1 . Geum urbanum (Tbim. Sp. PI. 7 1 6 ) , var. s tr ic tu m ; pubescenti-pilosum v. villosum, caule erecto
stricto dicliotome-ramoso folioso multifloro, foliis radicalibus in te rru p tep in u a tisec tis, foliolis rhombeo-cunei-
formibus in ciso-lob atis duplicato-serratis terminali majore, p edunculis v illosis, calycibus p ubescenti-piiosis,
petalis flavis, capitulo aclieniorum ob lon g o v. globoso, acheniis compressis villosis, stylis deflexis apices
versus geiiicu la tis.— G. strictum, AU. H o r t. K ew . i. 2 0 7 . G. Magellauicum, Commerson, ex P e r s . Euch.
ii. 5 7 ; B e Cand. P r o d r . ii. 5 5 4 ; F L N . Z eal. i. 5 5 , ii. 3 2 7 ; FL A n t. ii. 2 6 2 . G. ranimculuides, Sei-, in
Mem. Soc. P h y s. Gen. ii. 1 3 8 ; B e Cand. P ro d r . i. 5 5 1 . G. Australi®, Ferd. M u e lle r. {Gunn, 2 4 9 .)
H a b . N o t uncommon in shady places in various parts o f the Colony, Gunn.— {FL D e c .) {v. v.)
D i s t r i b . S outh-eastern Australia (5"ictoria, M u e lle r ), N ew Zealand, and South Cliili and Fuegia,
Canada and the North ern U n ited States, temperate Europe and Asia.
In the Supplement to the ‘ New Zealand Flora,’ ii. 328, I have alluded to Asa Gray’s remarks on this plant,
which he has published in the ‘ B otany of the United States’ Exploring Expedition’ (i. 501) ; he there observes
tbat I should have adopted in the ‘ N ew Zealand Flora’ the name of strictum in preference to that of Magellanicum,
and this I should have done here, were it not that a fuU reconsideration o f the subject confirms my origirud impression
tbat it is the G. urbanum of Europe. I have quoted under the species only those synonyms of wliose identification
I am most sm e : in the ‘New Zealand Flora’ I have added to the list G. CUloensc, Chilense, Quellyon,
and intermedium, a re-union in which Asa Gray agi-ees. — The Tasmanian plant forms a rigid, strict, erect,
branching, leafy, hairy, süky, or vülous herb, 2 -3 feet high, with many rather small yeüow flowers. Leaves pinnatisect
; leaflets two or four pair, extremely variable in size and shape, more or less lobed, cut, and inciso-serrate,
those of the cauline leaves often lacerate. Heads o f achenia globose or oblong, villous. Styles of the fniit deflexed,
abruptly bent and twisted once towards the apex, which is nearly smooth : the portion o f the style beyond
the twist is ofteu broken off when the style appears hooked at the apex.
Gen. IV . A CÆ N A , Vahl.
Caly cis tub u s oblongas, compressus v . angulatus, angulis sæpissime in aristas simpbces v . glocliidiatas
po st anthesin excurreiitibus ; fauce constricta. P e ta la 2 - 5 v . 0 , libera v. basi coalita, ore calycis inserta.
S tam in a 2 - 5 . Ovaria 1 - 2 , calyce inclusa, 1 -o vu la ta ; stylo te rm inali; stigmate plumoso. Achenia 1 - 2 ,
calyce indurate te c ta ; pericarpio coriáceo v. membranáceo.
This very remarkable genus is almost exclusively confined to the temperate and colder regions o f the Southern
Hemisphere, a few species advancing in South Ameiica northwards along the Andes into the Tropics. Tlie two
Tasmanian species are both Australian, and none other have been detected in that continent. They are common in
some pastures, where the hooked bristles of the calyces often cause great annoyance to sheep, whose wool becomes
covered with “ biuTs,” and is w ith difficulty freed from them.— Herbs with often woody rhizomes, very short branches,
pinnated leaves, and tei-minal scapes; inflorescence usuaüy capitate, rarely spiked. minute. Cii?y;r-tube oblong,
unai-mecl or covered with hooked bristles, often quadrangular, the angles, after flowering, elongating into sharp spines,
that are in some species tipped with recurved bristles. Petals minute, foiu- or five, or none. Stamens oue to four.
Achenia liidden in the tube o f the calyx ; the style and plumose stigmata exserted. (Named from auaiva, a spine ;
in allusion to the spinous calyces.)
1 . Acæna Sanguisorbæ (Vahl, E num . i. 2 9 4 ) ; sericeo-pilosa v. glabrata, foliohs 4 -1 0 - ju g is ovatis
oblongis rotundatisve inciso-serratis, capitulis globosis, calycis tubo tetrágono fructifero 4-aristato, aristis
apice glocbidiatis, petala basi cohærentia, staminibus 2 , stigmate dilatato fimbriato.— B e Cand. P ro d r . ii.
5 9 2 ; FL A n t. i. 9 ; F L N . Z eal. i. 5 4 . Ancistrum Sanguisorbæ, L in n . f i l . S uppl. p . 1 8 9 . A. diandrum,
Forst. Prodn-. n. 5 2 . A . anserinæfolium, Forst. Gen. t. 2 . A . decumbens, G a r in . Fru c t. I. 3 2 . {Gunn,
4 8 3 .)
Var. ß . m o n ta n a ; minor, glabrata, petalis interdum lib e ris.— Acæna montana, Nob. in Lon d . Journ.
B o t. vi. 4 7 6 . {Gunn, 1 0 6 4 .)
H a b . Common in pastures and roadsides, e tc ., throughout th e Colony.— (EL N o v .) Var. ß . Mount
W e llin g ton , elev. 3 -4 E 0 0 feet. {v . v .)
D i s t r ib . Sou th -ea st Australia, from Sydney to Victoria ; N ew Zealand, Lord Auckland’s Island.
Stems traihng, a span to 2 feet long. Branches erect or ascending. Leaves 2 -6 inches long, süky or almost
glabrous ; leaflets four to ten pairs, obovate-oblong or rounded, obtuse, coarsely inciso-sen-ate, 4 - 1 inch long.
Scapes 4 inches to almost a foot long, often with one or two small leaves. Heads variable in size, globose, seldom
more than f incli diameter. Calyx-iviht four-angled, with four rigid pmple spines 4 inch loug, barbed at the tips.
Petals four. Stamens two. Stigmas düated, fimbriated.— The natives o f the Middle Island o f New Zealand use
a decoction o f the leaves o f this plant as a medicine.
2 . A c æ n a o v iu a (A. Cunn. in F ield ’s N . S. W .) ; sericeo-pilosa v . glabrata, foliolis oblongis ovatisve
4 -1 0 - ju g is subpinnatifido-serratis incisisve obtusis, inflorescentia spicata (scapo interdum d iv iso ), floribus
s'lbdioieis glomeratis, calycis tubo late oblongo v illoso compres.so spinis brevibus apice glocbidiatis simpli-
c ibusve armato, petalis 4 inter se plus minusve cohærentibus, staminibus sub-6, floribus foeraineis ad coronam
brevem reductis, carpellis 2 , stigmate düatato 8m h n a io .— B en th . in P la n t. H ü ge l, p . 4 3 ; A sa Gray, Bot.
U. S. E x p l. E x p . i. 4 9 8 . A. ecbinata, Lehm. in P la n t. P re iss. i. 9 5 . A. Beliriana, Schlecht. ? L in n a a , xx.
6 6 0 . {Gunn, 8 7 .)
H a b . Pasture s, especially in the northern parts o f th e Colony, L awrence, Gunn.— (FL N o v .)
D i s t r i b . South-western and Soutb-eastern Austraha, from Syduey to Victoria.
A larger, taller plant tlian A. Sanguisorba; like it, extremely variable in stature, sükmess, and form of the
leaflets, readily distiuguished by tlie tall scapes and spiked inflorescence. Flowers spm-iously dioecious, the females
having no stamens, but in their place a very short lobed or toothed epigynous disc; the males with sniaU calyces,
imperfect achenia, aud six stamens, coüected into small clusters. Cafya:-tube slightly compressed, silky or viUous,
armed with short, unequal, rigid spines, that are either simple or barbed at the apex. PetaU green or pmple,
pubescent at the back, more or less cohering at the base. Carpeh two, one in the female flowers with a simple,
and the other with a dilated, stigma ; only one ripens.— Except in having only six stamens (instead of ten), and
four (not five) petals, this agrees so well with Schleditendal’s description of A . Beliriana, that I should doubt the
latter proving distinct. Mr. Gunn describes the hooked calyces of this species as being extremely troublesome,
especially from their adlieving to linen exposed to di-y on the grass.
N a t . O r d . X X V IIL ONAGRARIÆ.
This N atural Order, the species of whicb abound in America, is comparatively poorly represented iu
Australia, excep t the H a lo ra g ea be included iu it, with whicli this Order is linked by many osculant genera.
Of the Australian genera, Ep ilobium is the largest, though the species are much less numerous than in
N ew Zealand. Several species o f Jussieua are fouud iu the warmer parts o f the contment, some even
advancing as far south as V ictoria; th e se are for th e most part common tropical Asiatic and American
weeds. The occurrence o f a species o f the otherwise wholly American genus OEnoihera ou the mountains
o f Tasmania, is a m ost curious fact in geographical distribution.
Gen. I . E P IL O B IUM , L .
Calycis tubus elongatus, 4 -g on u s, ovario ad natus; limbus 4-sepalus, deciduus. P e ta la 4 . S tam in a 8 .