are 3-4 or more still smaller and more irregularly divided ramuli. The alter- 

 nating plumules have a liliform racliis, formed of cylindrical ceUs, each 3-4 

 times longer tiian broad, and arc close whorlcd with tristichous or tetrastichous 

 piunaj ; the pluua very slender, and bipinnatc or subtripinuate. Articula- 

 tions of the ultimate ramuli as long as broad ; apices blunt. Fruit not seen. 

 Colour a deep full red. Substance firm and rather rigid. In drying it im- 

 perfectly adheres to paper. 



In external aspect, and in the alternately opposite long and 

 short ultimate branchlets or '' phmmles," this beautiful species 

 nearly resembles B. Bohertimia (Plate XXXI.), but in micro- 

 scopic characters the two are very distinct. A comparison of 

 our figures is sufficient to prove this, Pig. 2 in each plate repre- 

 senting similar pieces of each plant. In B. Bohertiana the oppo- 

 site divisions or pinnae of the plumule are distichous, with simple 

 pinnules lying so close one on another that each pinna looks hke 

 an ovate serrated leaflet. In B, Mariana the pinnae are either 

 tristichous or tetrastichous, their pinnules are compound and very 

 slender, and every fibre stands apart, giving a feathery character 

 to the whole plumule. There are other minor characters which 

 need not be further insisted on. 



This is by much the rarest species of Ballia, and has not yet 

 been found in fruit. 



Fig. 1. Ballia Mariana, — the natural size. 2. Opposite or whorled, alter- 

 nately very unequal plumules. 3. A " plumeUa" from the larger plumule. 

 4. One from one of the smaller, — maynijied. 



