53 ■ IV. AXONACE.K. [Poli/allhia. 



Stcamens veiy sliovt, and closely packed. Carpels 10 to 20 in the flower, 

 much fewer iu the fruit, and then globular or shortly ovoid, 1-seeded, shortly 



stalked 



/ 



Sert. Austr, Calcd. 57, t. 56 ; Uno^ici mtem, F. MucU. Fragm. ill. 3. 



Queensland. In brushes on islands in Moreton Eay, A, Canningltam ; Port Dcmson, 



Titzalaiu Also found iu New Caledonia. ^ . 



[ii some speciuieus the torus, after flowcrlag, becomes thiek and woody, enclosing several 

 cavities, probably a deformity occasioned by the puncture of some insect. Labillardiere de- 

 scribes and figures tlie carpels as having several ovules, but this is a mistake; his own 

 specimens, quite similar to the Australian ones, have but one erect ovule iu each. 



4. MELODORUM, Dun. 



Sepals small, united at the base. Petals 6, valvate in the bud in 3 rons, 

 the outer ones broad, thick, concave, eonnivent or scarcely open, the inncf 

 ones smaller, Stainens numerous, the connective ovate or truncate, conceal- 

 ing the cells. Torus convex or conical. Carpels several, with an oblong 

 thick style and 2 or more ovules in each, attached to the inner angle, Berncs 

 distinct, sessile or stalked.— Stems uoody.. usually climbing. Primary veins 

 of the leaves prominent underueath. Flowers terminal or leaf-opposed. 



Tlic genus comprises several species dispersed over troplcid hAd. and the Indian Archip^'- 

 lago, the Austrahan one endeiuic. 



M 



bat 



climbing ?) branches, the younger ones slightly rusty-tonicntose. Leaviis luuch 

 like those oiM. elegans. Hook. f. and Thorns., but with very much shorter peti- 

 oles, oblong, obtuse or obtusely acuminate, about 3 in. long, coriaceous, glabron:' 

 and shiuing, sprinkled on thevmder side with a few minute, almost microscop^t^, 

 fringed scales or stellate hairs, the veins much less prominent than in vX^^ 



ost 



I 



> 



3. POPOWIA, Endb 



Sepals ovate. Petals 6, valvate in the bud in 2 rows, short, broad, con- 

 cave, those of the 2 rows nearly equal, but the outer ones rather more open. 

 Stamens numerous, closely packed, Avcdge-shaped, the connective flattened at 

 the top, eouccaling the cells. Toms but little raised. Carpels indciiiiite 

 (sometimes few), with a sliort obovate or capitate style and 1 or 2 erect 

 ovules. Eerries stalked, globidar or ovoid. — Trees or shrubs. Flowers small, 

 nxillaiy or leaf-opposed, on short pedicels. 



A small genus, scattered over tropical Africa and Asia, with one species endemic in Austra- 

 lia. As a genus it is scarcely sufficiently distinct from Tolyalthia. 



]. P. anstralis, Bentli, Probably a shrub.' Leaves oA'ate-lanceolate or . 

 oblong, 3 to 5 in. long, obtuse, rounded at the base with a very short broad 

 petiole, glabrous on both sides, the primary veins prominent imdenicath. 

 Pedicels solitary or 2 or 3 together in the axils of the older leaves, longer 

 than in most species of the genus, attaining near 1 in. Expanded flowers 6 

 or 4 lines diameter. Petals broadly ovate, rather thick, pubescent and 

 strictly valvate in each row. Carpels numerous, hairy. Ovule solitaiy^ erect. 



N. Australia, BaiTow Bay, Port Essiugton, Armstrong. 



* 



I 



