226 Lxvir. EPACRiDE^. [Jcrotriclie. 



very divaricately branched. Leaves rigid. Flowers small, in little sessile 

 or shortly pedunculate spikes, condensed into heads or clusters, in the axils 

 of the previous year's leaves or on the stem below the leaveSj each flower ses- 

 sile within the small subtending bract and 2 braeteoles. 



The genus is hmited to Australia. AUhougli the technical characters by which it is dis- 

 tinguished may appear of little importance, yet the ^enus is a very natural one. Tlie iiin<> 

 rcscence is peculiar, altliough an approach to it may be observed in Monofoea scoparvt ana 

 in Trochocarpa parviflora. F. ^Mueller unites Acrotricke with Siyphelia, 



Spikes or clusters mostly In the axils of the previous year's leaves. 

 Ijcaves mucronate or puugent-pointed. 



Leaves lanceolate or obloug, luucronate-acute, \ in. long or 

 more. 

 Corolla-tube not exceeding the calyx. Ovary usually 5-celled. 



Leaves scarcely paler underneath \, A. divancafa* 



Corolla-tube twice as long as the calyx. Ovary 6- to 10- 



celled. Leaves pale or glaucous underneath %, A. aggregata. 



Leaves linear -lanceolate, tapering iuto a pungent point. Ovary 



usually 5- or 6-celled 3. ^. semdafa. 



Leaves broadly ovate-lauceolatc, tapering to a pungent point. 



Ovary usually 5-celled 4. A, patula. 



Leaves obtuse, from broadly ovate to oblong. Ovary usually 



4-ceIled 5. J- ovalifoha. 



Spilces all below the leaves on the old branches or trunk. Leaves 



mucronate or pungent-pointed. 

 Leaves ovate-lauceolate, 4 to 6 lines long. Spikes scattered. 



Calyx short 4.-4. pama- 



Leaves oblong-liuear or linear-lanceolate, 4 to 6 lines long- Spikes 



scattered. Calyx short and broad 6. ^. rarmfiora. 



Leaves ovate to lanceolate, 1 to 2 lines long. Sinkes crowded. 



Calyx narrow, rcddisb 7- ^- depressa. 



Leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, about \ in. long. Spikes . ... 



very densely crowded. Calyx narrow, red, 2 lines long. . . 8. A. fascicidijoi^^^ 



1. A. divaricata, «. Br. Prod, 547, A shrub, attaining sometluics 

 several feet, but of ditl'usc or spreading habit, the branches usually shortly 

 hirsute. Leaves spreading, from oblong-elliptical to narrow-lanceohite, mu- 

 cronate, acute, flat or slightly concave or convex, scarcely paler undcrneati, 

 i in, long or rather more. Flowers very small, green, in very short spikes o 

 clusters, nearly sessile in the lower axils. Bracts very small; braeteoles very 

 broad, about half as long as the calyx. Sepals broad, vefy obtuse, ^ 1^1^^ 

 long. Corolla nearly \\ lines long, the lobes as long as the tube, the throa 

 closed with dense tufts of hairs. Ovary (always ?) 5-celled, not ribbeu 

 Prait nearly globular, 1^ lines diameteV.— DC/ Prod. vii. 756; St}jpl^^^^^ 

 divaricata, Spreng. Syst. i. 658 ; F. Muell. Tragra. vi. 44. 



Queensland. Towards iloreton Bay and Durval, Leichhardt. , ^ 



W, S. "Wales. Port Jackson, R Brown, Sieber, n. 93, and others ; near Kichni"^ » 

 Wtlhelmi; Arbuthnot Range (with leaves muct revolute in diying), Fraser. 



2. A. aggregata, R. Br, Prod. 547. A spreading shrnb, ^^th the 

 habit of A. divaricata, the branches glabrous pubescent or shortly "\^^|| j ' 

 Leaves spreading, oblong-lanceolate, mucronate-acute, nearly flat or sUga : 

 convex, pale or whitish underneath, i to 1 in. lonjj, Tlouers in very sno^ 

 axillary spikes or clusters, sessile or shortly pedunculate, mostly on tne ^ 



