Melochia.'] xxii. sterculiace.'E. 2C5 



M 



Herbaceous, with the habit of 



M.pyramidata, but usually more erect, gUibrous or with slightly pubescent de- 

 current lines. Leaves petiolate, from broadly ovate to lanceolate, mostly 1 to 



2 in. long, serrate or crenatc, glabrous. Flowers small, purplish, nearly sessile 

 m clusters, usually several together in a broad, terminal, sessile cyme, rarely 

 a few smaller clusters iu the upper axils. Calyx 5 -angled. Petals about 



3 hues long. Capsule small, depressed-globvilar, with scarcely prominent 

 angles, sprinkled with a few hairs, the valves very rarely splitting septieidallv. 



Riedleia corchorifolia, DC. Prod. i. 491 ; W. and Am. Prod. i. 66. 



W. Australia. Port Essiugtou, Armstrong ; Start's Creek and Macadam range, F. 

 Mueller. 



The species is common in E. India, and includes M. concatenala^ Lino., and M. suplna, 

 Lmn., with all the synonyms referred to these plants respectively by Wight and Arnott (1. c., 

 ^J^der Ried/ela). Some of the Australian specimens are mnch starred, with small, ocea- 

 sioaally axillary, heads of flowers, apparently approaching 3f. nodlfiora, Sw., another wide- 

 spread tropical species, which however not only has all the flowers in axillary clusters, but 

 the capsule is much more deeply furrowed, and usually septicidal as well as loculicidal, the 

 carpels often entirely separating. 



8. DICARPIDIUM, F. Muell. 



Calyx 5-lobed. Petals oblong-spathulate, persistent. Stamens 5, very 

 shortly united at the base, without interv^ening stauiinodia, antber-cells 

 parallel. ^ Ovai-y sessile^ 2-celIe<i with 2 ovules in each cell; styles 8, dis- 

 tinct, thickened upwards. Fruit-carpels separating, 2-vaIved, with 1 or 2 

 seeds in each. Seeds ascending ; albumen fleshy ; embryo straight, with flat 

 cotyledons. — An undershrub, with the habit of Waltherla, from which the 

 genus only dilFers in the carpels, two instead of one. The flowers are also 



more or less unisexual, but that is perhaps sometimes the case in Wal' 

 theria, 



Ahe geaus is limited to the single Australian species. 



1. D, monoicum, F, MaelL in Hook. Keiv Journ. ix. 302. An under- 

 shrub of 1 to 2 ft., hirsute all over with rigid stellate hairs, the branches 

 rather slender, diffuse or erect. Leaves nearly sessile, oblong, mostly about 



1 in. long, toothed, plicate, and densely hirsute. Flowers small, almost 

 sessile, solitary, or 2 or 3 together in the upper axils, each within a bract and 



2 bracteoles, the males with small carpels and short styles, the ovules, although^ 

 ''apparently perfect, not setting ; the female flowers rather smaller, with saialler' 

 anthers, but perfecting their fruit. Carpels small, tomentose. 



W. Australia- ifacarthur river and Seven Eriui creeA, F. Maeller, 



9, WALTHERIA, Liim. 



Calyx 5.1obcd. Petals 5, spathulate, persistent. Stamens 5, united at 

 *^he base, without iutervcning staminodia; anther-cells parallel. Ovary 



style excentrieal, 



Seed asccnd- 



-llerbs, imdershrubs, 



ith spreading hairs. 



sessile, cousisting of a single 1-locular, 2-ovulate caipel, s 

 thickened or friuged upwards. Capsule 2-valved, 1-seeded. 

 ^^^g) albumea flesiiy; embryo straight, cotyledons flat.— r 

 ^^ rarely trees, t!ij stellate tomentuni usually mixed wi 



