138 XL. LEGUMixos^. [PuUeim. 



10. "P. irivohicrsitsi, Bent/i. A mucli-branched shrub, loosely villous 

 with si>readiag hairs. Leaves linear or lanceolate, mostly acute, rarely ex- 

 ceeding | in. long, narrowed at the base but the petioles very much shorter 

 than in F.yiUifera, or scarcely any, concave and glabrous above, veiy conves 

 loosely hairy and l-uerved underneath, usually clustered on the smaller 

 branchlets. Stipules rather long, with recurved points. Flowers solitary ou 

 very short lateral leafy branchlets, sessile in a tuft of leaves and closely sur- 

 rounded within the floral leaves by a few short imbricate bracts. Bracteoles 

 broad, concave, as long as the calyx and inserted close under it. Calyx not 

 2 hues long, the lobes broad and obtuse or the lower ones scarcely acute. 

 Standard more than twice as long as the calyx. Pod not seen. 



T, ^i' /^'Jf **:*^^*- 1^0% Ranges, F. Mueller. The species seems to be allied on the one 

 band to F. vtllifera, differing in inflorescence, in the almost sessile leaves, etc., ou the other 

 Jiand to P. Muellen, differing in induineutum, shorter calyx, broader leaves, etc. 



^ 71. P. Mueller!^ Benth. An erect much-branched shrub of several 

 feet, tlie young shoots loosely silky-pubescent. Leaves linear or lanceolate, 

 tapering into a short almost pungent point, narrowed at the base, mostly un- 

 der 2 m. long, concave and glabrous above, more or less silky-hairy under- 

 neath, more or less prominently 1- or 3-nerved. Stipules rather long, ap- 

 pressed. Flowers terminal solitary, almost sessile above the last leaves, and 

 surrounded by short broad imbricate bracts. Bracteoles ovate-oblotig, con- 

 cave, nearly as long as the calyx and inserted close under it. Calyx 3^ lines 

 long, slightly silky or nearly glabrous, the lobes acute or mucronate, tbe 2 

 upper ones rather broader and more united. Standard nearly twice as long 

 as the calyx, keel deeply-coloured. Pod sessile, ovate, about 3 lines long, 

 somewhat turijid. 



Victoria. Abnndant in some of the Australian Alps at an elevation of 4000 or 5000 R., 



ill ri '•^''^ ?.^'''' ?'"?^'>'" ^'■'^'''^' •^tc, F. Mueller; near Shiptou, IF. S. Whan. lu 



the latter specimens the stipules and bracts have fine setaceous points. 



vP' ^1* P''°s*''ata, BeutJi. in Tlook.f. Fl. Tasm. i. 89. A prostrate or 

 (littiise shrub, fonmng depressed patches of 1 ft. or more, of a silvery-grej 

 irora the short appressed silky pubescence of the young shoots and inflores- 

 ceiice. Leaves Imear-tcrcte, obtuse, 2 to 3 or rarelv 4 lines loni-, channelled 

 above by the involute margins, becoming glabrous with age. Stipules small. 

 ^lowei-3 termun.l, but often appearing axillary from the shortness of the 

 nowenng branchlets, solitary and sessile within 4 to 6 broad closely imbri- 

 cated bracts covermg the calyx-tube, the inner ones often 2 lines long, obtuse 

 01 jagged. Bracteoles inserted on the calyx-tube at its base, oval-oblong, 

 scarious. Calyx sUky-pubesceut, 2i or nearly 3 lines long; lobes shorter than 

 the tube the 2 upper ones broader and more united. Standard twice as long 

 as the calyx ; keel considerably shorter. Ovary villous ; style subulate. ToJ 

 ovoid, obtuse, about as long as the calyx. 



^err^^F^ir * //^'" w- "*" ^''' fT^^' Robertson; near Portland, ^//.Y/ ; iu the -Murray 

 scrub, t. Mneller ; Wimmcra, Ballachy. 



Tasmania. Plains near Ross, Gimn. 

 S. Australia. In theTattiara country, Woods. 



1 he species is readily distinguished from all others except P. Muelleri and V. molucrdC 

 by the flowers singly surrouuded by imbricate bracts 



