TAM: SETS: 
OLEARIA speciosa, 
Australia. 
Compositar. Tribe AsTEROIDEAE. 
Ovearta, Moench; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 276. : 
Olearia speciosa, Hutchinson; affinis O. dentatae, Moench, a qua foliis 
oblongo-ellipticis floribus paucioribus et achaenis fere glabris differt. 
Frutee divaricatus, circiter 1 m. altus, ramis teretibus dense tomentosis. 
Folia alterna, petiolata, coriacea, oblongo-elliptica, 4-6 em. longa, 2-3 cm. 
lata, supra costa pubescenti excepta glabra, subtus dense tomentosa, 
marginibus recurva denticulata, dentibus 5 mm. distantibus; venae 
apnastomosantes prominulaeque; petiolus 8 mm. longus. Capitula corym- 
bos iaxos terminales formantia, oblonga, 1°7 cm. longa, 2°5 cm. diametro; 
pedunculi usque ad 7°5 cm. longi; bracteae oblongae, dense tomentosae. 
Involucri bracteae oblongae, extra tomentosae, intra glabrae. Flores 
radii 5-6; ligulae albae, oblongo-ellipticae, 12 mm. longae, 6 mm. latae. 
Flores disci 10-12; corollae tubus 6 mm. longus; antherae apiculatae, 
4mm. longae. Achaenia teretia, fere glabra, 4 mm. longa. Pappi setae 
numerosae, breviter pilosae. 
The genus Olearia is closely allied to Aster, and is con- 
fined exclusively to Australasia. Cheeseman, in his recent 
Manual of the Flora of New Zealand, enumerates 35 
species, all of which are endemic. There are about 70 
others, which are confined to Australia and Tasmania, 
with the exception of two recorded from Lord Howe’s 
island. 
The plant here figured was raised from seeds received in 
1888 from the Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, and since 
increased by cuttings. It flowered last May in the Tem- 
perate House at Kew, where it forms a straggling bush 
about 3 ft. high. Its affinity is with 0. dentata, Moench, 
from which it differs in having fewer ray-fiorets, which are 
white, and almost glabrous achenes. ‘The thick coriaceous 
leaves are also very distinct. 
The genus furnishes a number of excellent plants for 
the cool greenhouse, and some of the more hardy species 
make fine bushes in the open border. Amongst the latter 
UV. Haastu, Hook. f., is probably the best known, and it 
succeeds in almost any kind of soil. 
Descr.—A straggling shrub about 3 ft. high, with terete, 
densely tomentose branches. Leaves alternate, petioled, 
FEBruary Ist, 1907. 
