Apocj/xece.] FLORA OF TASMANIA. 269 
coast. Of the closely-allied Order Asclepiadea there are no Tasinanian species, but about thirty continen- 
tal Australian, of which one or two ouly are extratropical. 
Gen. I. ALYXIA, Bank*. 
Calyx 5-partitus, eglandulosus. Corolla hypocrateriforinis, tubo apice constrict o, mi us pflotOj hllM 
nuda. Stamina inclusa. Ovaria 2, oligosperma, stylo unico ; stigmate obtuso. Dmpa 2 (altera nspioi 
abortiente), stipitatse, oblongse v. catenatim compositae. Semina solitaria v. plura, superposita, facie interna 
coinpressa suturam ventralem arnbientia ideoque longitudinaliter sulcata. Albumen ruminatum, corneum. 
— Arbusculte v. frutices lactescentes, erecti v. scandentes ; foliis sapius ternis quatcmixve, semper droit tins. 
glabris ; floribus axillaribus term hi ftnoriwe. 
About twenty species of Alyxia are known, chiefly inhabitants of India, Polynesia, and Australia, in which 
latter country eight have been found ; they are erect or subscandent evergreen shrubs, with usually ternate or verti- 
cillate leaves, and white, odorous, solitary or cymose flowers. The genus is distinguished by the salver-shaped 
corolla, with its tube constricted at the mouth; the two ovaries have combined styles, and ripen into one or two 
fleshy drupes, containing one or more seeds, that are compressed and so curved as to appear bipartite, and hate ■ 
ruminated albumen. — fhe Tasinauian species is a prostrate or subseandeut ulabious -lirub, 3-5 ted high, with 
scented wood, angled branches, and elliptical or obovate, coriaceous, shortrj petiolate, opposite 
inch long, with narrow, recurved margins, very obscure veins, and a short apicalus. Flowm ' inch long, white, 
fragrant, generally in pairs, on short pedicels rising from the branch between the petioles. Drupes solitary or in 
pairs, each one-seeded, simple, and almost spherical, or many-seeded, with the seeds in one or two rows, and the 
fruit much constricted between each seed, whence it resembles a necklace. (Name from oAtRnc, ■ chain ; in allu- 
sion to the occasional constriction of the drupe.) 
1. Alyxia buxifolia (Br. Prodr. 470) ; frutex, foliis oppositis ellipticis obovatisve breve petiolatis 
obtusis aveniis, floribus subgeminatis interpetiolaribu*, drupis solitariis binisve simplicibus et monospermis 
v. catenatim ^-polyspermia.— DC. Prodr. viii. 348. (Gunn, 37S.) 
Hab. Eocky places on the North coast, frequent at Circular Head, Georgetown, etc., Frazer, Gunn.— 
(Fl. Feb., March.) 
Disteib. Southern coasts of Australia, from Port Phillip to Swan Kiver; tropical Australia, Brown. 
Gen. II. LYOXSIA, Br. 
Calyx 5-partitus, lobis basi intus glanduliferis. Corolla 5-fida, pubescens, tubo esquamato, lobis lan- 
ceolatis intus retrorsum barbatis. Stamina 5 ; filamentis in tubum approximatis ; antheris medio stigmati 
adhmrentibus, basi caudatis. Discus hypogynus 5-fidus, glaber. Ovarium disco immersum, glabrum, 2- 
loculare; ovulis numerosis; stylo unico, stigmate subbilobo, basi annulo horizontali cincto. Fmctu* cap- 
sularis, cylindraceus, bilocularis, valvis folliculiformibus, dissepimento parallelo libero utrinque seminifero, 
placentis adnatis; seminibus comosis.— Frutices volubiles ; foliis oppositis; cymis trichotomis ; floribus 
Only four or five species of this genus are known, chiefly natives of extratropical Australia, one being New 
Caledonian ; all form large climbers, with slender twining stems, opposite, petioled, generally l.m. i ojate b an S, and 
termmal or axillary small white flowers, in branching trichotomous cymes. The genus is characterized by the quinque- 
fid calvx, with glands at the base of the lobes internally ; the quinquefid pubescent corolla, with the lobes bearded back- 
ward^ and the throat without scales; the five stamens adhering to the stigma, and having their anther-cells pro- 
duced below into long tails, empty of pollen j and the two-celled ovary ripening into a long two-celled capsule, with 
comose seeds. The Tasmanian L. stra.ninea is an immense climber, scaling trees 30-40 feet high, and its pendu- 
