19G • XXI. MALVACE.-E. [SlJa. 



fniit, with projecting undulate sinuses. Stamens often not more than- 10. 

 Fruit depressed -orbicular, about 3 lines diameter, nearly glabrous, not 

 wrinkled, but strongly groored bet%Yeen the carpels, 

 reticulate on the sides. 



Carpels 7 to 10; not 



Queensland. Peak Downs, F, Mueller, 



11. S, spinosa, Linn.; DC. Prod A. 460. An annual or sometimes 

 perennial, and woody at the base, with the habit and inflorescence of the 

 narrow-leaved forms of S. rhombifoUa, but the whole plant, including both 

 sides of the leaves, whitish with a minute tomentum, Avhich is soft and more 

 dense on the calyx. Leaves from ovate to lanceolate. Carpels almost always 

 5 only, more erect aud less readily detached than in S, rliombifolia, often 

 slightly reticulate, awnless or w^ith short awns. — A. Gray, Gen. 111. t. 123. 



N. Australia. N. coast, 7^. Brown; Upper Victoria river, F, Mueller; Quail Island, 

 Flood. The species is not uncommon in tropical Asia, more rare in America. It derives 

 its name from the stipvUes iu falling off often Icavinn; a prominent tubercular base, more dis- 

 tinct in this than in any other species^ althouj^h the character is even here not constant. 



12. S. rhombifolia, Lmi. ; DC. Prod. i. 462. A perennial or under- 

 shnib, very variable in stature/ sometimes tall and erect with the larger leaves 

 ovate and 3 in. long, the Australian specimens more generally representmg 

 the more spreading forms, with rigid virgate minutely toraentose branches, 

 and small narrow leaves, rarely exceeding 1 in., varying from ovate-lanceolate 

 to narrow-lanceolate, or from nearly obovate to oblong-cuneate, always shortly 



petiolate, toothed, nearly glabrous above and more or less whitened under- 

 neath with a short tomentum. Pedicels mostly longer than the petiole and 

 sometimes as long as the leaf, articulate about the middle, PloAvers rather 

 small, yellow. Calyx broad, glabrous or slightly hoary, prominently 10- 

 ribbed at the base. Carpels about 10, with or without terminal erect-conni- 

 vent awns, angled at the back, neither wTinkled nor reticulate, opening at 

 the top in two very short valves, 



N- Australia. Port Essington, Armstrong. 



Qixeensland. Brisbane river; F, Mueller. 



N- S. "Wales. Blue Mountains, Miss Atkinson; Paramatta, introJnced from the 

 Mauritius, and now a troublesome weed, C. Moore. The species is one of the commonest 

 tropical weeds, both in the New and the Old World, aud includes S. reiusa, Linn., 5. rhoni' 

 loidea, Koxb., S. pkitippica, and S. compressa, DC, and several other published forms. 



Yar. (?) incana. Leaves whitish on both sides as in S. sj)i?iosa, but car])ols about 10, 

 with long awns.— Nicholson river, F. Mueller; Comet river, Leichhardt ; the specimens 

 not complete. 



13. S. cordifolia, Lhm.; DC. Prod. i. 464. K rather coarse, branch- 

 ing, erect or rarely (leenml)ent herb or nndershrul), more or less clothechvith 

 a soft stellate tomentum or velvety hairs, the branches often al::;o hirsute with 

 spreading* Iialrs. Leaves on rather long petioles, broadly cordate or almost 

 orbicular or rarely ovate-kuccolate, 1 to 1|- or rarely 2 in. long, usually soft 

 and thick. Flowers small, yellow, on short axillary pedicels or clustered into 

 short leafy racemes. Calyx 10-ribbed at the base, softly tomentose. Carpels 

 about 10 or sometimes fewer, smooth or slightly wrinkled, opening at the 

 top in 2 valves, and in the usual form terminating in rather lou"- erect- 



/ 



connv 



vent awns. 



