Tas. 6541. 
MILLETTIA mecaspprma. 
Native of Queensland. 
Nat. Ord. Leguminosm.—Tribe GaLEGER. 
Genus Miterria, Wight et Arnott; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. i. p. 498.) 
MILLETTIA megasperma ; caule lignoso alte scandente, partibus novellis racemis 
petiolisque exceptis glaberrima, foliis sempervirentibus alternis pinnatis, pinnis 
7-jugis cum impari obovatis oblongisve breviter petiolulatis obtusis v. 
breviter acuminatis coriaceis utrinque saturate viridibus nitidis, racemis 4-8- 
datas subpaniculatis, floribus sparsis purpureis, calycis labiis tubo 
revioribus superiore truncato, inferiore obtuse 3-fido vexillo orbiculari sericeo 
intus supra basin transverse calloso, filamento superiore libero, ovario stipitato, 
legumine 6-pollicari crasso sublignoso dense velutino, seminibus magnis crassis. 
M. megasperma, Benth. Fl. Austral. vol. ii. p. 211. 
WisTarta megasperma, F. Muell. Fragm. vol. i. p. 10. 
The genus Millettia consists of upwards of forty species 
of tropical Asiatic and African Leguminous climbers, with 
one Australian. It is closely allied to Wistaria, differing 
only in the thick-valved tardily dehiscent pod. Indeed 
these genera are so closely allied, that one plant, the W. 
Japonica, Sieb. and Zucc., has been pronounced by Bentham 
to be intermediate in point of structure between them. 
Like its near ally, Wistaria sinensis, the Millettia mega- 
sperma is a tall woody climber, festooning lofty forest trees 
in its native country, namely, river banks in tropical and 
subtropical Australia, where its pendulous panicled racemes 
of bright purple flowers and glossy evergreen leaves must 
have avery beautiful effect. It has been collected at various _ 
places in Queensland, and in the northern parts of New 
South Wales, and was first described by Baron von Mueller, 
to whom the Royal Gardens are indebted for its introduction. 
The figure is from a plant growing up the south-east angle — 
of the main body of the Temperate House at Kew, where it 
flowered in August of last year. 
FEBRUARY Isr, 188]. 
