diameter al lite base, formed of the slieathii.g ba.cs of tire leaves, wliieli ate surroimdcd by the libres ot decayed foliage.
U n a shorter or longer than the scape, 1-3 feet long, Ì - » inches broad, linear, gi.adtully tapering at the top to a
long point, gtassy-gi.een, ribbed ivhcn dry, mote or less silty or vdllons towards the base nnd along tlio midrib.
s IjM villous, 1-2 feet liigh, blanched above the middle, bearing below that one or two nnrrow, linear-subulnte,
amplexiCBid leaves. PmicU bracteate at the axils; íracíAt lanceolate or Imear-lnnceolatc, generally elongate;
branciea slender, spreading; peiicd, slender, cernnous, covered with silky wool, bearing small, linear, membranous
bnicteoloe at the base. Floieers A ineli broad, wMte, not jointed on to tbe pedicel. Fermili entire and ciip-sbaped
at the base, then divided into six (tately five ov seven) linear-oblong, blmit lobes, that are imbricate and somewhat
involute in mslivation. Stono« small, inscvted at the base of tbe segments ; filaments subulate. Anlhere small,
versatile, two-lol)ed. Ocan/ sunk in the base of the periantli, nnd ndbcrent at its base with it, oblong, lliree-lobed,
with three subolnte tecnrved stigmas, three-cellcd, with many axile, ascending ovides. Capsule oblong, membranous
three-lobed, tbice-celled, dehiscing to the middle down the axis, each cell splitting at tbe summit ouly, the
divisions crowned by the persistent styles, which are idso spKt in halves. Seed, tew ot many, linear, ascending,
covered witb a brittle, black, sliining testa, that is contracted at either end of the seed. In smnll specimens tbe
leaves arc a span loug, and iuch broad.
2. MiUigania densiflora (Nob. in Hook. Kew Jonrn. Bot. 1. c. p. 298) ; foliis coriaceis patulis e
basi lata vaginaule gradatim angustatis acuminatis late subulato-lanceolatis linenti-snbulatisve sparse seiiceo-
pilosis, scai°o robusto seticeo-villoso, bracteis ovato-lanceolatis concavis longe acuminatis infima basi longe
amplexicauli vaginante, vagina integra membranacea, pauicula ovata densiflora ramis ratnulisque robustis.
Hab. Mount Sorteli, Macquarrie Harbour, Dr. Milligan.— (Fl. Dec.)
A very different-looking plant from the preceding, with much shorter, more coriaeeons foliage, sbealbing lower
bracts, robiist scape, broader bractlels, and dense panicle.—Zcaces coriaceous, 8 -10 inches long, gradually tapering
from Í broad sbeatliing base, 1-1* incb broad, to an acuminate point, sparingly covered with silky hairs. Scape
woolly witb silky hairs, robust, witb one or two large, ovale, concave, leaf, bracts, that have long, entire, amplext-
canl sheaths and tapering apices. Fanick 1-6 iuches long; Iranchee short, witb concave leafy bracts; fiomer,
crowded. 4 inch across, white,
N a t . O r d . X II. JUNCEÆ.
Following Brown and Lindley, I have brought Xerotes under this Order, which, like most others of
Monocotyledones of any extent, comprehends plants of very various habits aud appearance. All agree in
their six-parted perianth, which is generally scarious or coriaceous, and brown or green, but it is coloured
and petaloid in some genera, and highly coloured and scarious in Calectasia. Of Junceæ proper there are
about twenty-five Australian species, most of them having very wide ranges, and few being confined to
Australia and Tasmania; on the other hand, Xerotes is a remarkably local genus of plants.
Gen. I. XEROTES, Br.
Flores dioici. Perianthium 6-partitum, viride v. subcoloratura. Masc. Foliola interiora v. omiiia basi
cohærentia. Slamina 6, perianthio inserta; antheris peltatis. Pistilli rudimentum. Foem. Perianthii
foliola distincta, persistenza. Stamina cassa. Orarw?» 3-loculare ; 3, basi connatis ; loculis
solitariis. Capsula coriacea, v. subbaccata, corticata, 3-locuiaris, loculicide 3-valvis. Semina pcltata; testa
membranacea, interdum laxaet axillæformi; albumine cartilagineo; embryone recto.—Herbæ rigida, arida,
perennes, habitu varia; r a d i c e / ¿m a ; caule nullo v. rarìus elongato, folioso, ramoso; plerisque
radicalibus, linearibus, planis cylindraceisve, basibus scariosis, semivaginanlibus; scapis rigidis, smphcibus
ramosisve; infloresceutia varia, capitata, spicala, racemosa v. paniculaia; floribus parvis, sessilibus pedi-
cellatisve ; bracteis scariosis.
A very remarkable genus, consisting of upwards of fifty species, all confined to Australia and Tasmania,
and almost without exception confined in tlieir ranges to the south-eastern or soutli-westcrn quarters, scarcely any
even of the south-coast species ranging from Victoria to Swan River. The species present great diversity in habit,
but all are singularly dry, rigid, cyperaceous-looking plants, with fibrous roots, aud almost invariably radical leaves,
the stems being very short.—Leaves flat or terete, usually very long and rigid. Flowers sometimes in sessile heads,
but usually iu bninchcd panicles, racemes, or spikes, sometimes densely capitate, often in dense clusters on the
branches of the panicle. Flowers dioecious, generally gvecnish-while. Periantli six-parted; leaflets of the male
flowers more or less cohering at the base, those of the female distinct, persistent. Stamens six, inserted on the perianth;
anthers peltate. Ovary thrcc-ccllcd, cells onc-ovuled. Capsule coriaceous, three-valved. Seeds with a membranous,
pale testa. (Name from ¿îjporjjç, dryness.)
1. X e r o te s long ifo lia (Br. Prodr. 26 3 ); acaulis, foliis lineari-elongatis rigidis strictis apice bilobis
eroso-dcntatis, scapo aiicipiti, panícula lanceolata ramis oppositis basi longibracteaLis, floribus nodoso-glo-
merulatis sessilibus.— Kunth, En. iii. 374; Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1839. t. 3. Lomandra longifolia, Lab. Nov.
W . i. y?. 92. A 119. (Í?«ím, 336.)
Hab. Abundant in dry and moist ground throughout the Colony.— (Fl. Oct.) {v. v.)
D is t b iu . New South Wales and Victoria.
A harsh, cyperaceous-looking plant.—Leaves 2 feet long, very rigid, linear, variously cut or truncate at the top.
Scape erect, flattened, stout, 6-12 inches high. Inflorescence panicled; branches opposite, the lower sometimes
whoried, with long, subulate-lanceolate, spreading bracts at the base. Flowers smaU, sessile in glomeruli on the
branches of the panicle, subtended by spreading, subulate bracts.
2. X e r o te s glauca (Br. Prodr. 260) ; caule brevi basi ramoso, ramis brevibus, foliis aiigustissime
linearibus strictis scaberulis apice tabescente obtuso, vaginis laceris, scapo simplici, floribus fcemineis capitatis,
masculis glomeratis, glomerulis iu spicam elongatam dispositis.— Kunth, En.xú. 3 7 2 ; Sieb. Plant.
Exsicc. 433, 488. {Gunn, 93.)
IIab. Abundant in gravelly soil near Penquite, and at Norfolk Plaius, etc.. Archer, Gunn.— (Fl. Nov.)
D is t k ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
A small, rigid species, 4-8 inches high, %vith a short, stout, much-branched stem, and long, very narrow, linear
leaves, scaberulous to the touch, with blunt, brown tips.—Scapes short. Female flowers in a solitary, globose,
almost sessile head ; males forming sessile glomeruli on an elongated, inteiTupted spike.
Gen. II. JUNCUS, L.
Flores plerumque congesti, paniculati v. capitati. Perianthium coriaceum v. glumaceum, 6 -partituin,
2-bracteatum. Stamina 6 v. 3, basi perianthio inserta; filamentis planis; antheris linearibus. Ovarium
prismaticimi, 1-3-loculare; stylo brevi; stigmatibus 3, elongatis. Capsula prismática, perianthio inclusa,
3- rarius l-locularis, loculicide 3-valvis. Semina plurima, ascendentia v. erecta; testa membranácea, inter-
dura laxa V. utrinque producta, pallida.— Herbæ erectce, annuoe v. rhizomate perenni, repente, squamoso ;
culmis annuls, teretibus, basi foliosis v. apkyllis; foliis glabris, teretibus v. rarius planis v. udversis, intus
conlinuis v. nodoso-ariiculalis ; floribus viridibus brunneisve.
A cosmopolitan genus, many of the species also being widely spread, of which the common English Rushes,
Junciis communis, bvfonius, and marilimm, all found in Australia and New Zealand, are examples. About twenty
Australian species are known, most of which arc temperate, and common to the east and west coasts, aud to Tasmania
and other parts of the world. The species vary much in habit, being leafless or leafy, with the leaves terete,
compressed, or quite flat.—Culms erect, bearing branched panicles or heads, or corymbs of inconspicuous, smaU,
green or brown flowers. Perianth of six coriaceous or glmnaccous leaflets. Stamens six, rarely tlu'ee. Ovary