BY A. A. HAMILTON. 171 



SOLANE^. 



Under the genus Solatium, Bentham (4; iv., p. 443) says : — 

 " The distinction and determination of the numerous species of 



this genus is attended with peculiar difficulties, the chief 



characters being derived from the very variable ones, of foliage, 

 armature, and indumentum " Examples of the small, red-fruited, 

 S. stelligerum Sm., are not infrequently found with some leaves 

 armed with spines, and others without any, on the same plant. 

 S. vescum F.v.M., and S. aviculare Forst., are inseparable on 

 leaf-characters, both having simple, and variously divided leaves, 

 occasionally on the same branch, each species exhibiting within 

 itself a degree of foliar variability, equal to that existing between 

 the two species. 



BiGNONIACEiE. 



Specimens of Tecorna austndis R.Br., were noted (13; 1914, 

 p. 39 7) showing variation in the size, and number of leaflets, and 

 marginal division. 



MyOPORINEjE. 



Spencer le M. Moore (21; p. 258) writes : — "Pholidia gibhifulia 



F.V.M., is a very singular plant The chief peculiarity 



resides in the leaves, which are much reduced, appressed to the 

 stem, and curiously tuberculated. Had the specimens described 

 by me in this memoir as P. homophistica, not been in flower 

 when they were gathered, I should have concluded without 

 hesitation that they must be referred to Mueller's species, for in 

 habit, as in leaf, the two seem absolute counterparts." 



IjABIATEiE. 



Bentham, in his key to the genus Prostanthera, {i; v., p. 92) 

 says of P. denticulata R.Br., "Leaves from \ inch and ovate to 

 1 inch and linear, entire, sometimes echinate. Plant pubescent 

 or nearly glabrous." P. incisa R.Br., and P. Sieberi Benth., 

 approach each other in leaf-characters, the latter merging into 

 P. violacea R.Br. 



PROTKACEiE. 



This largely xerophilous Order is probably (among phanero- 

 gams) the worst offender against regularity in its leaf-system. 



