Tas. 5770. 
CROTALARIA CUNNINGHAMII. 
Allan Cunningham’s Crotalaria. 
Nat. Ord. Leguminosa.—D1ADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 
Gen. Char. Calycis lobi liberi v. varie connati, Veaillum sepius orbi- 
culatum, supra unguem brevem sepius 1-callosum; ale obovate vy. oblonge, 
vexillo breviores; carina incurva v. dorso angulata, rostrata. Stamina 
omnia in vaginam supra fissam connata; anthere alterne, parve, versatiles, 
alterne long basifixe. Ovarium sepissime sessile, 2-co ovulatum; stylus 
incurvus v. abrupte inflexus, longitudinaliter barbatus. Legumen glo- 
bosum v. oblongum, inflatum, 2-valve, intus continuum. Semina sepissime 
strophiolata, funiculo filiformi. Herbe v. frutices. Folia simplicia v. 
digitatim 1-« -foliolata ; stipule a petiolo libere, interdum decurrentes rarius 
0. Flores flavi, rarius cerulei v. purpuret, racemosi v. solitarit. Bractee 
parve v. 0, rarius foliacee ; bracteolis parvis rarius 0. 
CroraLaria Cunninghamii ; frutex tomentosus, foliis ovatis obtusis, petiolo 
supra medium articulato, stipulis bracteisque subulatis caducis, racemis 
lateralibus densifloris, floribus magnis flavidis, calyce tomentoso, lobis 
*  subsequalibus, vexillo ovato-acuminato carinam subequante, alis brevio- 
ribus, ovario breviter stipitato villoso, legumine 14-poll. longo coriaceo 
tomentoso. 
CroraLaria Cunninghamii, Hook. Ic. Pl. 829. F. Mueller Fragment. v. 3, 
p- 52. Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 2, p. 182. 
Though unattractive as to the colour of the flower, this is 
a very curious and striking greenhouse plant, the soft velvety 
pubescence that clothes all the surfaces with a uniform glaucous 
hue at once arresting the attention. It is a native of the 
dry, almost desert regions of North-western and Central 
Australia, growing on sandy ridges, from Shark’s Bay to the 
Gulf of Carpentaria, and penetrating southwards through 
Central Australia towards Spencer’s Gulf. The specimen here 
figured was raised by W. Wilson Saunders, F.H.S., and 
flowered in his garden at Reigate, in February of the present 
year. 
MAY Ist, 1869. 
