214 



Neue Litteratur. 



aged fruits it is difficult to trace the tender bilaminulated placental 

 plates; but their attachment seems axillary not as in Astronia basal. 

 The external resemblance however of our new plant to species of the 

 last mentioned genus is remarkable, though it reminds also, when in 

 a fruiting state, of several species of Agapetes, Rhodamnia and Rhodo- 

 myrthus. 



The specific name is given in also phytolgic appreciation of the 

 distingnished position , held here both as a practitioner and as a 

 scholar by Dr. Walter Balls-Headley , M.A. , hon. physician of the 

 Obstetric Hospital. 



Pentapanax Willmottii. 



Arborescent , glabrous ; leaves crowded towards the summit of the 

 branchlets, pinnate , mostly 5 or sometimes 3-foliolate ; stalks slender ; 

 stalklets rather elongated; leaflets by paiers distant, elliptic-lanceolar, 

 acuminate, entire, somewhat crisped, shining on both sides, particularly 

 above; umbels almost cymosely arranged, few-flowered , the whole 

 infloresence much surpassed by the nearest leaves; stalklets somewhat 

 longer than the fruiting calyx; limb of the latter undulated and 

 bluntly 5-denticulated; style very short, undivided; disk depressed; 

 fruits campanulate-semiovate, 5-angular, 5-seeded. 



On Mount Bellenden-Ker , at an elevation of about 5000 feet ; 

 S a y e r and Davidson. 



Height of tree to 30 feet. Branchlets robust. Leafstalks attaining 

 4 inches in length. Stipules about '/« i^ich long, rather narrow, adnate 

 except the summit. Stalklets slender from Vs to IV3 inch long. 

 Leaflets dark-green on both sides , chartaceous , to 4 inches long and 

 to one inch broad , rather blunt at the base , subtleveined. Total 

 inflorescence seldom exceeding 4 inches, branched already from near 

 the base. Flowers not obtained. Fruits not distinctly jointed on the 

 stalklets , about V4 inch long , theier longitudinal angles blunt ; peri- 

 carp somewhat succulent; each endocarp pale-brownish, dimidiate-ovate, 

 about V5 inch long, narrowed at the inner angle, rather roundet-blunt; 

 at the back, somewhat wrinkled at the sides; testa membranous, not 

 intruding; albumen equable, but slightly granulär; embryo minute. 

 So far as the carpologic characteristics are concerned, this plant is 

 clearly referable to the genus Pentapanax, of which as yet no species 

 from beyond Continental India was on record, unless P. angelicifolium 

 from the Laplata-States should be considerred really a congener; ours 

 differs from the nearest allied, P. Leschenaultii , in smaller not serru- 

 lated leaflets on longer stalklets, in its umbels containig far less flowers 

 and in the less indented calyx-limb ; perhaps also the structure of 

 flowers and colour of fruit mey prove difi'erent. The species bears the 

 name of Dr. J. W. W i 1 1 m 1 1 , President of the Victorian brauch of 

 the British Medical Association, in recognition of his high professional 

 Standing and his strenuous advocacy of all scientific objects here. 

 Flowering specimens of Panax Macdowallii, also obtained through 

 Mr. Sayer, demonstrate now, that this plant must be transferred to 

 the genus Aralia, as cüxumscribed in recent phytography. 



The foUowing plants have also recently been addet to those recorded 

 previously from Northern Queensland: — Nymphaea tetragona, Drymaria 

 diandra, Agonis lysiocephala, Rotala Mexicana, Rotala occultiflora, 

 TrichosanthoH Muelleri, Melothria subpellucida, Melothria Celebica, 

 Pandiinus Laubachii, Freycinetia insignis, Pogonatherum saccharoideum, 

 Selaginelhi proniflora, Trichomanes Sayeri. — In reference to the above 

 mentioned Freycinetia, which is one of the raost magnificent plants 

 of all Australia, it should however be observed, that its identity with 

 the tyincal Javanic species has not yet been establislied beyond doubt 

 Irom the material hitherto obtained; it occurs in Valleys along the 

 Daintrce-River , where Mr. Theodor Pentzke noticed it to be of 

 semiparasitic growth and attaining a height of twcnty feet or more; 

 the inflorescence is still larger than that of F. insignis, and bends 



