56 NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS, NO. VIII., 



length of pedicels is easily explained b}^ the fact that Bentham 

 had seen no fruits, and the pedicels in this species are very 

 variable in length, and lengthen out with the maturing fruit. In 

 some of last year's fruiting-specimens from the Warrumbungle 

 Ranges, the pedicels are nearly 1 inch long, while some specimens, 

 collected two j^ears previously in the same locality, have the 

 young flowers on pedicels often under J of an inch long. The 

 discrepancy in the shape of the ovarium (Bentham describes 

 it as "rounded at the top") cannot be explained by simple 

 variation, and it is difficult to believe that a trained observer like 

 Bentham should have made such a mistake. Perhaps Bentham 

 had such young flowers under observation that the lobes were 

 scarcely formed. The ripe carpels of Mr. Forsyth's specimens 

 are beaked like those of A. correifolia, which proves that the 

 young carpels in the ovarium are also lobed. 



Unfortunately the type specimens are not in Australia, so that 

 we can only surmise that Fraser's and Forsyth's specimens are 

 identical, Avithout being absolutely certain. 



Mueller unites A. coi'i'ei folia, Benth., and A. MueUeri, Benth., 

 under the name of Eriostemon correifolius. We propose now to 

 go a step further and include A. mollis in the variations of A. 

 correifolia. Bentham separates A. mollis from A. correifolia and 

 Muelleri on account of the lobed stigma and the rounded ovarium; 

 but we find both very unreliable characters in this section of the 

 genus. In A. mollis the stigma is distinctly lobed, while scarcely 

 lobed in A. correifolia; Ijut in A. Muelleri the stigma seems so 

 variable that we can onl}' describe it as " more or less distinctly, 

 lobed or almost entire." The true A. correifolia is so variable in 

 shape and size of leaves, indumentum, and length of pedicels that 

 both A. Muelleri and A. mollis cannot be maintained as separate 

 species if the character of stigma and ovarium are proved to be 

 variable. 



The chief characteristics of the three forms of A. correifolia 

 are : — 



Normal Form. — Leaves glabrous above. Floivers white. 

 Stigma entire, or nearly so. 



