Veiy similar indeed to the A . dealbata, and probably only a state o f that plant, though looking vciy different
when seen beside it. The present uever forms so large a tree as A . dealbata, is of a dark liu-id hue, has golden-
yellow young shoots, and the pod is nan’ower, more torulose, more or less pubescent, with thicker margins, more
coriaceous valves, constricted between tbe seeds, so that the pod is mouiliform, and it has larger seeds.
For many valuable remaiks ou the Tasmanian Acacia, see an article by Mi-. Gunn in the second volume of
the ‘ Tasinauian Journal of Natural Science.’
N a t . Ord. X X V I I . R O SA C E A .
O f all tb e la rg e natural families o f flowering plants tbat are widely diffnsp.fi over tb e globe, tliis is
one o f tb e m ost scan tily represented in Australia. In c lu d in g the subfamily Chrysobalanea (wliich presents
one species o f P e tro c a r y a in the Tropics and two o f S ty lo b a sium iu th e south-we st coast), scarcely a dozen
spec ie s have hitherto been found in the whole continent, and they be lon g to six genera, o f which four,
Geum, P o te n tilla , R u bu s, and A lch em illa , are co sm op o litan ; a fifth. A c a n a , is almost confined to the
Southern Hemisphere, and Cephaloius (th e Australian “ Piteh e r-p lan t” ) is peculiar to th e neighbourhood of
K in g George’s Sound, iu S outh-western Australia. I t is remarkable that b o th th e species o f Alch em illa
are E n g lish , one the A . arv ensis, originally d ete cted by Mr. Brown, and the other A . vu lg a ris, found,
according to D r . Mueller, on th e A lp s o f South-eastern Austraba.
Gen. I . E U B U S , X.
C alyx explanatns, ebracteolatus, persistens, 5-lobus. F e ta la 5 - 7 , calyce inserta. S tam in a numerosa.
C h an a receptáculo inserta, 1-ovulata. D r u p a suecos®, receptáculo subcarnoso v . spongioso insert®.
Only five or six species of this cosmopobtan genus are found in Austraba, o f which three are tropical species
and also In d ian ; one is confined to New South Wales, and one, R. Gunnianus, is only found in Tasmania.— Subscandent
or suberect shrubs, rarely creeping herbs, often prickly, with alternate, simple, lobed, teraate, digitate or
imparipinnate leaves, adnate stipules, panicled or corymbose, rarely sobtary, flowers. Calyx without bracts, with
five spreading lobes. P etaU five. Stamens numerous. Ovaries numerous, rarely (in R . Gunnianus) defimte in number.
Fruit formed o f smaU, cohei-ing, fleshy drupes, attached to the dry or spongy receptacle. (Name o f uncertain
origin.)
1 . Rubus macropodus (Seringe in DC . Prodr. ii. 5 5 7 ) ; aculeatus, suberectus, ramulis pedunculis
p e tiolis calycibus foliisque subtus cano-tomentosis, foliis pinnatisectis, foliolis 2 -3 -ju g is rhombeo-ovatis
obovatisve supra pilosis duplicato-crenatis terminali margine integro v. lobato, floribus axillaribus termi-
nabbusque, pedu n cu b s unifloris v. paniculatim ramosis, lob is calycinis lanceolatis acuminatis petalis rubris
lon g io rib u s.— E . ribesifobus, Sieb. P I . Fxsico. N o . 1 9 2 . {Gunn, 3 3 .)
H a b . Very common iu many parts o f th e Colony.— (P i. D e c ., J a n .; fr. P eb.)
Dis t r ib . E a s t coast o f Austraba, from Stradbrooke Islan d to Melbourne.
A small, slender, prickly shmb, with tomentose branches, pedimcles, petioles, and calyx, and which has
snow-white under-surfaces of the leaves.— Leaves 2—4 inches long, pinnate, with one or two pairs of leaflets,
which are rather coriaceous, ivrinkled, hairy above, ovate, obovate, or rhomboid, entire or lolied, rather sharply
doubly or trebly crenate, blunt or acute ; the terminal larger, and more usually lobed. Pedicels slender, generally
long, axillaiy, one- or more flowered, or tenninal and forming many-flowered panicles. Flowers inch across.
Calyx woolly, its lobes lanceolate-acuminate, longer than the red petals. Stamens as long as the petals. F m it not
very large, according to Gunn, but o f a pleasant flavour.
2 . Rubus Gunnianus (H o ok . I c . P lan t, t . 2 9 1 ) ; inermis, repens, glaberrimus, foliis simplicibus
v. lobatis V. ternatim v. pinnatim trifobolatis, foliolis ovatis obovatisve duplicato-crenatis integr is v. varie
lobatis, pedunculis subtcrininalibus sobtariis 1 -iIoris, calycis lob is ovatis subacutis pilosis petalis flavis brevioribus,
ovariis 5 . {Gunn, 2 7 1 .)
H a b . Common on th e mountains at 3 0 0 0 - 5 0 0 0 fe e t elevation, Gunn.— {F\. Oct. j fr. F eb .) {v. v.)
A very remarkable little species, especiaUy from having a definite number o f ovaries, and, according to Mr.
Gunn, yellow flowers.—A smaU, creeping, tufted, glabrous plant, forming patches on peaty soü several feet in
diameter. Stems much branched, slender, flexuose,-usually buried in the soil. Petioles slender, 4 - 2 inches long,
bearing one or more simple or lobed doiibly-crenate leaflets, that are extremely variable in shape. Leaflets coriaceous,
temate or pinnate, the upper ovate, deltoid, or oblong, simple or lobed ; lateral smaU, irregular in outline.
Peduncles solitaiy, short, simple, one-fiowered. Flowers often nestled amongst the leaves, about 4 inch across,
yeUow. Drupes veiy fleshy, scarlet ; endocarp rugose. Fruit as large as that of R. saxatilis, hidden amongst the
leaves ; its flavour excellent, similar to tbat of the cranberry.
Gen. I I . P O T E N T IL L A , L .
Calyx explanatns, 4-5 -b ra c teo la tu s. P e ta la 5 , calyce inserta. S tam in a numerosa. O va ria receptáculo
inserta, 1-ovulata. Achenia sicca, receptáculo sicco piloso inserta, stylo brevi laterab.
The only Australian species o f this extensive Em'opean and North American genus is a native of very many
parts o f the globe, and is the common SUver-weed of England. The genus differs from Rubus in its almost invariably
herbaceous liabit, the bracteolate calyx, and in the diy achenia which form the fruit. (Name from potens,
powerful; in aUusion to the reputed rirtues o f some species.)
1 . P otentilla anserina (Linn. Sp. PI. 7 1 0 ) j glabrata v . sericeo-villosa, caule radicante stolonifero,
folus abrupte pinnatisectis, pinnis m ultijugis ovatis rotundatis oblongisve argute serratis subtus sericeis”
peduncubs gracilibus villosis elongatis 1-floris, petalis amú%.— D eC a n d . P r o d r . Y\. 5 8 2 ; F k g l. B o t. t. 6 8 1 ;
FI. A n t. b . 2 6 2 . {Gunn, 2 5 1 .)
Hab. Circular Head and elsewhere ou the north and we st c o a s ts ; rarer to the southward o f the
Colony, Gunn.— (FI. N o v . to Jan.) {v. v.)
Dist r ib . South-east Australia, N ew Zealand, western extratropical Sou th America, and throughout
th e temperate and colder zones o f Europe, Asia, and America.
A ve iy beautiful plant, extremely vai-iable in size and amount of hairiness, being almost glabrous or densely
silky, with silveiy, shaggy h a f t s . -Ä m « stout or slender, sending out long rooting stolon s; leaf-bearing branches
very short. Leaves m tufts, 2 -8 inches long, miequally pinnate; leaflets six to twenty pairs, oblong-obovate or
rounded, the alternate pairs often minute, deeply acutely crenate or cut. PeduncUs solitary, erect, generally longer
than the leaves, oiie-flowered. Flowers large, golden yeUow, ve iy variable in size.
Gen. U I . G E UM , L .
C alyx 5-lob u s, 5-bractcolatus. P e ta la 5 . Stamina numerosa. Achenia sicca, in capitulum receptáculo
sicco disposita; stylo elongato rigido persistente p o st anthesin elongato articulate geniculato v. bai'bato.
A very puzzling genus, on account o f the difficulty o f determining what are species ' and what only varieties.
I have several times examined the southern species, but never been able to satisfy myself regarding them, the common
Tasmanian aud New Zcidaiid species especially appearing to be the same as the South American, and to be
scarcely, if at aU, diflereut from states of the common G. urbanum of Europe aud temperate Asia. The genus is
readUy distinguished by the globose or oblong head of achenia, terminating in rigid, persistent, awn-bke styles, that
have a sharp bend or articidation above the middle, or are plumose.
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