erectus, foliis r igid is lineai-ibus supra glabris subtus appresse incanis, floribus breve pedice llatis, stylis 3
d istin c tis profunde tripartitis. [Gunn, 6 2 4 .)
H a b . Abundant on the N ile r ivu let and Sou th E sk River, about six te en miles from Launce ston,
G u n n ; Great Swan P o r t, Backhouse.— (F l. D e c .)
D i s t iu b . B lu e Mou n tain s in N ew Sou th YVales, and Victoria.
A small, erect slirub, 1 - 6 feet higb in Australia, with terete, puhescent branches, and linear, rigid, ahnost pungent
leaves, - |- 1 inch long, with revolute margins ; under surface ivhite and tomentose ; petiole short, Floweis
on short, stout, axillary peduncles, about 4 inch in diameter. Capsule oblong, pubescent.— The bracts, placed at
the top of each peduncle, and sun-ounding the flower, entirely resemble the so-called calyx of Beijei-ia, but, as Planchón
observes that they sometimes contain two flowers, a male and female, it becomes doubtful whether the so-called
calyx of the female flower of Ricinocaipus and Beyeria is anything more tban a series of bracts. The subject of the
floral envelopes of FupTiorbiaceæ reqnii-es a systematic investigation.
Gen. IV . AM P E R E A , A . Juss.
Flores parvi, monoici v . dioici. M a s c . Cahjx campanulatus, 3 -5 - f id u s j lac iniis valvatis, patentibus.
Corolla 9 . S tam in a 8 , filamentis filiformibus ima basi connatis, 4 exterioribus brevioribus; anthe rarum
locu lis ovatis e apice conne ctivi granuliformis pendulis. Foem. Ca lyx 3 -5 -p a r t itu s ; laciniis rigidis, persistentibus,
acutis. Ovai'ium glabrum, 3-loculare, locu lis 1-ovulatis. S ty lu s brevis ; stigmata 3 , erecta,
bifida, lac iniis acutis. Capsula ovoidea, tricocca ; cocc is bivalvibus 1-spermis, ab axi columellæformi dec
iduis.— Suffruticuli sp a r ie i ; ramis compressis, ei-ectis v . v irg a tis ; foliis ra r is , stip u la tis , a lte rn is, hrevihus,
a cu tis ; floribus masc. et foem. ple rum qu e in eodem s tir p e remotis, m in u tis, a x illa rih u s ; pedunculis m u lti-
bra c tea tis, rig id is.
A curious genus of often nearly leafless plants, consistmg in most cases of slender, compressed and acutely
angled, flexuous, rigid stems and branches, somewhat like those of Leptomeria, funiished here and there with
minute leaves and small tufts of minute flowers, siuTOuudcd with rigid bracts. About ten species arc known to
me.—A . spartioides, the only Tasmanian species, is a dioecious, suffi-utescent plant, 1-3 feet high, cousisting of a
short, woody stem, that sends up numerous flexuous or strict, sparingly divided, much compressed, almost two-
edged brandies, abont 4 inch broad ; these are deeply grooved and two- to three-ribhed iu tbe centre, and at intervals
of au inch or so bear alternately minute glomeruli of flowers. The leaves are found chiefly on young plants
and shoots, and are smaU, 4-4 inch long, elliptical-obloug or obovate, acute, irregularly toothed, glaucous
below, vei-y shortly pediceUed ; pedicels bracteolate. Flowers surrounded by dark-coloured, imbricating bracts.
Males. Calyx campannlate, qiunquefid, its segments valvate. Corolla none. Stamens eight, the filaments combined
at the base, four outer shorter. Anther-cells pendulous from the thickened, granulate connective. Females
with a persistent, rigid calyx. Ovary smooth, three-celled, three-ovuled, with three erect, bifid stigmas. Capsule
4 inch long, small, ovoid, of three crustaceous, two-valved cocci, that separate from a woody, persistent axis ; each
coccus has towards its apex two short tubercles or horns, one on each side. Seeds shortly oblong, ivith a daj-k
brown testa, and very large canmcula. (Named in honour of M. Am ph e , a celebrated chemist.)
1 . A m p e r e a s p a r t ì o ìd e s (Brongniart in V o y . Coquill, t. 4 9 . f. A .); erecta, ramis ramulisque
adultis subaphyllis e longatis ancipiti compressis profunde sulcatis medio alte costatis, fasciculis florum parvis
alternis remotis, foliis in ramulis junioribus ovato-e llipticis acutis dentatis, adultis linearibus v, 0, stipulis
setaceis, capsulis coriaceis, cocc is apice utrinque tuberculatis cornutisve.— A ch ille R ich a rd , Se rt. A strolab.
5 3 . t. XX. A. cuneifolia, M u e lle r. Leptomeria xyphoclados, Sieber, P L Fxsicc. 1 3 5 . [Gunn, 1 9 0 .)
H a b . Abundant in poor sandy soil.-=>-(Fi. Oct.) {v. v.)
D i s t e i b . N ew South YVales and Victoria.
Gen. IV . P H Y L L A N T H U S ,
Flores monoici v. dioici. C alyx 5 -6 -p a r titu s , laciniis biseriatis. M a s c . S tam in a 3 (rarius 5 ) ; filamentis
in columnam coalitis, basi glandulis 5 - 6 v. disco 5 -6 - lo b o c in c tis ; antheris extrorsis adnatis. F oe m .
Ovarium, g landulis 5 - 6 v. disco 5 -6 - lo b o cinctum, 3 -lo cu la r e ; lo cu lis 2 -ovu latis. S ty li 3 , basi interdum
cuneati, plerumque bifidi ; stigmatibus 6. Capsula 3-cocca, coccis bivalvibus.— Arbores, frutices, v . herbæ;
foliis p le r isq u e d istich is s tip u la tis , ra riu s 0 v . ram u lis fo lia c e o -d ila ta tis ; floribus a x illa rih u s, p e d ic e lla tis ,
s o lita r iis fa s c ic u la tis v e , bra c tea tis, fa s c ic u lis monoicis dioicisve.
A very extensive tropical genus, many species of which have ve iy wide ranges, some indeed being almost universally
distributed tropical weeds. About five-and-twenty Austi-alian species are known to me, some o f which are
tropical, and several of them are perhaps Indian weeds.— Kerbs or shrubs, rarely small trees, the Australian species
o f which have slender, angled branches, and alternate, often distichous, stipulate, entire, deciduous leaves, that
generally blacken in drying. Flowers axillaiy, solitaiy or crowded, monoecious or dioecious, small, green. Calyx
five- or six-])arted, the segments in two series, imbricate in æstivation. Male flowers ivdth five or six stamens in
the centre o f the fiower, subtended by as many glands, or a lobed disc, theft filaments connate ; anthers adnate,
extroi-se. Female a three-lobed, three-celled, six-ovuled ovary, seated on a disc, with three simple or bifid stigmas.
Fruit a membranous or crustaceous capsule, o f three two-seeded, two-valved cocci. (Name from cf>vXXov, a leaf,
and aj/0oç, a flower ; because some of the species (but not the Australian) have phyUodia beaiing the flowers.)
1 . Phyllanthus Gunnii (N ob . in Lond. Journ. B o t. vi. 2 8 4 ) ; frutescens v. subarborea, glaberrima,
ramulis glaberrimis subaugulatis, foliis alternis distichis breve petiolatis obovatis apiculatis, stipulis ovato-
subulatis, floribus monoicis solitariis fasciculatisve gracile pedicellatis 5-meris, antheris inclusis, stigmatibus
3 simplic ibus.— A n P . iiidigoferoides, A . Cunn. ? [G tm n , 2 3 3 .)
H a b . Den se forests at Georgetown, Circular Head, and Rocky Cape, Gunn.— (FI. N o v .)
D i s t r i b . N ew South YVales and Victoria.
A shrub 4 -5 feet high, which, according to MueUer, sometftnes attains tlie height of 12 feet in Victoria.
Gunn describes it as having a slender, weak stem, incUned from the great weight of the foliage.— Branchlets slender.
Leaves | —1 inch long, obovate, apiculate, quite glabrous. Flotcers smaU, very numerous, soUtaiy or fascicled, axillary,
green. Calyx o f five gi-een sepals, with white margins. Anthers of male flowers included. Ovary with three
spreading, subulate styles. Capsule sinaU, about 4 iuch long. Seeds trigonous, subreuiform, attached by the
middle.
2 . Phyllanthus Au stralis (N o b . in Lond. Journ. B o t. vi. 2 8 4 ) ; humilis, depressa, ramis cæspitosis
procumbentibus ramulis ascendeutibus, foliis parvis e llip tic is acutis mucronatisve coriaceis, pedicellis
robustis, floribus paucis, calyce 6-partito, stigmatibus simplicibus. [Gunn, 7 3 9 , 7 4 0 .)
H a b . Probably common, b u t overlooked : roadsides, Hobarton, Campbelitown, N ew Nor folk , e tc .—
Gunn.— (Fl. Oct.) (v. v.)
D i s t r ib . S outli-eastern Australia?
A smaU, glabrous, depressed species, with a large, woody root, aiid many short, prostrate stems, 3 -5 inches
long, with numerous, ascending, short branches. Leaves 4 - 4 inch long, coriaceous, elliptical or obovatc-eUiptical,
acute or w itli a mucro. Flowers few, on stout, solitary peduncles. Calyx six-parted, reddish-green. Styles simple,
subulate. Capsule small, globose, red-brown.
Gen. V. M IC R A N T H E A , D e s f
Flores monoici. M a s c . C alyx coloratus, 6 -phyllus, foliolis imbricatis, 3 interioribus majoribus, petaloideis.
Corolla 0. Stamina 3 - 6 , circa discum glandulosum 3-lobum in se r ta; f ilam e n tis lib e r is; a ntheris
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