•150 NOTES ON PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO SYDNEY, 



yards, accordingly as it is found in dry or wet soil. Growing on the 

 dry ground round the swamp, it is an insignificant plant of four to 

 six inches high, with few flowers ; and all gradations from that to 

 a fine robust plant of two feet, bearing a profusion of rich yellow 

 flowers, may be found as the centre or very wet portions of the swamp 

 are reached ; marking, not only its character as a marsh plant, but 

 its necessary treatment if brought under cultivation. 



I have examined very carefully all the species to which I have 

 referred ; and as they all agree in their general form, and 

 especiallly in those characters essential to this paper ; it will save 

 time if I speak more particularly of one species only ; and I take 

 for that purpose Goodenia ovata. The calyx is a linear tube with 

 five linear lobes ; the lobes as long as the tube. The corolla 

 monopetalous, but divided into two principal lobes of unequal 

 size ; the upper and smaller one is again divided nearly to its base 

 while the lower and larger lobe is divided into three sections, but 

 not so deeply as the upper one ; there are five stamens ; the style 

 simple, with an expanded crescent-like stigma, covered by an 

 indusium. This indusium is an envelope rising from the style 

 immediately below the stigma, passing on above it and completely 

 covering it laterally ; but having its mouth open or closed as may 

 be. It expands towards its upper part, adapting itself to the 

 crescent form of the stigma ; its edges are densely ciliate. Speaking 

 of it in one of his lectures, Dr. Woolls says, : " From the days of 

 Robert Brown various opinions have been held respecting this 

 indusium, some regarding it as an exaggeration of the rim which 

 surrounds the stigmatic surface of Heathworts ; some again 

 considering it as a part of distinct origin though intimately 

 cohering with the pistil ; whilst others look upon it as necessary 

 to the fructification of the flower. The parts have been observed 

 to close on receiving the pollen. However that may be, the organ 

 is one of deep interest." 



If we take a flower of Goodenia ovata in the bud, before it has 

 even began to open, and carefully dissect it, we shall find the five 

 stamens as long as the pistil, the anthers just reaching to the top 

 of the indusium ; the filaments closely packed round the style ; the 





