Neue Litteratur. 13*^ 



Makino, T., Notes ou Japanese plaots. Part X. XL (The Botanical Maga/.ine. 



Tokyo. Vol. V. 1801. No. 47. p. 27, 52.) [Japanisch.] 

 — — , Orders and genera of Japanese plants. (1. c. p. 30, 50.) 

 Matsumura, J., Japanese Species of Quercus. (1. c. p. 5, 54.) [Japanisch. j 

 Mueller, Ferdinand, Baron von, Notes on a new Tasmanien plant of. tlie 

 order Burmanniaceae. 



[In the early part of November 1890 my attention was directed, by 

 a letter from Mr. L. Kodway, of Hobait, to bis discovery of a reniar- 

 kable plant, parasitic on the extreme roots of As/ry argophyllus, and from 

 bis notes it was evideut that tbis plant would at all events benew for the 

 records of the indigenous Vegetation of Tasmania. But as the plant was 

 of fugitive growth and deliquescent structure, no speciinens were in the 

 first instance secured or preserved. On my particnlar request the search 

 was very patiently renewed with the result of one more specimen being 

 procured, well developed, and another bearing an unexpauded flower. 

 These arrived in a good state of preservation, being carefully packed 

 between the fresh leaves of some tender grass. Much to my astonishment 

 I perceived that this long hidden Horal treasuse was a species of Thismia, 

 of which genus (in its widest sense) as yet some few species are known 

 from southern continent 1 Asia, Ceylon, the Sunda-Islands, New Guinea 

 and tropical South America. On careful dissection the Thasmanian con- 

 gener proved very distinct from all others. Thus then, we became suddenly 

 acquainted with a member of this otherwise intratropical genus from the 

 remotest southern part of the Australian dorninions, from whence indeed 

 this would have been least expected ; nevertheless, the order of Bur- 

 manniaceae is representtd by one species of the typical genus, namely 

 Burmannia disticha, down to a very far southern position in New South 

 Wales, and also just outside the tropics from Nepal, while another, B. 

 biflora, advances northward to Virginia, and h species of Apteria, A. 

 selocea, gains its northern boundaiy in Florida. 



Before offering any further general observations, I shall detail descripti- 

 vely the characteristics of the co-ordinal Tasmanian plant. 



Thismia Rodwayi. 

 (Bagnisia Rodwayi F. v. M. m.s.c.) 



Stern to about two inches long, tiexuous, colourless, like all other parts 

 of the plant glabrous ; leaves scattered, rudimentary bractlike, semilanceolar, 

 acuininate, devoid of colour; flower solitary, terminal, of putrid odour, 

 closely supported by a much shorter involucre of three appressed equi- 

 distant semilanceolar bracts; calyx about B /s inch long, somewhat succulent, 

 ovate-campanulate, flesh-coloured, streaked by six stronger and six fainter 

 longitudinal colourations ; its six lobes much shorter than the tube, three 

 semilanceolar-deltoid, spreadiug, much the shortest ; three opposite to the 

 bracts, nearly ovate-cuneate, converging, at the summit overlapping and 

 there conDate, keeled by a broadish, flattened, slightly excurrent midline ; 

 stamens six, opposite to the calyx-lobes; rilaments broad, from the place 

 of aftixion near the summit of the calyx-tube slightly ascending, there 

 dark-red and somewhat channelled; thence suddenly beut downward inside 

 the calyx and connate; continued beyond the anthers into a dilated mem- 

 braneous bidenticutated appendage; anthers pale ; their two cells parallel, 

 ellipsoid, slightly distant from each other, longitudinally dehiscent; style 

 short, whitish, thinly cylindrical ; Stigmas three, colourless, short-bitid; 

 ovulary adnate to the base of the calyx, one-celled, devoid of colour, almost 

 hemispheric, excavatedly depressed at the surface ; placentaries three, 

 nearly cordate; ovules very numerous, on conspicuous funicles arising from 

 the whole face of the placentary, provided around with an ample laxe 

 pellucid integument of equal breadth. Complete roots and ripe fruit not 

 yet obtained. In examining the quickly perishable and scanty material, 

 I missed ascertaining the form of the pollen-grains, also deteriniuing the 

 lelative outer and inner position of the calyx-lobes, regarding which Miers 

 however offers observations ou Myostoma already. The rootlet, on which 

 the plant grew bear many pyriform small carnulent short-stalked bodies, 

 somewhat hollow. 



