narrow,
linear, curved leaves, with long acuminate pohits.