190 XXI. malyace.t:, \PlagianiJius. 



more Interniptcd at the base, but always close at the top.— N.W. interior of Victoria, and 

 in S. Australia. 



4. P. glomeratus, Bentlt. in Joimu Lhuu Soc. vi. 103. A glabrous or 

 slightly hoary, decumbent and much-branched herb, with ascending branches 

 often above 1 ft. liigh. Leaves cuneate-oblong, toothed at the end, resem- 

 bling those of P. spicatns, but usually narrower and more gradually narrowed 

 into the petiole. Tlowei'S all axillary, usually 3 together and sessile, forming 

 ilistant clusters along the leafy branches and never collected into a spike, the 

 ends of the branches all barren. Flowers nearly those of P. spicatiis, but 

 smaller, and the stamens and styles much shorter. — Latorencia glomerata^ 

 Hook. Ic. PL t. 417. 



, Australia, S. coast, iJ. Brown, 

 W. Australia. Swan River, Briimmond ; Port Gregory, Oldfeld (a hoary variety). 

 . F. Mueller uuites this with P. spicafns, but I see no teuJeney to the spicate inflores- 

 cence so characteristie of that species, besides the general differences in habit and ioliagc. 



5. P, diffusiis, BentJi. Herbaceous, much-branched, diffuse or prostrate, 

 sometimes not exceeding 3 or 3 in., sometimes nearly 1 ft. long, but much 

 more slender than P. glomeratus, gl'abrous or sprinkled with a few stellate 

 hairs. Leaves on long petioles, orbicular or obovate, rarely exceeding 2 n^* 

 in diameter, and often much smaller, coarsely crenate. Flowers axillary, 1 to 

 3 together, the males on pedicels of 3 to 4 lines, the females sessile. Calyx 

 bfoadly campanulate, slightly angular, not 2 lines long. Petals in the males 

 much longer, in the females small and persibtcut. Stamens 10 to 15, or fewer 

 in the females. Styles of the females long and acute. Carpels 5, glabrous, 

 not exceeding the calyx, ending in short connivent points, and not separating 

 very readily. 



^ ^ M 



"W Australia. Swaa Eiver, Bnimmond, n. 104, 137, and 246 (females), and n.2io, 

 5/// CoiL (males). 



6. P, squamatus, Pej^fh. in Journ, Linn, Soc. vi. 103. A rigid tor- 

 tuous shnib, the leaves and other herbaceous parts densely covered with small 

 peltate, scurfy scales, the young branches often simple and erect, 1 ft. long or 

 more, the short ones rarely spinescent. Leaves oblong-linear, entire, the 

 larger ones above 1 in. long and narrowed into a long petiole with smnll ses- 

 sile ones clustered in their axil, the floral ones rarely exceeding \ in. Flowers 

 small, closely sessile in axillnry clusters, not spicate,. Calyx not 2 lines long, 

 veiy scurfy, with obtuse lobes. Petals narrow, scarcely exceeding the calyx, 

 and very small in the females. Carpels 3, 4, or 5, the 'styles protruding con- 

 siderably beyond the calyx, the stiguuitic part somewhat dilated and ending 

 in a long point. Ripe fruit not seen, but only 1 or 2 carpels appear to ^^' 

 hr^e.—Lawrencia squamala, Nees, in PL Preiss. i. 242. 



W. Australia. Swan River, Drummond, 4(h Coll, n. 106, Preiss, n. 1231 . 



•ophyllus, F. MneU. Fragm, i. 29. Very closely allied to 

 P. aquamalus, and similarly covered with scurfy scales, but a lower, more 

 tortuous, and more branched shnd>, the smaller branches slender and often 

 spinescent. Lea\es from linear to oblong-cuneate, rarely exceeding \ in- 

 and usually much smaller, obtuse or 3-toot!ied at the end, more or less 

 ^ tapering at the base. Flowers small, sessile or nearly so, 1 to 3 together m 



xnic 



