18 



BEAUFORTIA decussata 



Cross-leaved Bcaujortia. 



rOLYADELPIIIA ICOSASDRU. 



BEAUFORTIA. (Cat. turbinates, 5-iidus. Cor. pet. 5, calvci 

 imposita). Staminum phalanges 5, petalis oppositae. Anthem l>;isi 



inserts : apice bifidae lobis deciduis ! Caps. S-loc. monospcrina, connata 

 et inclusa calycis tubo incrassato basi adnato (ramo). Bro&n in Hurt. 

 Kezc. ed. 2. 4. 418. Frutices. Folia sessilia, oppositd, rariiis sparsa. 



B. decussata foliis oppositis decussatis ovatls ovalibusve mullincrvibus, 

 phalangium unguibus longissiuiis ; filamentis radiantibus. Brozcn. loc. 

 cit. 



Caulis 3-4?-pedalis erectus, e vittis striates culiculosis longitudinalibus post 

 dilapsa folia per intervalla deierminata cicatricum desquamantibus : rami w7- 

 losiy terctes, subvert icil/ati, numerose et patuU sed nan conferthn foliati. 

 Folia subsemuncialia, frma, duriuscula, obovato-v. clliptico-lanceolata, medio 

 carinato-costata, nervis pluribus striata, opaci viridia, subtiis punctata, basi 

 villosa. Flores binatim v. ternathn axillarcs t nutantcs, in racemum numera- 

 tion cylindraceum summis ramis infernatem aggregati. Cal. tertiam partem 

 uncice longus ; segment a acuta ; tubus hirsutus. Cor. pet. limbo calycis 

 cequalia, ovato-?'otunda 9 concava, punctata, viridia. Phal. stam. 4-5, coc- 

 cinece, unciales, columellares, basi barbatcc, supra in filamenta anthcrifera 

 triplo breviora secedentes : anth. crustaceo-iunicatce, atrosangirinccc, erectce, H 

 basi infxce, de super ne medio teJius bifurco-didymce lobis attenuatis dharicatis: 

 loculi umbo introrsum infra furcam dehiscentes : pollen^atn/w. Germ, tur- 

 binatum hirsutum ; stylus setaceo-jiliformis, fexuosus v. contortuplicatus : 

 stig. simplex. 



A genus formed by Mr. Brown, and first recorded in the 

 late edition of the Hortus Kewensis. It consists, as at pre- 

 sent known, of four species, all natives of the South-west 

 coast of New Holland, two of which are already in our 

 gardens. Comes very near to Melaleuca : but has a one- 

 seeded three-celled capsule, and anthers that are inserted at 

 the base, and divided above into two lobes. The present 

 species has grown in our collections to the height of nearly 

 five feet : the branches few, situated far up on the stem, 

 subverticillate; as well as that striped by four broadish 

 longitudinal cuticular fillets, which at last scale off by de- 

 terminate portions, parting at the base upwards, within the 

 intervals of the scars left by the fallen foliage. The inflo- 

 rescence is produced below the branches, and owes its 



beauty to long scarlet stamineous shafts, branching at the 



