iio 



X0TE8 ON THE GENU8 LEPIDIUM [N.O. Crucifer^], 

 FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM, SYDNEY. 



By A. A. Hamilton. 



Ill a monograph of the geuus Lepidium (" Die tJattung Lepi- 

 diuin (Linn.) R.Br.," von A. Thellung, 1906), the author, under 

 L. ruderale Linn., (p. 139) represents L. riLderale Hook, f., Fl. 

 Tasm., i. (I860), p. 25), afi = L. Desvauxii The)]., L. pseudo-tas- 

 manicnm Thell., et L. tasmanicum Thell. He also depicts {loc. 

 <iit.) L. ruderale Benth., Fl. Austr., i., (1863) p. 86, as a composite 

 species, consisting of L. puberuluni Bunge. -f L. hyssopifoliutn 

 Desv., + L. Desvauxii^ L. fasciculatwni. L. pseudo-ruderale, L. 

 pseudo-tasmaiiictwi, et L. sagittidatum, all of Thell., + L. Merralli 

 F. V.M., + //. foliosum Desv., var. fruticulosunn (Desv.): and 

 shows that L. ruderale var. {1)spinescens (l.c.) = L. Ascherouii et 

 L. dubiuvi Thell. 



An examination of the material in the National Herbarium 

 was undertaken, for comparison with Thellungs species; and 

 seedlings were grown in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, with a 

 \ iew to obtaining the radical leaves, which, in some species, are 

 fugacious, and consequently absent from many of our herbarium 

 specimens. The resultant foliage has materially assisted in the 

 identification of a number of specimens. 



Of the species enumerated above, the research disclosed the 

 following to be represented in th^ National Herbarium: L. 

 Desvauxii Thell., L. pseudo-tasmanicum Thell., L. hi/ssopi/'olium 

 Desv., L. /asciculaium Thell., L. pseudo-ruderale Thell., and L. 

 duhium Thell. 



L. ruderale Linn., according to Thellung, {loc. nit.) is not repre- 

 sented in Australia. 



L. Desvauxii Thell. 



Seedling-leaves pinnate, with few distant leaflets, lobed, deeply 

 incised, or serrate at the apex, the lamina oblongcuneate in out- 



