543 



Tkunlergia. LXXXVIll. ACANTHACEJi. 



The genus is limited to tropical Asia and Africa and southern Africa. The following; 

 species is probably introduced only in Australia. 



* 



.... ^.„.a, Boj. in Sims, Bot. Mag. ^.2591. A Levbaceous softly 

 pubescent or villous twiner. Leaves broadly angular-cordate, on rather long- 

 petioles A\liich are always more or less winged. Flowers pale orange or m 

 one variety white, with tlie tube purple inside, on axillary ])edicels shorter 

 than the leaves. Bracteoles herbaceous, ovate-lanceolate or ovate, ^ to ^ m. 

 long. Calyx reduced to a ring of from 10 to 12 small acute teeth. Corolla- 

 tube shortly exceeding the bracteoles with 5 rounded spreading nearlv equal 

 lobes.-Nees iu DC. Prod. xi. 58; Hook. Exot. Fl. t. 177; Bot. Mag. t. 

 3512. 



Queensland. Rockhamptou, Thozet. A native of the S.E. coast of Africa or of tlie 

 Jtascarcnc Islands, long since cultivated iu Indiau as well as European gardens, and pro- 

 bably introduced only in Australia. 



Tribe II. Nelsoniea;.— Corolla-limb with 5 nearly equal lobes or 2- 

 lipped, the upper lobes or the upper lip outside in the bud. Seeds small, 

 globular, tlie retinacula reduced to minute papillae or quite inconspicuous. 



2. NELSOlvriA, K. Br. 



Calyx of 4 distinct segments, the lowest 2-fid. Corolla-lobes 5, nearly 

 equal" the 2 upper ones outside in the bud. Stamens 2, included m the 

 corolla-tubo ; anther-cells distinct, divergent ; no stan.inodia. Ovules rather 

 numerous ; stigmatic lobes of the style unequal. Capsule 2-celled from the 

 base, terminating in a seedless beak. Seeds small, globular, resting ou 

 minute scarcely conspicuous papillee.-Diftuse herb. 1 lowers small, sessde 

 iu terminal leafy spikes. 



The genus appears to be limited to a single species, a comniou tropical weed. 



.. X,. v-a.x..pestris, R. Br. Prod. 481. A diffuse or prostrate herb the 

 slender stems much branched and extending sometimes to above 1 ft c othed 

 as well as the foliage with long soft bairs which are often white and silky on 

 the young sboots ^and inflorescence. Leaves cblong or elliptical, narrowed 

 into *a sho!-t petiole or rarelv broadly ovate or almost orbicular, rarely exceed- 

 ing i in. except the radical and lowest which are sometimes mucli longer, the 

 floral ones sessile, ovate, acute, 3 to 4 lines long, crowded or almost unbri- 

 eate in short terminal spikes. Flowers nearly sessile, not exceeding he 

 floral leaves. Calvx about 2 lines long, the upper and lower segments rather 

 broader than the 'others, the lowest from minutely 2-toothed to deeply 2- 

 lobed. Corolla-tube about as long as tlie calyx, the lobes rounded, 2 upper 

 ones nearly 1| lines long, the 3 lower rather smaller Capsule obloiig- 

 linenr, not exceeding the floral leaves.-Endl. Icongr. t. 79 ; ^.rotund if oUa, 

 R. Br. 1. c. ; N. tomentosa, Dietr. ; T. Anders, in Joum. Linn. Soc. ix. 450 ; 

 the whole five species oi Nelsotiia and their numerous synonyms gntu uy 

 Kees in DC. Prod. xi. 65 to 67. . , 



W. Australia. Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, M. Eroicn ; between Yictona and 

 Fitzmaurice rivers, 2=^. 3/«t'//t'r; Albert river, i^^-MH^. TinJI^rhv 



Queensland. Endeavour river, Banks and Solander ; Rockhampton, DalJachy^ _ 

 The species is a conHuou tropical weed in Asia and Africa, and is already abundant m 

 several parts of tropical America. The name AT. tomenfosa was attnbuted by ^ees 



cam 



