3 



* XEROTES longifolia. 



Long-leaved Xerotes. 



DKECIA HEXANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. JuNCACE^. 



XEROTES, R. Br. Ftores dioici. Perianfhium sexpartitum. Masc. 

 Petala tantum, nunc etiam sepala, basi connata. Stamina 6, perigyna. F(EM. 

 Sepala et Petala distincta aut in cyathum carnosum connata. Stamina quasi 

 completa, sed sterilia. Ovariuvi superum, tristylum, 3-loculare; loculis mono- 

 spermis, ovulis peltatis. Capsula nitida, 3-locularis, 3-sperma, epicarpio ab 

 endocarpio sponte secedente, dehiscentia loculicida. Semina peltata, albumine 



corneo, embryone intra basin albuminis cylindraceo. Herbffi rigidcB, vultu 



varice. 



X. longifolia ; acaulis, foliis elongatis linearibus coriaceis strictis apice eroso- 

 dentatis : marginibus scabris (?), paniculis lanceolatis subcoarctatis ; ramis 

 oppositis, scapo planiusculo. R. Brown prodr . 262. 



Lomandra longifolia. Lahillard. nov. hall. \. 92. t. 119. 



Acaulis. Folia rigida, dura, ensiformia, margine Icsvia, apice truncata 

 et tridentata. Scapus compressus, tenuis, erectiis, foliis cequalis, paniculatus ; 

 ramis lanceolatis multifloris : Bractes bracteolaque lineares, acnrninatissimce, 

 rigidcE, ramulis floribusque longiores. Flores foeminei herbacei, carnosi ; 

 perianthio basi carnoso, bracteolis obtusis imbricatis suffulto. Sepala petalis 

 paulo minora, in serie omnino externa ordinata. Stamina 6, quorum sepalina 

 petalinis paulb inferius inseruntur. Ovarium obovatum, 3-loculare ; ovulis 

 carnosis, solitariis, peltatis. Styli 3, approximati, clavati, apice divergentes. 

 Capsula sicca, testacea, ovata, nitida, ?j-valvis, loculicido-dehiscens ; epi- 

 carpio cartilagineo separabili refiexo, endocarpio duro ligneo contractili. 

 Semina pallida, ohlonga, albumine duro, corneo, embryone cylindraceo intra 

 basin albuminis latente. 



This plant is a hard, dry, evergreen-leaved, herbaceous 

 plant, exhibiting a state of the Rush-tribe when they assume 

 a state materially different from that of their type. It in- 



* So named by Dr. Brown, from ^ripoe dry, in allusion I presume to the 

 aridity of the foliage. 



