‘ T
2. A p h e lia Pumilio (MuelJer, in Herb. Hook.); spica suberecta, squamis 2 inferioribus aristatis
cæteris brevius aristatis margine fimbriatis dense ciliatis.
H a b . Cheshunt, Archer.
D is t iu b . Victoria.
A much shorter species than C. Gunnii, scarcely an iuch higli, with a larger, broader, crcct spik, and fimbriated
margins to the scales.
Gen. V II. CENTROLEPIS, Lab.
Capituhm solitarium, terminale, bracteis spathisve 2 inclusum. Flores pauci v. numerosi, hermaphroditi,
biglumes, receptáculo communi nudo v. paleaceo (paleis squamas spiculæ refereiitibus?) conferti.
Stamen 1 ; anthera simplici. Ovaria plurima (3-12), axi communi seriatim iinbricata, monosperma; styli
totidem, simplices, distincti v. basi connati. Utriculi extus longitudinaliter dehiscentes.— Herbæ cæspiiosoe,
p u s illa ; radieibus/¿roszáy ioliis omnibus radicalibus, setaceis ; scàfia jUi/oi-mibus, nudis, indivisis ; spathis
alternis, approximatis, aristatis muticisve.
Small, annual, tufted herbs, with setaceous radical leaves, naked scapes, and terminal capitula of minute
flowers, enclosed in two bracts or a two-valved spathe. About twelve species are known, chiefly natives of Southwestern
Australia.—Fteioe/s hermaphrodite, of two membranous glumes, enclosing a single stamen and a compound
pistil, all bidden by the two-valved spathes. Pistil formed of many connate, membranous utricles, often imbricating,
aud forming a moniliform mass, their single capillary styles free, or united at their bases. Utricules each
bursting outwardly.—In some species scales or paleæ are found intermixed with the flowers : these suggest the idea
of the capitulum being a reduced, contracted spike, of which the paleæ are the scales. (Name from uevrpov, a
spur, and Xejrtv, a scale; in allusion to a mistaken view of the inflorescence ; hut, as the name seems sufficiently
significant, if regarded as applied to a genus most of whose species have awned spathes, I have followed Kunth,
Endlicher, and others, in retaining this name.)
}. C e n t r o l e p i s a r i s t a t a (Rem. et Schult. Syst. i. 44) ; scapo ancipiti, spathis glaberrimis longe
foliaceo-aristatis, receptáculo epaleaceo, floribus 10-16, glumis 2 lanceolatis, interiore majore abrupte
eroso, exteriore apice lacero, ovariis 4 -7 , stylis basi connatis.—A"««//, En. Plant. 490. Desvanxia aristata,
Br. Prodr. 253; Nees, in Plant. Preiss. ii. 71. {Gunn, 1438.) (Ta b . CXXXVIII. B.)
H a b . Abundant in wet sandy soil near Georgetowu and Launceston, Gunn.— (F l. Oct.)
D xstrib. Swan Eiver and Victoria.
Plants rather rigid, 2 - 3 inches high, perfectly glabrous everywhere. Scape flattened and two-edged, Spathes
with long, ensiform, herbaceous, flattened awns, the inner longest, obscurely jointed on the broad, coriaceous lamina.
Outer (jlume (which Nees suggests may be a palea, and I regard as a scale of the reduced spike) lanceolate, acumi.
nate, torn or toothed at the apex; inner twice as long, opposite the outer, abrupt and erose. Stamen opposite the
inner glume. Ovaries four to seven.—P l a t e CXXXVIII. D. Fig. 1 , spikelet; 2, flower, removed from ditto;
5, stamen; 6, utriculus; 1 , all magnified.
2. C e n t r o l e p i s t e n u i o r (Ecem. et Schult. Syst. i. 43) ; foliis capillaribus brevibus hispidis, scapis
strictis filiformibus pubescentibus, spathis late cymbæformibus acuminatis hispidis, receptáculo epaleaceo,
glumis 2 fimbriato-laceris ciliatis, ovariis 4-1 0 , stylis basi connatis.—Kunth, Fk. ni. 489. Desvauxia
tenuior, Br. Prodr. 252. {Gunn, 958.)
H a b . Abuudant in wet sandy soil near Georgetown, aud at Epping Forest, Gunn, Archer.— (II. Nov.,
Dec.)
D istrlb. Victoria, Mueller.
This in many respects agrees with Brown’s description of D. Patersoni, Br., but both spathes are equally
hisjfid. The spathes are in this species separated, the upper being distinctly pedicelled.—Zeapes pilose, with rigid,
spreading Iiuivs, very much shorter than the numerous, strict, pilose scapes. Capitulum i inch broad, Spathes
verj' broad, concave, hispid, with membranous margins, and very short, mucronate or subaristate apices.
3. C entro lep is fa sc icula r is (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. p. 7. t. 1 ); dense cæspitosa, foliis basi pilosis
scapis glabris brevioribus, spathis hispidis retusis aristatis, receptáculo epaleaceo, floribus 8 - 1 0 2 -gluraibus,
glumis bifidis, ovanis 3 -5, stylis basi connatis.—Aiimwai, in Ann. Sc. Nat. 1828, xlii. t. 2 . / 4 ; Endl.
Icon. t. 49 ; Kunth, En. iii. 489. Desvauxia Billardieri, Br. Prodr. 252. {Gunn, 957.)
H a b . Abundant in wet, heathy plains, forming large matted patches.— (Fl. Dec., Jan.)
D i s t r ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
A very densely-tufted species, 1-2 inches high, with membranous, pDose sheathes to the leaves, glabrous,
rather rigid scapes, and hispid spathes, which are broadly retuse at the apex, and furnished with an erect, rigi<l,
stout arista, as long as the lamina. Flowers numerous ; glumes two, bifid, ciliated.
4. C entro lep is pulvinata (Roem. efc Schult. Syst. i. 43) ; foliis scapos subæquantibus, spathis mu-
ticis valvula inferiore liispidiuscula, superiore glabra, receptáculo paleaceo, stylis 6 -7 distinctis.—Aííí;. in
Ann. Sc. Nat. 1828, xlii. t. 2 . / 3 ; Kunth, En. PI. iii. 489. Desvauxia pulvinata, Br. Prodr. 252 ; Guill.
Ic. lith. t. 17.
H a b . Tasmania, Brown.
D is t r ib . South-west Australia.
I have seen no Tasmanian specimens of this species, which is smaller than either C. fascicularis or tenuior,
has awrdess spathes, the lower of which only is hispid, has leaves as long as the scapes, and six to seven distinct
styles.
Gen. V III. ALEPYRUM, Br.
Capitulum solitarium, terminale, 1- v. pauci-florum, bracteis spathisve 2 inclusum. Flores hermaphroditi,
uniglumes v. eglumes, monandri, mono-polygami. Utrkuli extus longitudinaliter dehiscentes.— Herbæ
pusilla, caspitosa ; radicibus/¿ro5¿s; Miis setaceis ; scnpisJUiformibus, nudis, indivisis ; spathis atiernis,
approximatis, aristatis muticisve.
Alepyrum is a reduced form of Centrolepis, in which the fiowers are few, and the glumes absent, or reduced to
one. With the exception of a New Zealand alpine species, the genus is confined to extratropical Australia and
Tasmania, The A. monogynum is intermediate between Alepyrum aud Centrolepis. (Name from a, privative, and
Xiwupoik, a covering ; from the imperfect flowers.)
1. Alepjrrum monogynum (Hook, fil.); dense cæspitosum, muscoideum, foliis subulatis culmos
subæquantibus, spathis lanceolatis, floribus 2, gluma lineari-lanceolata, ovario solitario. [Gunn 1434 1
(T a b . CXXXVIII. B.) ^
IIab. Moist subalpine situations : margin of Lake St. Clair, and near Marlborough, Gunn.— (Y\. Jan.)
Plants forming small, pale-green, dense tufts, 4 inch high, with numerous, matted, white, fibrous roots, somewhat
resembling Scleranihus.— Leaves as long as the scapes. Flowers two, enclosed in lanceolate spathes. Glume
one. Ovary solitary.—P late CXXXVIII. A Fig. 1, leaf; 2, spathes and flowers; 3, spathe; 4, flower and
g mac ; 5, utricle, burst open ; 6, seed ; 7, diagram of spathe, glume, stamen, and pistü -.—all very highly magni-
2. Alepyrum muscoides (Hook, fil.) ; caulibus deuse cæspitosis muscoideis, foliis scapos superan-
ibus, spatiiis lanceolatis aristatis inferiore longiore, floribus 4, gluma 0, ovariis sub-6- 8 .
Vol. II.
i l l!