172 Key to the System of 



large ; fruit-calyx very succulent when well developed, 

 but oftener withering ; fruit obtusely triangular. 

 " Macquarie-Harbor-Grape " in Tasmania. 



M. adpressa. 



Leaves almost membranous, long-pointed. 



Climbing, tall ; branchlets slender ; leaves from ovate- 

 hastate to orbicular-cordate ; flowers in slender spike-like 

 racemes, rather small ; fruit obtusely triangular, without 

 lustre. M. gracillima. 



827. Interwoven-branched. 



Tall ; leaves linear or verging into an elliptic- lanceolar form, 

 often undeveloped ; flowers in axillary clusters or some- 

 times in spike-like racemes ; fruit-calyx withering ; fruit 

 triangular, shining. " Polygonum " here vernacularly. 



M. Cunningham!. 



Strictly erect ... 



828. Fruit-calyx withering. 



Leaves usually broad-linear, grey-green ; flowers in axillary 

 clusters ; fruit trigonous -globular, nearly smooth, shining. 

 Figure 42. M. polygonoides. 



Fruit-calyx very succulent. 



Leaves all narrow-linear, bright-green ; flowers in axillary 

 clusters ; fruit trigonous, somewhat pointed at the summit 

 and at the base, dull-black, rough. M. stenophylla. 



FTXX.OTUS. 



829. Shrubby, much branched. 



Closely beset with whitish or greyish stellate hairlets ; 

 leaves from rhombeous and orbicular to obovate and 

 lanceolar-elliptical ; spike comparatively short, some- 

 times almost capitular; bract brownish, blunt; bracteoles 

 pointed ; sepals about twice as long as the bracteoles, 

 often somewhat purplish, pale or seldom red at the 

 summit. Figure 35. P. obovatus. 



Almost or quite herbaceous, but little branched or 

 branchless ... ... ... ... ... ... 830 



