^ The genus A tU n x fe rm a , as thus modifed. coiitaius four species, each peculiar to the locality it inhabits
They m ay be divided into sections, corresponding to the three genera already instituted; but these appear to me to
constitute only one genns, and that an exceedingly natural one. Broivn, in Fhnders’ Voyage, ii. 353, mentions
that there are two AustraUan Allm-ospermx, and does not aHiide to the Moiiiiiiiaceons genns (Hedycanja) fomid
ill the colony of Port Jackson. The perianth o f H m imiae ex has been described as an involucre, bnt analogy
with Atlerosferma. would seem to be quite opposed to this view. Brown however proposed lo separate A tk ? o -
spermea: as a dislincl natural fomfly, characterized ehiefly by the flowers being provided with a perianth, by the
anthers, the texture of the albumen, and the relative size o f the embryo. Dr. Thomson and I have however shown
(Flora Indica, i. 164) that the stmctm-e o f an Indian plant o f this family renders this view mileiiaUe, that both
are members o f one Order, and that the involncre c ‘
\ true perianth. (Name from o% , a
and o-TTtpya, a seed?)
1 . Atherosperma moschata (Lab. N o v . H o ll. ii. 7 4 . t. 2 2 4 ) ; ramulis foliis snbtus perianthiis-
que extu s sen c e is, fo liis lanceolatis grosso serratis subtus g laucis junioribus integerrimis, perianthii tnbo
fructifero hemisphærico, staminibus 2-seriatis 1 5 - 2 0 basi squamulis plurimis im m ixtis, antiieris brevibus
obtusis. [Cunn, 5 3 1 .)
H a b . Common in beech forests th roughout th e Islan d , elev. 1 - 3 0 0 0 feet, L M U a n liir e , etc.— OE l Au »
Sept.) (r. V.) °
D i s t b i b . S outh-eastern Australia.
Au erect tree, 1 0 0 -1 5 0 feet Iiigh, with bright evergreen foKage. straight taper tnmk, conical head, and whorled
spreading branches. BmncMeU terete, pubescent or tomentose. U a v e s on short petioles, 2 - 4 inches long, lanceolate,
acuminate, coarsely serrate or entire, downy and glaucous beneath. A W * enclosed in two opposite’coneave
Villons bracts, soHtaiy, on short viBous curved axfflarv pedicels, imisexiinl.— Jfales with a short tube to the perianth,
and limb 1 inch across, o t eight spreading snbmembmnous blunt segments in two series; the outer broad, roimded’
silkj. at the back; the inner narrower, ovate-lanceolate. 1 5 -2 0 , with many scales (imperfect’ stamens)
at the base of the fllaments. A x tlim short, blunt, with recarved valves.— A W e f o w e n more densely viBons and
silky, with similar pedicels and opposite concave bracts. Ba-iuntl, with a larger tube, and broader, ¡liorter, more
coriaceons segments than the male, which soon fall away and leave a truneate limb, crowned with many teeth in two
rows, which are imperfect stamens. Frnit consisting o f many achenia enclosed in the hemispherical Liions tnbe of
the perianth, which is o f the size o f a pea; the pinmose styles exserted. Achenia smaU, memhranons; sflky hairs
on the style simple, transparent ; stigma a lateral flat surface on the needle-shaped glabrous apex o f the style. Seed
filling the cavity of the acheninm and adherent to its walls ; testa very deBcate. AUumen copious, fleshy, oily,
of large separable grannies, aromatic. Emirgo minute, at the base o f the seed, immersed in the albnmeni ’erect i
radicle cylindrical, blunt. Cotylédons compressed, short, slightly diverging.— The whole plant is veiy fragrant!
and the bark has been used for tea. It yields an essential oü like that o f the Laurel, called Sassafras. Thi!
New Holland Sassafras is the allied Doryphora Sassafras o f Endlicher.
N a t . O r d . IV. DIL L EN IACEÆ , BC.
Australia is, in respect o f number o f species, th e bead.quarters o f this A'atural Order, which is essen tially
a tropical one in every other respect : there are no species whatever in the temperate climates o f the
Nor thern Hemisphere, nor in any southern one bu t Australia and Tasmama; whilst the ir total absence in
extratropical South America, N ew Zealand, and S ou th Africa, renders their abundance in Tasmania one
o f the m ost singular facts in it s botany aud in the distribution o f plants generally. I t is to be remarked,
however, that th ou gh there are n in e species in th e Colony, none are alpine, and few ascend to Ihe subalpine
zone. Their abundance, habit, and profusion o f yellow blossoms recall tb e C isti and PotentiHæ o f Europe.
G u n n remai-ks that the neighbourhood o f th e sea is th e principal r egion o f B ü len ia c eoe in Tasmania, aU the
species b e in g fonnd withm a few miles o f Georgetown. They nsnally grow iu lig h t sandy soil, and vary
much. About m n e tj Australian species are known, th e greater number o f which are found in the so u th western
par ts; few or none o f th ese are common to th e south-eastern s id e ; there are also a few tropical
sjjecies. ^
Gen. I . H IB B E R T IA , Andr.
Sep a la 6, perslstentia. P e ta la 6. S tam in a indefinita, Kbera v. in phalanges approximata. Ooaria
smpms 2 - 0 , nmloculana, ovnhs e sutura ventrali asoendentibns. S ty li terminales, divaricati. Capsulee
membranaceæ, m tu s longitudmaliter dehiscentes, 1-polyspermæ. Semina arillata.— Suffrntiees ramosi snb.
e re c t, p ro eum ien te s v . ra r iu s scam len tes; foliis a lte rn is , co ria c e is; floribus soepe foe t i i i s , Urminalihus, p e -
d u n e v .bxi.o.m/o'/ioio ’ ■'
Proenmbent or erect, often rigid. smaU heath-like shiaibs. sometimes however scandent; Ml are confined to
A u s t r a h a .- im « * alternate, conaeeous. Flowers often fetid, terminal, solitary, pednneled or sessile. Sepals two,
persistent. Petals flve, yeUow. Slam«,, nmnerous, free, or united at the base into several bimdles. Ovaries
genera y 5, with diverging styles. Frail of two or more membranous caiqiels, that dehisce doivn the ventral
suture, t o * rounded, attached to the ventral sutme, ascending, ariflate. Testa often slilning. Emiryo (in a
Swan Biver speeies) ve iy minute, globose, nnequaBy two-lobed. De CandoBe describes tbe seeds as exarillate
red EnJheher as having a gcneraB, obsolete atiBns; that organ is however always present in the Tasmanian species’
(Named in honour o f D r. Afi«*,-;.) men species.
, ft- procumbens (DC. Syst. i. 4 2 7 ) ; glabra V. serioeo-pilosa, oaulibus procumbeutibus
fob osis, f o b s linearibus Imeari-obovatisve obtusis acutisve crassiusoulis aveniis, floribus amplis terminalibus
sessihbns, sepalis late ovato-rotuudatis mucronatis, petalis obovato-rotundatis, staminibus sub- 2 0 in pha
langes 4 obscure approximatis, fllamentis gracilibus, autheris brevibus, ovariis 4 - 5 glabris, ovulis su b -4 -6
semimbus 1 - 5 , testa palhde b r u n n e a . -D G P r o d r . i. 7 4 ; B o o k Pour«. B o t. i. 2 4 6 . Dilleu ia prooum!
bens, Z a i P I N o v . S o i l . ii. 1 6 . A 1 6 6 . H . angustifolia, S a lis t. P a r . L on d. n. 7 3 , H . obtusifolia, B C . I e
{Gunn, 6 3 8 .)
H a b . Abundant in open heathy places, B r c m , L awrence, Gunn, a f c . - ( H . Oct, N o v .) (v. v.)
A sman, spreading, depressed shrub, with slender, prostmte, leafy twigs, bright gi-een foliage, r ed large golden
flowers Boot stout, woody. Brunches prostrate, rarely ascending or ereet, 2 -1 2 inches long, much divided tnfled
covered with thin red hark, glabrous or pubescent towards the tips. Leaves nsnaBy spreading, linear, 'slivhtk'
expanded towards the sharp or blunt tips, | - 1 inch long, but sometimes ( S . o ltusifilia, DO.) much smaller, obovate
and erect, always nerveless, flat, and opaque, glabrons or covered with scattered silky hairs. Flowers 1 inch iu diameter
fetid m wann weather. Sepals imbricate in bud, coriaceons, broad, mucronate. P e ta l, one-third longer than th¡
calyx. Stamen, ilisposcd m fom- bmidles o f unequal numbers. Ant/mrs short, subclavale. openinv hy lateral slits
Ova,;e, 4 -6 , qiute glabrons, with long styles. Ovule. 4 -6 , inserted in two rows near the base of the cavity'
t o * 2 - 0, globose. Testa pale bi-ow-n, smooth, brittle, shining; eudopleura transparent, firmly adhering to the
albumen, which is densely fleshy and oily. FvAryo not found. A r llla s white, one-fourth the lenvth o f the seed
spht mto subulate la c in im .-lL -.G n im remarks that a hairy form sprang up, at Eoeky Cape after the vegetatioi;
liad been burned off the ground.
2 . H ibbertia fasciculata (Br. in DC. Sy st. i. 4 2 8 ) ; glabra y . sericeo-pilosa, ramis ramulisque vir-
g a tis u ltm ns brcvissimis, foliis tasciculatis plauis lineari-acicnlarlbus subacutis, floribus ramulos brevissimos
laterales termuiantibus amplis, staminibus su b -1 2 iu fascículos 3 - 4 dispositis, ovariis 3 - 4 2 -ovulatis — B C .
P ro d r. i. 7 4 . H . vii-gata. R o o k Ic . P I . 2 6 7 , Lond. Pourn. B o t. ii. 4 0 3 . ? H . camphorosma, S i d 1 4 6 '
[Gunn, 4 6 5 .)