MicrosteTmna J] lxxvi. asclepiadea:. • 345^ 



Corolla bearded inside 1. M. tuherosum. 



Corolla quite glabrous - . . i 2, M, glabrijlortm. 



1. M. tuberosum, R. Br, Trod, 459. Stems from a tuberous rliizome, 

 erect, slender, simple or sliglitly branched, glabrous. Leaves either all re- 

 placed by minute scales or a few in the upper part of the plant long and 

 narrow-linear. Umbels sessile or very shortly pedunculate at the upper 

 ^odes, consisting of few dark-purple flowers, on filiform pedicels of 3 to 4 

 lines. Calyx-segments small. Corolla spreading to about 4 lines diameter, 

 Ijearded inside with long purple hairs, the lobes acuminate. Gynostegium 

 very short, the anther-cells prominent. Corona not verj^ conspicuous. 

 Follicles narrow-linear, acuminate, fully 3 in. long.— Endl. Iconogr. t. 60 ; 

 F. ^luell. Fragm, i. 58. 



N. Australia. Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown. 

 Queensland, Burdekiu river, F. Mueller, .... 



2. M. glabriflorum, F. Muell Fragm. i. 58. Very near M. tahero- 

 «;'w, with a similar habit and inflorescence, but the flowers smaller, the 

 foroUa not bearded inside, and the coronal ring rather more prominent. 



N. Australia. Sea range, Victoria river, F, MueUer, Only two small /pecimeus 

 ^\ere found, and those had but very few flowers. It may prove to be a vaiicty of Jl. tube' 



rosum. 



11. DISCHIDIA, H. Br. 



Corolla urceolate ; lobes 5, spreading, valvate in tlie bud. Corona of 5 

 segments attached to the base of the gynostegium, erect, linear, and bitid at 

 tlie end. Anthers terminated by a membrane. Pollen-masses 2 to eacH 

 anther, oblong, erect. Stigma obtuse.— Herbs usually creepmg oyer tlie 



stems of trees and rooting at the nodes. Leaves fleshy, some of them ^^ll 

 species not Aiistraban) often converted into pitchers. Flowers small, m axil- 

 lary or interpetiolar umbels or clusters. 



The genus is spread over East India, and more especially the ludiaa Arcliipelago. where 

 we only Australiau species is also fouud. 



1- D. numnxularia, R. Br. Frod. 461. A succulent milky-juiced 

 fpiphyte more or less raealv-white, the slender stems creeping oyer the trunk, 

 aud branches of trees, rootin- at the nodes, and apparently attaching themselves 

 V means of disk-like expansions of the fibres, the upper branches loose and 

 ''bilging. Leaves on tcit short petioles, nearly orbicular, thick «"4„^^f >' 

 !'ot exceeding i in. diameter. Flowers very small, in little sessile axillarj oi 

 'itei-petiolar clusters, the pedicels very short. , Calyx-segments minute. Lo- 

 fola under \\ lines long, the tube inflated, the lobes narrow, longer than the 

 ^"l^e. Corona-segments as long as the gynostegium, at fiyst erect, mciirvec , 

 J't 1 short subula^te inflected lobes, at length spreading with recurved lobe . 

 Jollicles membranous, about 1 in. long, acuminate, recurved at the eju. 

 S^eds very small, with a very copious silky coma.-Dcne. m DC. Irod. vui. 

 032. 



Queensland. Cape York, M'GiUivra!/, Daemel ; Endeavour fi^'"'' ^^^^tf afd'the 

 (f ; Rockingham Bay Dallachjj. This species is also ia the Indian Archipelago and the 

 Malajau Peninsula. " -^ ^ 



