140 XIV. POLYGALE^E. \_Pohjgala. 



obloug-liuear, some exceeding- 1| in. Eacemcs lateral or terminal, very dense 

 and ovoid or oblong, i to 1 in. long, and very villous, the flowers nearly ses- 

 sile. Outer sepals small and almost setaceous ; inner sepals oblif[uely ovate, 

 acinninate, about 2 lines long when in flower, nearly 4 when in fruit, herba- 

 ceous and hirsute with slender spreading hairs, completely enclosing the very 

 fugacious corolla. Keel-petal very much shorter than the side ones, the 

 dorsal crest consisting of 2 long simple horns. Style not thickened, 3-lobed, 

 the upper lobe shortly filiform and incurved, the lower one expanded into a 

 large stigmatic gland. Ovary covered with very long hairs. Capsule orbi- 

 cular, emarginate, not winged, 2 to nearly 3 lines long, hirsute with long fine 

 hairs. Seeds oblong, with rcflexed hairs. 



N- Australia. Upper Victoria river, F. Mueller, 



4. P. rhinanthoides, Soland, in Herb. H. Br. An erect branchiug 

 slightly pubescent annual, from an inch or two to above a foot high. Leaves 

 oblong-linear, or rarely obovate-oblong, obtuse or rarely acute, f to 1|- in. 

 lorig, glabrous or ciliate, narrowed into a short petiole. Racemes lateral, 

 short, rather dense, 6- to lO-flowered. Outer sepals lanceolate, w^ith a fine 

 point; inner sepals broadly ovate, oblique, mucrouate, ciliate, 2 to 3 lines 

 long. Keel-petal crested. Ovary broad, ciliate. Style slightly thickened, 

 much curved, entire, wdth a broad almost petaloid decurved stigma, bearded 

 underneath. Capsule 4 lines long and broad, including a broad wing, pu- 

 bescent and ciliate. Seeds oblong, hirsute with rcflexcd hairs, the caruncle 



deeply 3-lobed. 



W. Australia. Upper Victoria river. F, 31ueller, 



Queensland. Endeavour river, R. Brown, 



Var. 7ni7ior. A smaller and more glabrous plant, with narrower leaves, looser raeeuies, 

 and more glabrous 5 capsules with narrower wings, almost couuecting the species with some 

 forms of P. arvensis. Upper Victoria river, F. Mueller. 



5. P. orbicularis, Beuth. Aa anuual of 3 to 6 in., branchings at the 

 base ouly, glabrous or very sliyhtly pubescent. Leaves distinctly petiolate, 

 very broadly obovate or orbicular, or even broader than long, f to 1 iu. 

 diameter, or the lower ones smaller. Racemes usually terminal, dense, ^ io 

 1 in. long. Outer sepals very small and lauceoUite ; inner sepals obli(iuely 

 ovate, rounded, with a short point, glabrous, about 2|- lines \on^. Corolla 

 fully as long, the lateral petals unusually large, the crest fringed. Style not 

 thickened, with au almost potalold uucinate-decurved stigma, glabrous, or 

 slightly bearded underneath. Capsule orbicular, 2| lines long, scarcely 

 wuiged. Seeds haiiy, the caruncle 3-lobed. 



Wr. Australia. South Goidburn Island, A.Cunningham', Melville Island, -Fw^^; 

 N. coast, Arnuirong. 



Allied to the var. ohomta of l\ arvenm, but appears to me, as far as hitherto known, \.qo 

 di:>Uact iu habit aaJ foliage to be united with that species. 



6. P. arvensis, Willd. Spec. PL iii. 870, A procundjcnt or rarely erect 

 annual, branching at the base only, sometimes not exceeding a couple of 

 inches when in full fruit, sometimes the prostrate or ascendirig branches 

 extending to 6 or 8 iu, or even more, and usually pid^escent. Leaves from 

 obovate to oblong or linear, ^ to | in. long or rarely more. Flowers few, i»i 

 short sessile racemes, usually lateral, often shorter than the leaves, and rarely 



