panicle is very different, 4 -1 inch long, dark brown, much branched, the branches somewhat fascicled, and the
flowers clustered aud smaller ; the capsule is dark bromi, and considerably shorter than the perianth.
14. Ju ncus vaginatus (Br. Prodr. 258) ; robustus, elatus, aphyllus, culmis teretibus nudis basi
laxe vagiuatis, vaginis obtusis, pauicula alba laterali effusa erecta ramosa multiflora, ramulis subfastigiatis,
floribus majusculis distinctis, periantliiis acutis capsulam pallidam obovato-ellipticam obtusam subæquantibus,
staminibus 6 , semiuibus testa utrinque laxa.— Kunth, En. iii. 3 1 9 ; E. Meyer, in Plant. Preiss. ii.
46 ; Fl. N . Zeal. i. 262. {Gnnn, 570 ?, 569.)
Hab. Common in many parts of the Colony, both in the north and south.—(PI. Dec.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . Extratropical Australia and New Zealand.
Much the largest of the Tasmanian species, and one of the most robust of the genus.— erect, 3-5 feet
high, sometimes as thick as the little finger, conspicuous for the loosely sheathing, blunt vaginæ at the base. Panicle
veiy much divided, erect, white, 2-4 inches long. Fbwers very niunerous, distinct, white or veiy pale, large
for the genus. Periaîdh as long as the ovoid, blunt capsule. The plant I have considered to be Brown’s J.pallidus
may be a small variety of this, with a longer capsule.
Gen. I I I . LUZULA, EC.
Flores Junci, sed ovario ovulis 3, et capsula 1-lociilari 3-sperma.— Herbæ ; foliis planis, pilosis gla-
bratisve ; scapis gracilibus ; floribus glumaceis ; bracteis plerisque ciliahs.
Luzula is distiuguished from Juncus chiefly by the onc-celled, three-seeded ovary and capsule; the species arc
numerous in Europe, and especially mountain and arctic regions, and several are also found in the southern temperate
hemisphere. The leaves are flat, grassy, and generally ciliated, iu which respect the genus further differs from
Juncus. (Name of doubtful derivation.)
1. Luzula cam pe stris (DC. PI. Pranc. iii. 161) ; foliis laxe ciliatis, culmis gracilibus, capitulis
globosis ovatisve solitariis vel subumbellatis iuæqualiter pedunculatis, bracteis scariosis, periantliiis aciimi-
natis, capsulis obtusis.— .Sr. Prodr. Addend. ; Fl. N. Zeal. {Gunn, 598, 1440, 340, 341.) Variat miri-
fiee statura, indutneiito, infloresceiitia florumque maguitudine et colore.
H a b . Abundant in pastures throughout th e Island, ascending to 3 0 0 0 f e e l.— (Fl. Aug.-Nov.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . Throughout extratropical Australia, New Zealand, and temperate and arctic Europe, Asia,
and America.
Tbe Luzula campestris, an extremely common aud variable European species, is no less so in Australia, fas-
mania, and New Zealand. It is a small, herbaceoas, peiennM-rooted plant, * inches to a foot liigli, with nnmeions,
wTBSsy flat, spreading radical leaves, ciliated abundantly with long Imirs, sometimes woolly, and a long, slender,
l»fy scape, hearing one or many heads of dowers atrnngcd in capitnla or ombcls. with long or short spreading
branches.— Capfrai« vaiying in size from a pea to a marble, subtended by leafy bracts. Flowen sinall, sessile,
brown, or whitish, or green, witb brown margins to the lealiets, closely surtonnded with scarious. ciliated bracts.
Flme'n ot tbe same striicluve as Juncue, but the style is generally longer; the ovary ia onc-celled, with three erect
ovules. Capmte three-valved, one-celled, three-seeded.
2. Luzula Oldfieldii (Hook, fil.) ; foliis late linearibus longe ciliatis, capitulis in capitulum dcnsum
ovatum sessile congestis, involucris brevibus, bracteis sublaccris, perianthiis acuminatis bruuneis late albo-
marginatis integerrimis.
H a b . Wet places on the summit of Mount Wellington, Oldjield.— (11. Jan.)
Yety different in size, robustness, and habit, from any of the varieties ot L. eampeelru, and willi the inilores-
eence forming a deitse, short, lobed, ovoid or globose, terminal, sessile head, subtended by short involncral leaves.
Leaves quite flat, 4 an inch broad. Tliis is nearly allied to the L. crinita of Lord Auckland’s Islands, but in that
the perianth-leaflets are naiTowev and dark brown, the bracteæ deeply laciniate and ciliated, and the leaves narrower.
The L. Alopeourus, Desv., of Euegia, is a thii-d closely allied and extremely similar species, but that has
a ciliated perianth. The L. Oldfieldii is much nearer L. campestris than any of the above.
N a t . O r d . X I I I. XYRIDEÆ.
Gen. I. SY R I8, L.
Flores in capitulum solitarium terminale dense spicati; squamis capituli persistentibus, coriaceis, dense
imbricatis. Perianthnm duplex; exterius glumaceum, foliolis 3, exteriore calyptræformi v. cuculiato
caduco ; lateralibus navicularibus ; interius corollinum foliolis 3 longe unguiculatis, lamina lobata. Stamina
3, fertilia unguibus perianthii intcrioris inserta, cum staminodiis 3 hypogynis apice plumosis alternantia,
antheris extrorsis. Ovarium I-loculare, v. basi 3-loculare; ovulis numerosis, ascendentibus, placentis 3
basilaribus v. subparietalibus affixis; stylo gracili, trifido ; stigmatibus plumosis indivisisve. Capsula 1-3-
locularis, 3-valvis, polysperma. Semina erecta, subglobosa; testa coriacea; albumine carnoso; embryone
minimo.—Herbæ scapigera; foliis equitantibus, ensiformibus v. filiformibus, strictis tortisve; scapo basi
\-vaginato, superne nudo, stricto, tereti v. compresso v. angulaio ; capitalo solitario, squamis fuscis ; perianthio
A large geiuis, almost the only one of the Order, abundant in tropical and extratropical Australia, and in tropical
America ; comparatively rarer in trepical Asia and Africa. About twenty Australian species are known to me,
for the most part natives of the south-western quarter of the continent ; few or none seem to be common to this
and the eastern quarters, hut the species are difficult of discrimination, and the majority have not been studied.—
Tufted herbs, with no stems, or short ones, fibrous roots, equitant, generally rigid, flat or terete, strict or twisted
leaves, and slender, strict, crcct scapes, bearing solitary, terminal, brown capitula of densely imbricating, coriaceous
scales. The flowers are sessile and solitary iu these scales, one or two open at a time, the three ycllow-lobed petals
alone appearing on the surface of the capitulum.—Perianlh of six pieces ; outer glumaceous, of three rigid hvown
scales, the lateral persistent, erect, and navicular, the front one hooded and concave or calyptrate, is carried up by
the inner, and falls away ; inner of three petaloid, clawed, yellow pieces, each bearing a short stamen, with extrorse
anther on the claw; three filiform staminodia, with plumose apices, alternate with the inner perianth-segments.
Ovarg small, one-celled, or partly three-celled, with a slender, trifid style, and simple or plumose stigmas. Capsule
thickened at the top, with numerous erect seeds, attached to three basal, more or less confluent placentæ. (Name
from ¿vpos, sha7-p ; in allusion to the foliage of some species.)
1. Xjrris operculata (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. p. 14*. t. s.) ; foliis teretiusculis filiformibus, culmo tereti,
capitulo ovoideo v. ohovoideo, squamis quinqucfariis coriaceis obtusis imberbibus inferioribus minoribus
vacuis, stigmatibus multifidis ?, capsula apice triloba granulata semitriloculari, placentis basi uiiitis.—Br.
Prodr. 2 5 7 ; Bot. Mag. t. 1158. [Gunn, 834.)
H a b . Common iu wet heaths and peat soils.— (Fl. Dec.-Feb.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . New South AYales and Victoria.
Plant forming large, coarse tufts of rigid foliage, and slender, terete scapes, 1-3 feet long,—Leaves slender,
with very shining brown sheathing bases. Scapes slightly twisted. Capitulum -i-f inch long. Lateral scales of
the outer perianth ciliate or bearded. Flowers sweet-scented.—I have not seen ripe fruit.
2. X y r is g r a c ilis (Br. Prodr. 2 5 6 ) ; foliis ensiformibus tortis, culmo filiformi tereti tortili, capitulo
parvo ovoideo paucifioro, squamis undique imbricatis obtusis centro discolore imberbibus inferioribus mino-
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