C. H. Ostenfeld: Contributions to West Australian Botany. II. 61 



IX. A rth roen em um Moq. 



Since 1 870, the year when Vol. V of Bentham's Flora ap- 

 peared, no original treatment of Australian Salicornieæ has been 

 published. Only some of Bentham's species have been given 

 generic rank by Hooker (Teclicornia, Pachycornia) who adds 

 "analysis florum ob mollitiem organorum difficillima". It is true 

 that it is a difficult tribe, and it seems to be disliked by systema- 

 tists. 



In trying to identify the species collected by Dr. Ostenfeld 

 I have been able to compare them with Australian specimens, 

 from the Berlin Museum, kindly placed at my disposal by Pro- 

 fessor Diels. For the rest, no material was at hand for com- 

 parison, so I had to name the plants mostly after descriptions. 



Allthough some of the species are not known to belong to 

 the genus named above, they are enumerated here; when their 

 seeds become known they may, if needed, be removed to other 

 genera. 



20. A. Arbuscula (R. Br.) Moq., Chen. mon. enum. (1840) 113; 

 D. G. Prodr. XIII 2 (1849) 152; Salicornia arbuscula R. Br. Prodr. 

 (1810) 411 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. V (1870) 203. (PI. 



VI, fig. 1). 



A shrub forming do- 

 me-like cushions. Spikes 

 short; the fruiting peri- 

 anths are horizontally 

 emerging, free, and den- 

 tate above (Fig. 23). Peri- 

 carp thin and membra- 

 naceous, radicle below, al- 

 bumen lateral and embryo curved. 



Fruiting, only No. 330 not, this was apparently dying. 



Kalgoorlie (No. 330, 7. Oct. 1914); Carnarvon (No. 351, 

 31. Oct. 1914); Port Hedland, in dune pans (No. 1142, 3. Nov. 

 1914). 



21. A. lciostachyum (Benth.) comb, nov.; Salicornia leiostachya 

 Benth. Fl. Austr. V (1870) 203. (PI. V., fig. 2). 



Shrubby, articles thickened upwards, shortly and bluntly 

 bidentate, with scarious margins. Even between the nodes bearing 

 ripe spikes the internodes are still covered by assimilatory tissue. 



Fig. 23. Arthrocnemum Arbuscula. a, ripe 

 perianths with seeds, b, seed seen from the 

 side. About 10 /i- 



