Actinotus Paddisoni. 159 
only a pistil, led to their finally being determined as staminodia, organs 
not recorded in connection with any other Actinotus, although Bentham 
(B. Fl. III, 369) mentions under A. bellidioides petals none (or some- 
times linear?); and probably it was organs similar to those now shown 
to oceur in this species that he found in his species, and was in doubt 
as to their true significance. 
In no instance were five perfect stamens found in a flower, although 
very many were examined, the usual number beingt two, along with 
staminodia. It was thought a first that the anthers had become detached, 
but the evidence was opposed to this conclusion, as the filaments bearing 
the anthers tapered upwards to a fine point to the back of the anther, 
and no sueh similar filaments could be found, the other organs, the 
staminodia, expanding upwards and being quite obtuse at the top, 
and wanting in proof that they had ever performed the function of 
filaments. 
The dise mentioned in connection with other species is entirely 
absent in the flowers of this plant; the pistil is bifurcated almost from 
the base, the arms being short and comparatively thick. 
The above floral features alone differentiate the species from the 
more recently described species such as A. Gibbonsü F. v. M., A. Schwarzii 
F. v. M., and A. Forsythii Maiden and Betche, and as well as from those 
species enumerated in the „Flora Australiensis* (Vol. III, 367). The 
junetion of the strongly-nerved involucre bracts for one-half their length, 
and the concave base, are also good distinguishing features of the 
species. A. Gibbons is a much more delicate plant with greener 
leaves, smaller sessile umbels and bracts and different floral organs and 
tomentum. i 
In botanical sequence it might be placed bet ween A. bellidioides and 
A. glomeratus, the staminodia connecting it with the former, although it 
has not much in common with the latter. 
XLIX. Plantae novae Australienses ab R. T. Baker descriptae. 
(Ex: R. T. Baker, Contribution to a Knowledge of the Flora of Australia. — 
Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, XXXI [1906], pp. 711—721, tab. LXV—LXVII.) 
1. Acacia fuliginea R. T. Baker, Le, p. 712, tab. LXV. 
A close, compact shrub from 12 to 16 feet high, occasionally 
attaining 20 feet, with divaricate, pubescent branchlets, generally aftected 
with a black fungus, probably a species of Meliola. Phyllodia viscid, 
ovate or obliquely ovate, oblong or falcate-oblong, obtuse gland wanting, 
2to 3 or even 4 cm long, and varying up to 1 cm wide, rigid but 
scarcely coriaceous, with several nerves, and intermediate reticulations, 
Peduncles hoary, solitary or in pairs on the end of the newly-formed 
