66 ELOKA OF TASMANIA. [Rutacea. 
Species of Boronia are amongst the most abundant plants in many parts of Australia and Tasmania ; they are 
strong-smelling and almost invariably pink-flowered. All are extremely variable in habit and foliage, so that it is 
nearly impossible to limit the species. Fully sixty are known, and many more described ; but an extensive series of 
specimens of any one species shows so many varieties, that it is obviously impossible to determine these from single 
individuals. Some of the pinnate-leaved species have occasionally trifoliolate and even simple leaves, what is the 
petiole in the one case being expanded into a blade in the other. These petioles being originally developed as leaves, 
and being identical in structure with the leaflets, which surmount them on the other parts of the plant, it becomes 
impossible to say what is a leaf and what not, either by inspection or study ; the phenomenon not being at all ana- 
logous to the phyllodia of the Acacias. I must confess myself quite unable to detect absolute characters between 
the various Tasmanian pinnate-leaved species. Mr. Gunn depends much on the smell, habitat, habit, etc., and 
I have followed his determinations implicitly, except with regard to B. nana, which I have no hesitation in referring 
to B. hyssopifolia. — Calyx quadrifid. Petals four, imbricate. Stamens eight, alternate ones smaller ; filaments 
glabrous or pilose. Ovaries four-celled, with one style and two superimposed ovules in each cell. Fruit of one to 
four one- rarely two-seeded cocci. (Named in honour of F. Borone, who attended Dr. Sibthorpe in his botanical 
travels in the Levant, etc.) 
§ 1. Folia simplicia (in B. hyssopifolia interdum trifoliolata). 
1. Boronia rhomboidea (Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 722) ; glaberrima, foliis rhombeo-obovatis sessilibus 
integerrimis crasse coriaceis, floribus sessilibus soiitariis, filamentis glandulosis. {Gunn, 1946.) 
Hab. North-west Eiver (near Hobarton), and base of Western Mountains, Gunn.— (Fl. Nov.) 
A small, woody, glabrous shrub. — Branches terete, divaricating. Leaves ±-\ inch long, broadly obovate- 
rhomboid, sessile, quite entire, coriaceous, veinless, dotted on both surfaces, reddish at the petioles. Flowers large 
for the size of the plant, solitary, sessile, pink, i inch diameter. Sepals ovate, one-third as long as the coriaceous 
glabrous petals. Filaments fleshy, studded with pedicelled glands, curved at the apex. Anthers oblong, didymou*. 
Ovary deeply four-lobed, on a broad disc, suddenly contracted into the erect style ; stigma minute, four-lobed.— The 
style very easily sptits longitudinally into four pieces, corresponding to the carpels, and then each piece falls away, 
leaving a scar at the apex of each carpel. 
2. Boronia pilonema (Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 98. t. 126); prostrata, ramulis erectis ascendentibusve, 
Mis lineari-oblongis lanceolatisve integerrimis acutis, floribus breve pedicellatis solitariis paucisve, filamentis 
glabris, seminibus parvis ovoideis atris nitidis punctulatis.— DC. Prodr. i. 722. {Gunn, 791.) 
Hab. Common in heathy places on sandy soil, throughout the Island, Labillardiere, etc.— (Fl. all 
summer.) {v. v.) 
Distkib. South-eastern Australia. 
A small glabrous species, entirely similar to the following, but distinguished by the glabrous filaments and 
shining black seeds.— Stems diffuse, ascending, or erect from the root, 3-8 inches long. Leaves simple, linear-lan- 
ceolate, acuminate, entire, £-f inch long, coriaceous, nerveless. Flowers axillary or terminal, on stout pedicels, 
pink. Stamens glabrous, or very slightly hairy. Seeds black, shining, minutely dotted.— South Australian speci- 
mens have more shining, flatter seeds, hardly dotted, and long scattered hairs on the filaments. 
3. Boronia hyssopifolia (Sieber, PI. Exsicc. 296) ; humilis, ramis prostratis v. e radice erectis 
gracilibus, foliis simpHcibus lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis, floribus terminalibus lateralibusve breviter pedi- 
cellatis, staminibus pilosis, seminibus oblongis opacis.— Hook. Journ. Bot. 255. B. tetrathecoides, Hook. 
Camp. Bot. Mag. i. 277 ; an Persoon ? {Gunn, 458.) 
Var. £ ; foliis trifoliolatis.— B. nana, Book. Ic. PI. t. 270 ; Hook. Journ. Bot. ii. 419. {Gunn, 894.) 
Hab. Abundant throughout the Colony, in clay soil. Yar. £. Rocky Cape, Gunn.— (Fl. throughout 
the summer.) {v. v.) 
