Lawrinea.j FLORA OF Tasmania 
ica (VTilld. Nov. Act. An. Hist. Xat. ii. 111. t J. t 2 \ OhJi pMMUnbCBta sub- 
lignoso articulato, ramis herbaceis ascendentibua, artkrolis brevilm> elongatisve clavato-r\!:-. 
pressis obtusis, Bpicia cylindracda obtusis, floribus 5-7 diandric - 
FL N. Zeal. i. 216. Arthrocnemum Indicum, Mog. Tumi, in DC. Prodr. xiii. L5I, G 
Hab. Abundant in stony places near the sea, and muddy salt-marshes. — ill V 
Distrib. All warm and tropical shores of Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa. 
A much smaller plant than S. Arhn*e» ". <>i a \er\ duicivn! ha v,:. >•> ->-., , , \\ unodj, pro-irate, Minima 
up ascending branches 2-6 inches long: joint* g-nrrallx l-l inch l«>nir. eompves-ol, Imi extremely variable in 
Length and breadth. Spikes of flowers \ 
Indian, relying probably on the large size of the strobili of the latter; bid this ippears a ven \ ..:■'... 
and I find such great differences in the size and habit of the species, seoording to sge sad locality, that \ an 
inclined to revert to Mr. Brown's opinion (which he still m ai ntains ), that tin "asn 
Willdenow's and the Indian. 
Nat. Ord. LXVIII. LAURIXE.E. 
Of this eminently tropical Natural Family there are two sections, differing markedly in habit, ami 
somewhat in distribution. The true Laurinea, which arc arborescent or fruteecent, arc chiefly American ; 
but a large number are Asiatic, and a very few South and Xorth African. About a dozen Australian species 
are known, chiefly natives of the tropics, a feu id inci tl to \,u Smith Wales, Imi 
found in South or South-west Australia or Tasmania. The other section eons — 
which in point of habit bears the same relation to Lawk 
of slender, climbing, leafless, parasitic herbs. Of these there are v.ty numerous 
twenty being known to me, of which the majority inhabit the South-west quarter ot toe continent. 
Gen. I. CASSYTIIA, L. 
Perianthium 6-fidum, tubo brevi, limbi laciniis 3 exterioribus parvis. Stamina 12, duplici serie in- 
serta; seriei interioris 3 laciniis perianthii interioribus opposita sterilia, 3 iis alterna, basi biglaudulosa ; 
antheris 2-locularibus. Fructus tubo sa3 P e baccato perianthii apice pervii inclnans.— Herbas v. suffruticuli 
aphylla, parasitica, voluhiles ; floribus glomeratis, spicatis, gubsemWuive, S-lracteaiu; bractcis parvis, 
persistentibus. 
Twining, leafless, green or yellowish, slender, often thread-like parasites, natives ot all tropica countries, am 
cbmbing over shrubs and herbs, to which they adhere parasiticalh bj sessii sucb .- on tin n ~t 
Flowers sessile, spiked or capitate. Perianth six-cleft. Stamens twelve, in two rows : of the -ix inner t iree are s en e, 
and placed opposite the inner pieces of the perianth, and the other three haw ear- 
filaments. Fruit enclosed in the baccate perianth, and crowned with its limb. (Nan, 
which this geni in habit.) 
1. Cassytha melantha (Br. Prodr. 404) ; caule robusto glabro, spicis pedunculitis simplicibus bre- 
vibus sub-6-floris, floribus late oblongis imbricatis nigro-pubescentibus. {Gimn, 533.) ^ 
Hab. Abundant near Launceston, growing principally on Acacias.— (Fl. Oct.) 
Disteib. Victoria and Swan River. 
Much the largest *— ^- ~ - -^— "™*«* and strangling bushes thirty M M 
