460 NOTES ON PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO SYDN^EY, 



almost any forest tree ; ascending to a height of forty-feet or 

 more ; and although the single plant that I have found near 

 Sydney has attached itself to a comparatively low shrub, Lambertia 

 formosa, it can be seen by its many convolutions that it is of great 

 length. It bears small white flowers in panicles. The calyx: 

 monosepalous, its five lobes densely pubescent, the tube thiok, and 

 adnate by its lower [jortion with the ovary. Corolla mouopetalous, 

 its lobes somewhat longer than the tube, very much reflexed and 

 densely pubescent. Stamens five, attached to the tube of the 

 corolla. Anthers sagittate. Disk of five veiy distinct lobes or 

 teeth. Ovar}- two-celled, divided by a thin septum, upon each 

 ■ side of which a peltate placenta bears the ovules. 



The flower is in all respects a very curious and interesting one. 

 The style and stigma, when freed from the closely lying anthers, 

 have the appearance of having been turned in a lathe, or moulded 

 in an ornamental manner. The stamens starting from the corolla 

 tube, cross at once to the base of the style, then forming a ring 

 round it, ascend, till the five large anthers lie closely together on 

 the inclined surface of the stigma. The anthers are very long, 

 being produced both above and below the pollen cells ; and lying 

 so closely round and upon the stigma, form a compact conical roof, 

 with the base or eaves spreading out below so far from the stigma, 

 as to quite protect it and the pollen from rain and dew. In fact, 

 they adhere so closely to it, that it is a very difficult matter to 

 separate them without tearing them. Botanically described, the 

 anthers form an exserted cone ; but I think I may convey a better 

 idea of their appearance, by [saying that they are like a half-opened 

 umbrella, the style forming the handle, and the filaments and 

 anthers the ribs and covering. 



I have examined a great many flowers of this plant, in diflferent 

 stages as regards maturity ; but have not met with an instance in 

 which the anthers had separated, so as to expose the stigma, until 

 after fertilisation had been effected. The pollen cells are of course 

 inside the cone, and rest on the surface of the stigma. In every 

 instance, in fully opened flowers, I have found the stigma mature 

 and viscid and covered with pollen from its own anthers, the pollen 



