418 TRANSAGTJOXS AND PliOCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. Lxviii. 



attached close to the truncate margin, one or two of the 

 lowermost leaves reduced in size, and 1-3 lanceolate scales 

 at the base. Eaceme unilateral on a peduncle of 1 cm. or 

 more above last leaf, pedicels somewliat longer than sepals 

 which are 2-3 mm. including the teeth, ovate and glabrous; 

 petals 4-6 mm. ovate or obovate, obtuse, white ; filaments 

 dilated at the top, anther-cells distinct. The flowers 

 vaiy in number from 1—6 in the raceme, and are mostly 

 5-merous, but the styles are only 2—3 in tufts of 6—12 

 slightly tapering filaments. Irregularities have, however, 

 been noted, as a male 4-merous flower ; another hermaph- 

 rodite and 4-merous, but with 3 styles ; and one 

 8-merous showing 8 petals, but with the seventh sepal a 

 short way down the pedicel, and the eighth, like a bract, 

 still lower, while the seventh and eighth stamens are 

 connate, and the styles are in two main divisions, with 

 numerous branches spreading from the base. The bracts 

 are frequently absent and variable in size, lanceolate and 

 more or less ciliate, or setaceous, sometimes in pairs. 



The affinity of this plant is clearly with Drosera Banlsii, 

 11. Br., and JJ. riiyrlantlia, Planch., not only in the important 

 character of the style-branches, which are fewer than in 

 any other species of the cauline type of Drosera, but also 

 in the general similarity of most of the other characters. 

 These three species by themselves form, by reason of their 

 less divided styles, a small group connecting the long- 

 stemmed species of the Ergaleium section with those of 

 section Rurdla, in most of which the styles are simple or 

 few-branched. 



The presence of stipules to the upper leaves in D. BanJcsii, 

 as described, is unknown in any of the cauline species of 

 Drosera, and their description as such may have been due 

 to an error of observation, not subject to correction up to 

 the present time, as that species is not recorded as found 

 by any collector since Banks and Solander. Bracts are 

 not uncommon, although irregular on the inflorescence of 

 some species, and they sometimes answer to the description 

 of the stipules of D. Banksii, as thin, narrow, and scarious ; 

 so that between the upper stem-leaves and the flowers, 

 some of these organs may have jjeen observed and hastily 

 noted as deciduous stipules. 



