344 ON A COCHIN-CHINESE SPECIES OF EESTIACEJE. 



in Cochin China is such as to induce me to place the fact on re- 

 cord in the Journal of the Society as a sequel to former contribu- 

 tions to the natural history of the order. Up to this time true 

 Restiaceae have been recorded in the Cape Colony, in Australia, 

 New Zealand, and Tasmania, and one species has been detected 

 in Chili. One species only has been found in the extreme north 

 of Australia; and it is significant that this species (L. Schultzii*) 

 should be closely allied to the species from Cochin China. It 

 suggests the probability that when the floras of New Guinea and 

 other islands intermediate between the Asiatic and the Australian 

 continents are more fully known, other species of Restiaceas will 

 be discovered, although up to this time I should hardly have 

 expected that the area of distribution would extend in this parti- 

 cular direction. 



The following is the technical description of the species, which 

 differs from its congeners in having a monoecious inflorescence. 



Leptocahpus disjuncttts, Mast., sp. nov. Monoica, rhizomate 

 repente excepto, glabra; culmis sulcato-striatulatis fistulosis; 

 vaginis arete convolutis sensim acuminatis ; spiculis fasciculatis, 

 fasciculis ad apices ramorum laxe paniculatis; bracteis ovatis acu- 

 minatis ; perianthii segmentis lanceolatis. 



1^. Rhizoma repens crassitie pennso anserinrc dense lanugino- 

 sum. Culmi metrales, erecti, crassitie penna^ gallinacetT, simplices 

 vel parce dichotome ramosi, ramique ascendentes teretes olivacei 

 leviter sulcato-striati. Vaginae culmeae arete convolute 12-13 mm. 

 coriacese cinnamomese sensim aenminatse, superne ad margines 

 hyalino-membranaeeae ; vaginae rameales minores foliaceo-mucro- 

 natse. Inflorescentia laxe interrupteque paniculatim cymosa, fas- 

 ciculis 3-spiculatis. Pedunculi seu paniculas rami ascendentes 

 glabri. Spathse oblongo-lanceolatse, aristatse, coriace^e, ferruginese. 

 Spiculae 3-4 mm. long., 1-florse, superiores masculse, infenores 

 feminese (an semper?). Flores 2-3 mm. compressi, braetea spa- 

 thiformi bracteolisque 2 minoribus suffulti. Perianthium 5-6- 

 merum; segmenta externa oblonga acuta cymbeo-conduplicata, 

 segmenta interiora 2 vel 3 minora planiuscula vel ad margines 

 parum involuta. Stamina, in flore masculo, 3, libera ; filamenta 



gracilia ; antherse ovato-oblongse 1-loculares. Pistillodium nullum 

 Perianthium floris feminei conforme. Staminodia nulla. Ova- 



* Bentham in ' Flor. Austral, vii. p. 237 ; Masters in DC. Monogr. Phanerog. 

 vol. i. (1878), p. 343. 



