763 



ON THE GENUS DO DO N^ A. 



By Rev. W. Woolls, Ph.D., F.L.S. 



Accoi'ding to Baron F. von Mueller's Census, 43 species of 

 Dodonoia have been described as Australian, and these are distri- 

 buted in various proportions throughout the Australian colonies, 

 two only f D. ericifolia and D. viscosa) extending to Tasmania, 

 whilst N. S. Wales has nineteen. Mr. Bentham seems to have 

 felt some difficulty in arranging the species as they are deficient 

 in many instances of any positive characters, even " the form 

 of the wings " on the capsule (on which much reliance had lieen 

 placed) being as variable as the leaves. Baron Mueller, in his 

 Victorian Plants, p. 86, expresses himself vei-y doubtfully respecting 

 some of the so-called species, which he would regard as varieties of 

 D. viscosa (Linn.). Amongst these is a plant, of which I collected 

 si)ecimens more than twenty years ago on the banks of the Parra- 

 matta River, and of which he remarked that "it exhibited on 

 the same branchlets siinple and pinnate leaves, and their inter- 

 mediate forms." It is worthy of record that though several 

 intelligent collectors have searched for this shrub, or one similar 

 to it, they have not been successful ; and therefore I am inclined 

 to think that the opinion expressed by Baron Mueller is correct. 

 A plant of a similar character was found on the Hastings River 

 by the late Dr. Beckler, and that the Baron designated var. 

 megazyga of D. viscosa ; but Mr. Bentham, as may be seen by 

 referring to Vol. I. of the Flora Anstraliensis, p. 483, has raised 

 these forms to the dignity of a species. Whether a true species 

 or not, it is certain that some of the Dodonmas have simple and 

 pinnate leaves on the same branches, as may be seen in the 

 specimen of D. attenuata (A. Cunn.), from the Murrumbidgee. 

 Mr. Bentham remarks that some forms of this species almost pass 

 into D. lobulata (F.v.M.) ; but in the specimen now under consi- 

 deration, the leaves are rather pinnate than pinnatifid, and they 



