Gen. I . T R IC H IN IU M , B r .
Flores hermaphroditi, 3-bracteati. P e ria n tln nm 5-phylhmi, foliolis elongatis erectis plumosis, 2 exte-
rioribus majoribus. S tam in a 5 ; filamentis basi in cupulam v. tubum co a litis; autheris sub-2-locular ibus.
Ovanum 1-loculare, 1 -ovulatum, stylo elo n g a to ; stigmate capitato. U triculus 2-valvis, basi pcrianthio
in c lu su s. (S'««®» verticale, reniforme ; testa subcrustacea; albumine centrali farinaceo ; embryone periphe-
rieo, radicala a scendente.— Herbæ aiinuæ v. p e ren n e s ; foliis a lte rn is, ra riu s oppositis, fa s c ic u la tis v e ; floribus
c a p ita tis sp ica tisv e , tandem ope p e r ia n th ii p ium o s i avolantihus ; bracteis scariosis, n itid is , jje rsisten tibu s.
i . Trichinium spathulatum (Br. Prodr. 4 1 5 ) ; radice perenni lignosa, ramis brevibus asceuden-
tibus glabris viridibus, foliis radicalibus petiolatis obovato-spathulatis obtusis mucronulatis integerrimis
glabris, superioribus sessilibus, capitulis solitariis ovatis cyliiidraceisve obtusis, floribus densis llavidis,
perianthio bracteis duplo longiore, foliolis subtrinerviis apice nitid is pilis perianthio longioribus sericeis
flavescentibus copiosissimis.— Tand. in B C . P ro d r . xii. 288. {Gunn, 726.) (Tab. X C IV .)
H ab . A bundant on dry plains near R o s s ; Clarence P la in s, N ew No r fo lk , e tc .— (F l. N o v .) (y. v.)
D i s t e i b . Yictoria and Swan River.
A veiy pretty species, belonging to a very large genus, numbering fifty Australian species ; it forms a low,
herbaceous plant, with a v e iy stout, woody root, and short, prostrate, ascending brauches, that bear long, cylindrical
heads of silky, yellow flowers.—Aon? often as thick as the thumb. Branches 2 - 4 inches long, spreading
trom the collum, prostrate, uuth ascending tips. Leaves petiolate, glabrous, spathulate, 1 -1 4 inch long, blunt,
generally with a mucro. Spikes 1 - 2 inches long, | inch broad, blunt, ovate or generally cylindrical. Bracts scari-
ous, shining, broadly ovate, balf as long as the perianth. Pei-ianth linear, five-cleft; segments linear-subulate,
unequal, erect, plumose, with long, yeUow, silky hairs. Stamens five, the filaments imited into a small, membranous
cnp. Ovanj obbque, pilose at the top, with a long style, and minute, capitate stigma. Utriculus with one erect,
reniform seed. (Name from Tptx‘*'05, woven; in allusion to the hairy inflorescence.)—Plate XCIV. Fig. 1, flower;
2, the same, with one segment o f perianth removed; 3, apex o f pedicel, with stamens and p istil; 4 , p istil; 5, stamen
; 6, hair of perianth :— a ll hig
Gen. I I . A L T E R N A N T H E R A , Forst.
Flores hermaphroditi (rarius polyg. dioic i), tribracteati. P e ria n th ium 5-partitum, foliolis glabris v.
villosis, erectis. S tam in a 5 ; filamentis filiformibus, basi in cupulam con n a tis; staminodiis minutis inter je
c tis ; antheris unilocularibus, 2 interdum castratis. Ovarium 1-loculare, stylo b r ev i; stigmatibus 1 v. 2.
U?n«<?»s obovatus, evalvis. t a e « verticale, lenticular e; te sta crustácea ; albumine farinaceo; embryone
peripherico; radicula a scendente.— I ie rbæ ; caulibus ram o s is ; ramis nodosis, a n g u la tis ; foliis o p p o sitis;
floribus albis, c a p ita tis, demum deciduis.
A tropical and subtropical genus, o f about twenty-five species, o f which three or four only are Australian, and
these very variable in habit and foliage. All are herbs, with branciied, angular, often jointed and rooting stems,
opposite leaves, and capitate, small, wbite, deciduous, sessile, hermaphrodite flowers. Pei-ianth of five subscarious
pieces. Stamens flve, with one-celled anthers and subulate fllaments, alternating with minute scales, together united
at the base into a cup. Ovary one-celled, witb one ereet ovule, a slender style, and capitate, bilobed or bifld stigma,
ov two stigmas. Fruit a membranous, obovate utricle, with one vertical seed. (Name from the stamens alternating
with the staminodia.)
1. Alternantbera s e ss ilis (Br. Prodr. 4 1 6 ) ; glabra v. ramulis ultimis bifariam pubescentibus,
caule herbáceo repente ramoso, foliis glabris v. axillis barbatis linearibus lanceolatis obovatis spatlmlatisve
apice obtusis mucronatisve margine lævi v. denticulate , capitulis se ssilibus solitariis binis v. plurimis dense
congestis, floribus nitidis albis, perianthio bracteis lateralibus 2 -3 -p lo longiore, sepalis ovatis acuminatis
1-nerviis glabris, staminibus 3 fertilibus, stigmate capitato.— Moq. Tand. in B C . Frodn-. x iii. 3 5 7 ; F l. N.
Zeal. i. 2 1 2 . A. nodiflora e t A . denticulata, B r . P ro d r . e t Moq. Tand. I .e . Gomphrena sessilis, L in n .
Sp. P L {Ounn, 56.)
H a b . Nea r Launc estou, Gunn.— (Fl. March.)
D is t iu b . Throughout Australia, N ew Zealand, Polynesia, Asia, and Africa; W e s t In d ie s (perhaps
introduced). (Cultivated in England.)
I have attempted in vain to discriminate between A . sessilis, nodijlora, and denticulata, wliicb are all described
as extremely variable plants, and of whidi nodijiora and denticulata are said to be scarcely distmct by
Moquin-Tandon, in his valuable monogi-aph of the Order, in De CaudoUe’s ‘ Prodi-omus.’ I find no character in
the descriptions of these species whereby they can be recognized. In Australia the plant appears to be even more
variable tban in auy other countiy, the Tasmanian specimens being very slender, with long, uaiTOw internodes, long,
linear or lanceolate leaves, and solitaiy capitula, whilst some specimens from the continent liave short, elliptical-
lanceolate leaves, and some, instead of solitary capitula, have very many o f these, densely congested into a globose
bead, an inch iu diameter, through wliich the stem passes. These most dissimilar foims are united by numerous
intermetliate ones, with short or long, simple or much branched, rigid or flaccid stems, and leaves from 4 iuch to
almost 2 inches long. The flowers are always glabrous, white and shining, with ovate, acmninate segments of the
perianth, and three fertile anthers alternating with subulate, acute, entire staminodia. The length of the ovaiy,
compared with the cup, formed by the filaments, depends upon age. Utriculus compressed, with rather acute
margins, and rather uneven faces. Seed compressed, black, yellowish, or brown, shining.
Gen. I I I . H EM IC H R O A , B r .
Flores bermaplirocliti, bibracteati. P e rian th ium 5-partitiim, in tu s coloratum. S tam in a 2 - 5 , filamentis
subulatis basi connatis, staminodiis 0 . Ovarium 1-locu lare ; sty lo brevi; stigmatibus 2 , patulis.
U triculus periantluo iiie lusus, compressus. verticale, compressum ; testa Crustacea; albumine farina
c eo ; embryone bemieyclico, peripherico, radicula ascendente.— Herbte v. suffruticuli; caulibus p r o -
ramis ascendentibus ; foliis a lte rn is, sessilibus, semite retibus, e x s tip u la tis ; floribus so lita r iis , a x il-
1. Hemichroa pentandra (Br. Prodr. 4 0 9 ) ; glabra, ramis prostratis radicantibus, foliis linearibus
acutis, perianthii foliolis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis bracteis duplo longioribus, staminibus 5 .— Moq. Tand.
in B C . P ro d r . xiii. 3 3 4 . {Gunn, 6 8 6 .)
H a b . On th e shore, near bigb-water mark, Kelvedon, Great Swan Por t, Backhouse; Georgetown,
Gunn.— (F l. Jan.)
D is t iu b . South coast o f Australia, B r o w n ; Ytictoria, M u e ller.
A small, glabrous, herbaceous, saline plant.— Stems 4 - 6 incbes long, prostrate, rooting; roots of veiy thick,
descending fibres. Branches 2 -3 inches long, descending. Leaves alternate, linear, semiterete, spi-eading, 4 - | inch
long. Flowers small, solitary, axillaiy, sessile. Perianth of five erect pieces, coloured iiitenially. Stamens five, the
filaments forming a cup below, without alternating scales ov staminodia. Ovary with a short style aud two spreading
stigmas. (Name from half, and to colour; in allusion to the coloured inner snrface of the perianth.)
N at. O r d . LXYHI. CHENOPODIACEÆ.
This Order is well represented iu Australia, though n o t by th ose o f its tribes which abound most in