Gen. I. HYPOXIS, L.
Perianthium superum, 6 -partitum, patens, cequale, persistens. Stamina 6 ; filameutis brevibus disco
epigyno insertis ; antlieris introrsis. Ovarium 3-loculate ; loculis multi-ovulatis ; ovulis 2-seriatis, ampM-
tropis. Stigmata 3, angulis styli erecti adnata v. libera. Capsula 1-3-locularis, evalvis. Semina plurima;
testa coriacea ; umbilico laterali rostelliformi ; albumine molli, carnoso ; embryone recto, axili ; radicula supera,
bilo remota.— Herba radice tuberosa, tunicata; foliis planis linearibusve; scapo bracteato, \-pluri-
fioro; ^onhxxi scBpissimefiavis.
Of this genus, which abounds in South Africa, only four or five Australian species are known. All are small
herbs, with naiTow, grassy, or filifom leaves, coated tubers, and slender, one- or several-fiowered scapes. Flowers
yellow, erect. Perianth superior, of six equal, spreading pieces. Stamens six, inserted on an epigynous disc or
tliickened base of the perianth ; filaments short ; antliei-s iutrorse. Style erect, with three adnate or free stigmas.
Ovary inferior, three-celled ; cells with many ovules in two rows. Fruit indehiscent, three-celled, or with the
dissepiments sometimes obliterated, coriaceous or membranous, crowned with the withered perianth. Seeds with a
small, subulate point or hook at the umbilicus. (Name from éiru), beneath, and sharp ; in allusion to the elongate
base of the capsule.)
!• H y p o x is h ygrome trica (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 82. t. 108); pilosa, fobis anguste linearibus filifor-
mibusve scapo gracili 1- 2 -floro longioribus, floribus majusculis, filamentis elongatis, antheris basi longe
bifidis, stigmate simplici parvo.—Br. Prodr. 289. {Gunn, 561.)
Hab. Abundant iu marshy and grassy pastures, etc., throughout the Island, ascending to 4-000 feet.—
(FI. Nov.-April.) {v. V.)
D is t r ib . Throughout extratropical Australia.
A^Tiole plant more or less pilose, 3-8 inches long. Leaves very slender, almost filiform, longer than the one-
or two-flowered, slender scape. Flowers | iuch broad, bright yellow. Stamens with the anther-cells free from
the base upwards to the insertion of the filament, which is almost half their length. Style with small, clavate,
adnate stigmata. Capsules turbinate.
2. H y p o x is glabe lla (Br. Prodr. 289) ; glaberrima, foliis filiformibus scapo gracili 1-2-floro longioribus,
floribus majusculis, staminibus submqualibus, antheris anguste linearibus integris, stylo brevi, stigmate
late clavato integro v. trilobo.—Lehm. in Plant. Preiss. ii. 14. [Gunn, 163.) (T a b . CXXX. A.)
H a b . Abundant in pastures, etc.— (FI. Aug.-Oct.) {v. «.)
D is t r ib . Victoria and South-west Australia.
Very similar in general appearance to H. hygrometrica, but glabrous, with paler flowers, and the stamens and
style are very different. Stamens nearly equal. Anthers linear, entire at the base, on short filaments. Stigma
large, davate, on a stout, short style, entire or deeply lobed.—P la t e CXXX. A. Fig. 1, flower ; 3, stamen ; 3,
style and stigma —all magnified.
3. H y p o x is p u silla (Hook, fil.) ; glaberrima, foliis filiformibus flexuosis scapo brevi longioribus,
floribus parvis, staminibus alternis minoribus, antheris ellipticis basi integris, stylo brevi, stigmatibus linearibus,
capsula turgida. H. hygrometrica?, i" /. N . i. 253. [Gunn,lGl.) (T a b . CXXX. R .)
H a b . Circular Head, Gunn.— (PI. May.)
D is t r ib . Victoria and South-west Australia, New Zealand.
A smaUer species than either of the preceding.—Bulb as large as a hazel-nut. Leaves wiry, 2-3 inches loug.
Scape i - l i iuch high, one- rarely two-flowered. Flower i indi broad.— P la t e CXXX. B. Fig. 1, flower ; 2, outer
segment of perianth and stamen ; 3, inner ditto ; 4, ovary, style, and stigma ; 5, transverse section of ovary ; 6, ripe
fruit; 7, vertical section of ditto ; 8. seed; 9, ditto, cut longitudinally :—all magnified.
N at. O rd . V. H Y U R O C I IA R ID E Æ .
Tlierc are three Australian genera of this Order; one, Bamasonium, contains a single species very
closely allied to, if not identical with, an Egyptian and Indian plant ; the second, Hydrilla, consists also of
one species, which is found tliroughout the Old World, from East Prussia to South Africa and India; the
third is the present, a very singular plant, the economy of whose fertilization is one of the most curious in
the vegetable kingdom.
Gen. I. VALLISNE1ÌIA, L.
Flores dioici. M asc . Spa-dix brevissime pedunculatus, conicus, spatha trivalvi inclusus, floribus sessilibus
minimis undique tectus. Perianthium tripartitum, lobis valvatis. Staminodia 4. Stamina 1-3,
perianthii laciniis alterna, filamentis brevibus, antheris globosis. F cem. Flos sessilis, spatha tubulosa iii-
clusus, scapum longissimura spiraliter tortum terminans. Perianthium superum, 3-pavtitum. Staminodia
3, perigonii laciniis alterna. Stigmata 3, magna, ovalia, sæpius bifida, extus quandoque appendiculata.
Ovarium 1-loculare, placentis 3 parietalibus. Bacca cylitidrica, perigonii limbo coronata, polysperma.
Semina cyliudrica, ascendentia, testa coriacea, echinata; embryone exalbumiuoso, orthotropo, extremitate
radiculari infera.— Herbæ submerscB, perennes, stolonifera; foliis lineanbus, elongatis, submembranaceis,
clathratim venosis, apice sen-ulatis ; floribus parvis, masculis fe r e microscopicis.
\ . V a llisn e r ia sp ir a lis (Linn. Sp. PI. 1441); foliis linearibus obtusis apice serrulatis.—.Sr.
Prodr. 345.
H a b . South Esk River, in deep and shallow water, and probably common elsewhere, G^mn.
D is t r ib . Australia, and generally diffused in the warm-temperate and tropical parts of the world.
Vallisneria spiralis is a submerged fresb-watcr herb, with fibrous roots, a very short stem, sending off' lateral
suckers, and very long, fiat, linear, green leaves, sen-ulate at the tips. The male and female flowers are on different
plants. The male inflorescence (of which I have seen no Tasmanian specimens) is an almost sessile spathe, containing
a small, short'spadix, covered avitli little globose, sessile, white, almost microscopic flowers; these become
detached from the spadix, ascend to the surface of the water, expand by three valvate segments, and expose one to
three minute stamens, alteraating with some staminodia. The female flower is solitary at the apex of a very long,
spirally-tivisted filifoim peduncle, wliich, by unrolling its spire, allows the flower to reach the surface of the water,
and there expand. The female flower consists of a cylindrical ovary, crowned by three small, spreading periantli-
lobes, has three staminodia, and three large sessile stigmata. The pollen, detached from the floating male flowers,
fertilizes the female, after which the spiral peduncle again contracts, and the female is carried to the bottom of the
water, where it ripens its fruit.— Fruit a cylindrical berry, i—2 inches long, with many ascending, ridged, and
toothed seeds, attached to parietal placentæ. (Named in honour of Antonio Vallisneri, au Italian botanist.)
N at. O rd . V I . P IS T IA C EÆ .
A very small Order^ containing a few genera of water-plants, closely allied to Aroidea, of which they
are no doubt very reduced forms. The tropical Duckweed, Pistia, which abounds iu the fresh waters of
tlie Old and New Worlds, has not hitherto been found in Australia.
Gen. I. LEMNA, L.
Flores bcrmaphroditi v. abortu dioici, fissura frondis lenticularis cellulosm inserti, spatha menjbra-
nacea inclusi. iStómirea 1- 2, exserta; filamentis inoequilongis ! antheris didymis. Gi-wza?« sessile, 1-locu-
lare; ovulis 1-4, basilaribus, stylo brevi; stigmate truncato. Ulriculus membranaceus, 1-4-spermus.
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