Falkland*, etc.] FLORA ANTARCTICA. 227 



3. HAMADBYAS, Comment. 



Mores abortu dioici. Sepal-a 5-6. Petala 10-12, lineari-subulata, basi squama instmcta. — Fl. Masc. Sta- 

 mina plurima, filamentia filiformibus. — Fl. Fffiii. Ovaria plurima, in capitulum globosiun disposita, stylo uncinato 

 terminata, uuilocularia, imiovulata ; ovulo e basi loculi erecto, funiculo brevi. CarpeUa sicca, ossea, indehiscentia. — 

 Herbse Antarctica, Bamuiculo affines, plus minusve sericea. Scapi ad apices lSJlores, flore inferiore sessili. Sepala 

 petalaque extus pilosa. 



1. Hajladkyas Magettanica, Lam.; plus minusve sericeo-pilosa, foliis rotundatis tripartitis lobis cune- 

 atis inciso-partitis v. subintegris. H. Magellanica, Lamarck, Diet. vol. iii. p. 67. DC. Sgst. Yeg. vol. i. 

 p. 226. Prodr. vol. i. p. 25. Delessert, Icon. Select, vol. i. t. 22. 



Hab. Strait of Magalhaens ; Commerson. Mount Tarn, altitude 2000 feet; Capt. King, C. Darwin, Esq. 

 Staten Land, half way up the mountains ; A. Menzies, Esq. 



Var. /3, tomentosa; foliis argenteo-lanatis lobis cuneatis subintegris. H. tomentosa, DC. Si/st. Teg. 

 vol. i. p. 227. Prodr. vol. i. p. 25. 



Statura et prsecipue pubescentia variat, nunc tota lana lnolk' sericea obtecta, nunc glabriuscula v .sparse pilosa. 

 Scapus folio sequans v. bis longior. Sepala petalaque extus glabra v. sericea. 



These two varieties were found growing together both by Mr. Darwin and by Menzies, and are certainly not 

 specifically distinct. 



De Candolle places this genus doubtfully amongst the Anemonea ; the ovules are, however, truly erect, and the 

 petals being furnished with a small nectariferous scale, it ought to rank very near Ranunculus, from which it only differs 

 in habit and in the numerous petals, and perhaps also in the persistent calyx. The form of the leaves seems to me 

 to afford the sole tangible specific character, for the species vary in the hairiness of all then- parts. 



2. Hamadryas argentea, Hook. fil. ; dense argenteo-lanata, foliis obovato-cuneatis basi attenuatis pro- 

 funde trifidis lobis 3-5-fidis. (Tab. LXXXV.) 



Hab. Falkland Islands ; amongst grass; Captain, Sulivan, Lieut. Robinson, J. D.H. 



Radix fibrosa, fibris crassis descendentibus. Folia radicalia, basi fibris petiolonim vetustorum tecta ; petioli 

 graciles, erecti, 2-10 unc. longi, tomentosi; lamina 1-j- 2 unc. longa, coriacea, utrinque tomento argenteo-nitente 

 vestita, segmentis obtusis. Scapus folio subsequilongus, crassitie penna? corvinaa, plantse masculae gracilior et uni- 

 florus, foeminea? biflorus. Sepala ovata, acuta v. acuminata, extus villosa. Petala sepolis duplo longiora, sub 4 lin. 

 longa, lineari-subulata, gradatim attenuata, basi subito contracta, quasi unguiculata, supra unguem squamam ap- 

 pressam gerentia trinervia, membranacea, dorso hirsuta, pallide stramiuea. Stamina 8, filamentis fihformibus. 

 Ovaria ovata, superne in stylum imcinatum attenuata. CarpeUa turgida, ossea. 



To all appearance this is a distinct species from the former, and certainly a very beautiful one ; both Mr. 

 Darwin's and Mr. Menzies' specimens, however, of H. Magellanica, var. /3, are so s im ilarly covered with silky 

 wool, that the form of the leaves alone serves to distinguish them. It is rare in the northern part of the islands, 

 and a copious suite of specimens might exhibit varieties still more like the Fuegian species. I detected only one 

 individual with male flowers, it was smaller than the females, and had slender, single-flowered peduncles. 



Plate LXXXV. Fig. 1, a male plant, of the natural size; 2, a flower of the same; 3, a petal; 4, a stamen: 

 — magnified; 5, a female plant of the natural size; 6, a flower of the same; 7, an ovarium; 8, a carpel; 9, the 

 same cut open longitudinally showing the erect seed : — magnified. 



