518 Lxxxiii. scROPiiULAKraE.E. [^Rhamjilticarpa. 



A small genus, chieily African, with one Asiatic species, the same as the Australian one. 



1. R, longiflora^ Be}2lh. in Comp.Bot. ifag, and in DC. Prod. x. 504. 

 An erect slender but rigid branching annual, more or less scabrons, from 

 under fi in. to nearly 1 ft. higb. Leaves pinnately divided into linear-subu- 

 late segments, rather short and distant, or sometimes again toothed or pni- 

 nate, the whole leaf usually above 1 in. long. Plowers in the upper axils, on 

 pedicels of |-to 1 in., without bracteoles. Calyx broadly cauipanulate, 2 to 3 

 lines long, the lobes ending in fine points. Corolla-tube slender, about 1 in. 

 long when perfect, with a campanuhite throat, the lobes broad, varying m 

 size, but always 2 or 3 times shorter than the tube. Capsule ovate, acmni- 

 nate, without prominent margins, the beak nearly straight or somewhat oblique 

 in the Australian form. — R.fstidosa^ Beuth. in DC, Prod. x. 504. 



W. Australia, F, Mueller (imperfect specimens in Ilerh. Hook.); lat. 17° 58, 

 M'Douall Stiiarfs Expedition (imperfect specimens in Herb. F. Mut4L) These Australian 

 specimens seem to connect the African R. fistnlosa, which has usually the capsule LorJered 

 by a raised nerve or wing, but the beak straight, with the Asiatic R. longijlora (Wight, Ic. 

 f. 1415), which has not the raised nerve, but the beak of the capsule more or less oblique or 

 recurved. Neither character appears, however, to be quite 'constant, and the foHage and 

 flowers are the same in all. 



29. HEMIARRHENA, Benth. 



Calyx deeply divided into narrow obtuse segments. Corolla tubular at the 

 base, the throat dilated, the upper lip erect, narrow, concave, entire, the lower 

 one longer, spreading, divided into 3 narrow lobes folded over the upper hp 

 in the bud. Stamens 2, without any rudiment of the upper pair ; filaments 

 arched; anthers connivent under tlie upper lip but free, each with one pen- 

 dulous cell, with a tiue rigid point or awn at the end, opening longitudinally 

 from the base to near the end. Style filiform, slightly dilated at the end, en- 

 tire. Capsule ovoid, opening in 2 entire thin valves, parallel to the thia dis- 

 sepiment. Seeds numerous, striate and reticulate, like those of Gratiolea?,-- 

 Sleudcr perennial. Leaves opposite rosulate or clustered at the base of the 

 stem. Flowers in short terminal racemes, without bracteoles. 



^ The genns is limited to a single species endemic in Anstralia, and singnlarly exceptional 

 m whichever of the great suborders it is placed. The form and aestivation of the corolla ana 

 aristate anthers, so decidedly those of Euphrasietc, are absolutely unknown in Antirrhiuidea:, 

 whilst the capsule and seeds, exactly those of Lindernietc-, are as foreign to any ol the gener^ 

 liitherto known in Euphrasies, or indeed in any but a very doubtful one of the uhole snt 

 oraer of Rhiuanthidex. 



1. H. plantaginea, Benth. Stems from a tbick perninial a]mo?t 



woody stem, erect, very slender, simple, often above 1 ft. long, quite glabrous. 

 Leaves in few pairs at tlie base of the stem, almost rosulate, very shortly pe- 

 tiolate, ovate or broadly oblou-, obtuse, entire, -bibrons, | to 1 in. long, a"^' 

 sometimes 1 or 2 pairs of minute scale-like sessile leaves higher up the stem- 

 i lowers densely crowded in a short oblonjr terminal raceme, with somelimes 

 a branch proceeding from the base bearing, a second raceme. Pedicels very 

 short, glandular-pubescent, in the axils of minute bracts. Calyx-seguients 

 above 1 line long, membranous, with a dark-coloured midrib and a few large 

 glands on each side. Corolla-tube slender, about 3 lines long, the throat 

 dilated, the upper bp scarcely above 1 line loner the lobes of the lip ^ong^^h 



nb 



