96 ELORA or TASMANIA. \Leguminosce. 
Gen. X. PLATYLOBIUM, Smith. 
Calyx basi bracteolatus, bilabiatus, labio superiore maximo rotundato, bifido, inferiore trifido. Vexil- 
lum planum, subrotundum. Stamina 10, monadelpha. Ovarium subsessile, pluri-ovulatum. Legumen 
piano- compressum, sutura dorsali alatum, polyspermum. Semina stropliiolata. — Prutices; foliis qppositis, 
simplicibus, stipulatis ; floribus axillarihus, flavis. 
A small genus of seven or eight species, of which two are found in South-western Australia, and the others on 
the eastern side. — Small shrubs, with simple, opposite, stipulate leaves. Flowers axillary, yellow. Calyx with 
scarious bracts at the base, two-lipped ; upper lip large, bifid ; lower three-parted. Stamens ten, monadelphous. 
Pod compressed, winged, many-seeded. Seeds strophiolate. (Named from nXa-rus, broad, and Ao/3o?, a pod.) 
1. Platylobium triangulare (Br. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. iv. 266) ; caulibus prostratis gracilibus, foliis tri- 
angularibus ovato-triangularibusve angulis apiceque spinescentibus, bracteis imbricatis magnis pedicellum 
longe superantibus, legumine calyce dimidio longiore. — DC. Prodr. ii. 116; Sims, Bot. Mag. t. 1508. P. 
obtusangulum, Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 3258. P. macrocalyx, Meisner. (Gunn, 64.) 
Hab. Common in many parts of the Island, as near Launceston, Rocky Cape, and the falls of the 
Derwent.— (PL Nov.) (v. v.) 
Distrib. South-east Australia. (Cultivated in England.) 
A variable species, easily recognized by the very short pedicels, large, long bracts, and short pod. Stems slender, 
straggling, often prostrate, glabrous or pubescent (villous in some South-eastern Australian specimens), 6-18 
inches long, sparingly branched. Stipules small, ovate. Leaves f-L| inch long, shortly petiolcd, triangular or 
ovate-triangular, retuse or cordate, rarely rounded at the base ; angles and apex pungent ; margin recurved; under 
surface glabrous or pubescent. Bracts distichous, ovate, concave, imbricating, coverimj; the pedicel and half of the 
calyx; upper gradually larger, glabrous, with downy margins. Vlotn-r-s extninelv variable in size. Cahjx. \\\\m\> 
with silky hairs. Pods £ inch long, nearly \ inch broad, glabrous or silky.— This is certainly Brown's P. triangu- 
lare, according to the figure in the 'Botanical Magazine/ taken from specimens grown from the seeds sent to 
England by Brown himself. The meaning of the character given in ' Hortus Kewensis ' la generalh misunderstood ; 
the bracts are inserted (as Brown described them) at the base of the pedicel, and at its apex, not on its middle. 
He is silent as to the relative length of bracts and pedicel. 
2. Platylobium Murrayanum (Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 2359) ; caulibus gracilibus prostratis, foliis 
triangulares v. ovato- v. cordato-triangularibus apice et angulis spinescentibus, bracteis parvis pedicellis 
elongatis tomentosis multoties brevioribus, legumine calycem multoties superante. (Gunn, 798.) 
Hab. In light sandy soil, at Rocky Cape and Georgetown, Gunn. 
Distiub. South-east Australia. (Cultivated in England.) 
So similar in habit and general appearance to P. triangulare (with which Mr. Gunn finds it growing intermixed), 
as to require no detailed description; it differs from that plant in its very small bracts, long pedicels small calyx, 
and large linear-oblong pod, which is much longer than the calyx. — I have seen South-east Australian specimens 
without the lateral angles to the leaves, which are consequently simply cordate, as in P.formosum. 
3. Platylobium formosum (Willd. Sp. PI. iii. 921) ; suberectum, foliis ovatis ovato-cordatisve 
apice pungentibus glaberrimis grosse reticulatim venosis, bracteis pedicello multoties brevioribus imbricatis, 
pedicellis tomentosis folio brevioribus, leguminis pedicello calycem parvum multoties superante.— Smith, 
Nov. Roll. 17. t. 6; DC. Prodr. ii. 116; Vent. Jard. Malm. t. 31 ; Curt. Bot. Mag. t. 469; Br. Hort. 
Kew. ed. 2. iv. 266. Cheilococca apocynifolia, Salisb. Prodr. 412. {Gunn, 1016.) 
Hab. Plentiful about Mount Direction to the north-east of Launceston, but not hitherto found 
elsewhere in the Colony, Gunn. — (PI. Oct.) 
