1 . Decaspora disticha (Br. Prodr. 5 4 8 ) ; glaberrima, ramulis divaricatis, foliis (pollicaribus) sub-
distichis ovatis vel lineari- v. oblougo-lauc eolatis acuminatis plauis pe tiolo m ultoties longioribus subtus
3 -5 -c o s ta tis .— D C . P ro d r . v ii. 7 5 8 . Cyathodes disticha, L a b . N o v . HoU. i. 5 8 . t. 8 2 . {Gunn, 1 2 0 0 .)
H a b . Recherche Bay, in we t soil, L a b illa rd iè re , Gunn.— (PI. Oct.)
A very elegant and rare plant, probably confined to the South-western extreme of Tasmania, aud liitherto
gathered by Labillardière and Gunn only on the banks of the river at Recherche Bay.— Stem 6-t) feet high.
Branches slender, divaricating, perfectly glabrous, as ai-e the leaves and all parts. Leaves 1 inch loug, ou short
petioles, flat, coriaceous, ovate, Iinear-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, with often a broad, sphacelate,
membranous apex, smooth ahove, below with three to five parallel strong ribs. Spikes about 4 inch long,
many-flowered.
2 . Decaspora Cunninghamii (DC. Prodr. vii. 7 5 8 ) ; ramulis divaricatis pilosis, fo liis subdistichis
4 -p ollicatib u s ovatis ovato-obloiigisve breve petiolatis acutis v. apice sphacelato obtuso planis subtus 3 - 7 -
costatis, spicis u t in D . d istich a . {Gunn, 2 9 7 [ i n p a r t ] e t 1 1 9 9 .)
H a b . Fore sts ou the western h alf o f th e I s la n d ; Maequarrie Harbour, A . Cunningham; Fagus forests
sou th -w e st o f Lak e S t. Clair, and Mount Olympus, Gunn.— (F l. Jan.)
Very simüar indeed to D . disticha, and possibly only a variety of that species ; but the branchlets are hairy,
the leaves very much smaUer, about half an inch long, broader in proportion, and usually slightly cihated on the
margms. Gmm remarks that it so closely resembles Bauera in appearance that he has often passed it over as that
plant.— R ah it straggling. Branches rooting. Flowers bright red. Ben-ies violet.
3 . Decaspora Gunnii (H o ok . fil. in L on d . Journ. B o t. vi. 2 7 0 ) ; prostrata, ramulis hirtellis, foliis
subdistic liis (4-poîlicaribus) ob lon g is eUipticis lineari-oblongisve planis subobtusis marginibus scaberulis
subtus 3 - 7 -costatis, spicis terminalibus axillaribusque brevibus paucifloris foliis brevioribus, floribus parvis,
corolla glaberrima. {Gunn, 2 9 7 .) (T a b . L X X V I .)
H a b . Den se humid forests, south-west o f L ak e S t. Clair, and Hampshire H ills , Gunn.— (F l. N o v .)
A very distinct species, differing from D. Ounninghami in the much smaller leaves and flowers, and in the
short, often axillary spikes.— Stems 8 -1 2 feet high. Branches strict, pubescent or püose, very numerous, matted
together. Leaves about 4 inch long, subdistichous, elliptical or oblong or Iinear-oblong, blunt or acute, with a
small sphacelated point, minutely scabrid at the margin, with three to seven stout parallel ribs beneath, Spikes
small, much shorter than the leaves, axillary and terminal, three- to five-flowered. Flowers white, very small.
Sepals about as long as the tube o f tbe corolla. B erry violet-purple or hlac, size of a pea, with ten to twelve
one-seeded nuts.— P l a t e LXXVI. Fig. 1 and 2, front and back view o f leaves; 3, raceme; 4, flower; 5, ovary;
6, transverse section of ditto ; 7, stamen; 8, fruit :— all magnijied.
4 . Decaspora tRymifolia (Br. Prodr. 3 4 8 ) ; bumilis, ramulis prostratis pubescentibus, fohis (parvis)
lo n g e p etiolatis, convexis ovatis oblongisve subacutis subtus obsolete 3-nerviis marginibus recurvis, spicis
terminalibus nutantibus multifloris foliis multoties longioribus.— D C . P r o fk . vii. 7 5 8 . {Gunn, 2 9 8 .)
H a b . Summit o f Mou n t W e lliu g ton , elev. 3 - 4 0 0 0 fe et.— (F l. N o v .) { v .v .)
Much the smallest species of the genus, forming matted patches of a deep green colour, enlivened by the comparatively
large spikes o f red flowers.— Branches robust, pubescent or hairy. Leaves 4 o f an inch long, petiolate,
spreading, ovate or oblong, convex, hardly acute, with recurved margins, very coriaceous. Spikes 4 an inch long,
many-flowered. Flowers densely crowded.
Gen. X . P E N T A C H O N D R A , B r .
Calyx 4 - v . pluri-bracteatus. Cbro?/« infundibuliformis ; limbo patente, barbato v. villoso. Stam in a 5,
FLORA OF TASMANIA. 255
subsessilia. Squamulæ 5 hypogynæ. Ovarium 5-loculare, 5 -ovulatum. B a c c a 5-p yr en a.— F ru ticu li p a r v i,
■montani ; fohis sp a rsis ; floribus te rminalibus, erectis, albis.
Small plants, generally found crawling over bare gi-ound or rocks, natives o f the alpine regions o f Tasmania,
Victoria, and New Zealand.— Stems generally prostrate. Leaves petiolate, scattered or imbricating. Flowers large
for the size o f the plant, terminal, solitary (except in P . verticillata), erect, white, the calyx with four or more
bracts, and the lobes of the coroUa densely villous. Ovai-y five-ceUed. Fruit a berry, with five nuts. (Name from
■none, Jive, and -ypvhpo^, a grain.)
1. Pentachondra involucrata (Br. Prodr. 5 4 9 ) ; ramis elongatis prostratis tomentosis, fo liis lanceolatis
elliptico-lanceolatisve acutis concavis marginibus molliter c iliatis subtus multinerviis, calycibus
ciliatis 8-bracteatis coroUæ tubo m ultotie s brevioribus, corollæ lobis elongatis dense villosis, staminibus e x sertis.—
D G P ro d r . v ii. 7 5 9 . {Gunn, 3 0 1 .)
H a b . Summit o f Mount W e llin g to n .— (F l. Ma r ch -M a y .) {v. v .)
Brown describes his plant as having the stem erect, but those o f my specimens ai-e always prostrate.— Stems a
f /o t or more long, with ascending branches, stout, villous or pubescent. Leaves imbricated, 4- 4 - inch long, ellip-
iical or lanceolate, acute, ivith long soft ciba on the margins, striated with many nerves. Flowers large, about as
long as the leaves, with small cüiated calyces, surrounded by eight bracts. Corolla with long, very villous lobes,
and exserted stamens.
2. Pentachondra ericæfolia (H o ok . fil. in Lond. Journ. B o t. v i. 2 7 1 ) ; caule gracüi prostrato diffuso
ramoso, ramulis ascendentibus apice tomentosis, foliis erectis imbricatis linearibus Lineari-lanceolatisve
apice incrassato obtuso supra concavis subtus obtuse carinatis basi marginibusque cihatis, calyce 8-bracteato,
corollæ tubo in tu s et extus piloso, lim b i lobis dense villosis, staminibus inc lusis. {Gunn, 1 1 9 3 .) ( T a b .
L X X V I I . A.)
H a b . Abuudant in the alpine districts between Marlborough and Lak e S t. Clair, b u t found nowhere
else, Gunn.— (Y \. Jau.)
A prostrate, Heatli-like, often dcnsely-raatted shrub, with rather slender prostrate stems and ascending branches,
densely covered with short, tomentose, leafy branchlets. Leaves very smaU, erect, imbricating, 4 inch long, linear-
lanceolate, with a thickened blunt poiut, concave above, bluntly keeled at the back and fun-owed at the sides,
ciliated. Flowers sessile amongst the leaves at the ends o f the short branehes, white, much smaller than in P . involucrata.
S ^ a ls blunt, ciliated, balf as short as the tube of the corolla, which is pubescent, with somewhat deflexed
liairs both internally and externally. Lobes of the corolla very densely villous. Stamens included. Hypogynous
scales long.—P l a t e LXXVII. A . Fig. 1 and 2, front and back view o f leaves ; 3, flower ; 4 , corolla, laid
open ; 5 and C, back and front views of stamen ; 7, ovary ; 8, hypogynous glauds :— a ll magnified.
3 . Pentachondra pumila (Br. Prodr. 5 4 9 ) ; bumilis, caule prostrato ramosissimo, ramulis compactis
glabris, foliis parvis (4-uiicialibus) imbricatis coriaceis nitid is e llipticis apice incrassato obtusis g la berrimis
concavis subtus 3 -7 -n e r v iis , floribus majusculis, tubo corollæ glaberrimo elongato calyce multoties
longiore, limbi lob is brevibus dense barbatis, staminibus inclusis, bacca magna rubra.— D G P ro d r. vii.
7 5 9 ; F l. N . Zeal. i. 1 6 6 . Epacris pumila, F o rst. P ro d r. 7 0 . {Gunn, 1 2 4 .)
H a b . Summits o f all the mountains above 3 - 4 0 0 0 feet h igh .— (F l. J an ., F eb .) («. v.)
D i s t r ib . Mount Latrobe, Victoria, Mu e ller. Common on the N ew Zealand mountains.
A smaller species than any of the foregoing, forming deep-green matted patches.— Stems prostrate; branches
ascending, 3 -6 inches long. Leaves 4 inch long, erect, imbricating, shining, very coriaceous, obtnse, concave, glabrous,
three- to flvc-nerved on the back, eUiptic or oblong or obovate-oblong. Floweis large for the size of the
plant, ahnost twice ns long as the leaves. Calyx very short. Corolla with a long glabrous tube and short viUous
lobes. Stamens included. Fruit bright-red, as large as a pea.