Bitcknera.'] ^ Lxxxnt. scuopiiularine^. 515 



sessile, obtuse, entire or slightly sinuate-toothed, 1 to 1| or rarely 2 in. long ; 

 stem-leaves narrower, the upper ones linear or linear-lanceolate, acute. 

 Flowers purplish or nearly white, in slender interrupted terminal spikes. 

 Bracts mostly ovate, acute, ciliate, about half as long as the calyx or the 

 lower ones longer and narrower; bracteoles similar, but smaller. Calyx 

 narrow, rarely 2 lines long, the teeth acute. Corolla glabrous outside, the 

 tube slender, not twice as long as the calyx. Capsule oblong, obtuse, either 

 equal to or ratlier exceeding the calyx.— *Benth. in DC. Prod. x. 496 ; Endl. 

 Iconogr. t. 78. ■ 



N. Australia. Victoria river, F. Mueller ; Glenelg district, N.W. coast. Marten. 



Queensland. Common along the coast, R. Brown and others; from Cape York, 

 I>amel, to ilorcton Bny, F. Mueller. 



The common E. Indian B. Hspida differs chiefly in being miicli move hirsute. The African 

 f- lepto3tachj/a can scarcely he distinguished from some forms of the species, which might 

 '"deed iucludu, as slight varieties, the following four. 



. 3. B. linearis, 11. Br. Prod. 437. Scabrous-pubescent. Stems erect, 

 simple or slightly branched, often exceeding 1 ft., the iqiper leaves linear and 

 acute as in B. nrflcifolia, and sometimes the lower ones scarcely broader, 

 l^ut usually those near the base of the stem are oblong, obtuse, often ob- 

 scurely toothed, narrowed into a petiole and not sessile nor rosulate. Flowers 

 "nd fruit the same as in B. urticifoUa, or rather larger.— Beuth. in DC. Prod. 

 X. 4[)7. 



W. Australia. Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. B: own ; S. Goulburn Island, A. 

 Cunningham: Port F.i%mgion, Armslroiiff ; Victoria river and near Macadam Kange, i'. 

 Mueller; King's Ponds, in the interior, M'Douall Stuarfs Expedition. 



Var. asperata. B. asperata, R. Br. Prod. 438 ; Benth. ia DC. Prod. x. 496, appears to 

 »e a rather larger, coarser, and more scabrous form of the same species. 



Queensland. Bustard Bay and Bay of Inlets, Banks and Solander. 



4. B. tenella, 72. Br. Prod. 437. More slender than the otlier spe- 

 cies, simple or branched, often 1 ft. bigli or more, the foliage and lou er part 

 of the plant sparingly hirsute, the upper part often quite glabrous, -ueaves 

 all narrow and mostly narrow-linear and acute. "Flowers " yellowish-brown 

 si«aller than in 5. linearis and B. urlicifolia, but otherwise sumlar, the corolla 

 glabrous outside, the tube not 2 lines long.— Benth. in DC. Irod. \. 4y/. 



N. Australia. South Goulburn Island, A. Cmningham ; head of Victoria river, F. 

 ^^«e/fe-; islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, 7?. Bww//. „ 



Queensland. Endeavour river. Ban As and Solander ; lacing Tslaud, B.. B>oion. 



5. B. gracilis, R. Br. Prod. 437. Very near B. ramomdma, with the 

 «f«ie somewhat hoary indumentum and narrow obtuse leaves, but the stem 

 slender, erect, usually simple or branching at the base only, and the corolla- 

 ^;|be glabrous outside or very rarely sprinkled with a few bairs at the top ot 

 tlie tube.— Benth. in DC. Prod, x." 497. 



W- S. Wales. Port Jactson, U. Brown. The o.ily specimens hitherto detected so far 



south. 



, 6. B. ramosissima, R. Br. Prod. 438. Erect or decumbent at the 

 '^fe,more branching than the other species and usually more hoarv with a 

 «l»ort scabrous pubescence, sometimes under 6 in. but often »"aming 1 tt. oi 



