60 FLORA OF TASMANIA. [Butacea. 
v. basi late membranaceo-alatis, superne subulatis ; antheris oblongis. Ovarium toro quadrato stipatum, 
4-angulare ; omits loculis 2-6, superpositis, pendulis, micropylo supero. Stylus ovario continuus, tortus j 
stigmate minute 4-lobo. Capsula 4-locularis, subloculicide 4-valvis, 4-angulata v. 4-alata. Semina 
loculis 1-2; testa scabra. Embryo albumine tenui orthotropus; cotyledonibus plano-convexis ; radicula 
brevi, supera. — Herbse plerumaue littor ales, facie Zygophylli. 
I have modified the generic character so as to include the Tasmanian (and several Australian) species, which 
have decidedly dehiscent capsules (as in Zygophyllum), and of which one has filaments with broad lacerated wings, 
and the other subulate filaments, and neither of which have scales at the base of the ovary. Sepals persistent, and 
petals four or five, the latter clawed. Stamens eight to ten, with subulate or winged filaments. Ovary on a raised 
torus, obconical, with a subulate twisted style, four-celled ; cells with two to six pendulous ovules in each. Capsule 
membranous, obcuneate, four-lobed or four-winged, four-celled; cells one- or two-seeded, dehiscing down each 
cell ; walls of an outer green herbaceous layer, and an inner thin white parchment. Seeds pendulous, one or two 
ripening in each cell. — Herbaceous, jointed plants, with opposite bifoliolate stipulate leaves, and axillary solitary 
yellow flowers. (Named in honour of Professor Roper, of Bale.) 
1. Rcepera BiUardieri (A. Juss. Mem. Mus. xii. 454) ; prostrata, foliolis lineari-oblongis, sepalis 
petalisque plerumque 4, filamentis subulatis.— Zygophyllum BiUardieri, Hook. Comp. Bot. Mag. i. 276. 
An DC. Prodr. i. 705 ? (Gunn, 552.) 
Hab. Flinders' Island, Bass' Straits, Backhouse. — (Fl. summer?) 
Distrib. King George's Sound and Swan Eiver. 
A prostrate, rather fleshy, jointed plant. — Stems 6 inches to a foot long. Stipules broadly ovate. Petioles |-| 
inch long, not winged. Stipellce ovate, acuminate. Leaflets |~£ inch long, i inch broad. Flowers axillary, solitary, 
pedicelled, f inch across. Sepals four, ovate, concave, acute, margins rolled inwards, finally persistent and reflexed. 
Petals four, obovate, clawed, yellow. Stamens eight ; anthers subulate. Ovary with four to six ovules in each cell. 
Fruit obconical or truncate at the apex, with a slight projection in the middle towards the persistent subulate style. 
Seeds one or two in each cell. Testa densely covered with spiral filaments. Albumen fleshy, firm. Embryo large. 
Cotyledons oblong ; radicle very short. 
2. Rcepera latifolia (Hook, fil.) ; prostrata, foliolis obovatis oblongisve, sepalis petalisque plerum- 
que 5, filamentis utrinque late alatis apice subulatis, ala lacera superne dilatata. — Zygophyllum apiculatum, 
Miiller in Ho. Hook. {Gunn, 552.) 
Hab. Goose Island, Bass' Straits, Gunn.—(F\. Nov.) 
Distrib. Interior of New South "Wales, South-eastern and Western Australia. 
A larger species than the preceding, with broader leaflets and larger flowers, but best distinguished by the 
filaments having broad lacerated wings, dilated upwards, terminating abruptly above the middle, their apex subulate. 
Nat. Ord. XXIII. RUTACEJE. 
There are more species of this Natural Order in Australia than in any country of equal area, except 
perhaps the Cape of Good Hope, which in this respect presents a remarkable analogy with Australia. 
Most of the species, of which there are upwards of one hundred and sixty known, belong to the tribe Boro- 
niea, which is almost confined to this continent. New Zealand contrasts remarkably with Australia in 
the rarity of Rutacece, which is less anomalous, because the species prefer a dry climate and soil. In com- 
pany with the Epacridece the Boronias cover great heathy tracts of land ; they diffuse a strong aromatic 
