318 FLORA OF TASMANIA. [Proteacea. 
glabrous, stout, as thick as a stout cord. Spikes stout, -i-f inch long, with 6-8 sessile, oblong, pubescent flowers. 
ih long. 
2. Cassytha pubescens (Br. Prodr. 404) ; caule pubescente v. laxe tomentoso, spicis subsessilibus 
v. peduDculatis 3-4-floris, floribus subglobosis glomeratis dense tomentosis. (Gunn, 533.) 
Hab. Abundant in many parts of the Island. — (Fl. Oct.) (v. v.) 
Distrib. New South Wales, Victoria, and Swan Eiver. 
A less robust species than 0. melantha, seldom climbing more than 4-6 feet, easily distinguished by its very 
pubescent stems and inflorescence. Spikes somewhat capitate, about three-flowered. 
3. Cassytha glabella (Br. Prodr. 404) ; caule gracili glaberrimo, spicis pedunculatis 3-5-floris, 
floribus parvis glomeratis capitatis glaberrimis globosis. (Gunn, 27.) 
Hab. Abundant on the North coast of the Island, in sandy soil.— (PI. Oct.) 
Distbib. New South Wales and Victoria. 
Quite glabrous. Stems about as thick as twine or very stout packthread, forming dense matted masses over 
bushes 2-3 feet high. Spikes capitate, of three to five small globose flowers, terminating a rather slender pedicel 
i inch long. Fruit red, narrow pyriform. 
Nat. Ord. LXIX. PROTEACEtE. 
The Proteacea form perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Australian Flora, every species and 
almost every genus found in that continent and Tasmania being absolutely confined to these countries, as 
is the case w itK v. '-'",, which fchej outnumber many times. Upwards of 650 Australian and Tasmanian 
species are described in Meisner's excellent and careful revision of the Order (published in De Candolle's 
' Prodromus' whilst these sheets were passing through the press), which is more than double the number 
known to Mr. Brown at the period of the publication of his 'Prodromus/ These belong to 25 genera, all 
but three (Persoonia, Lomatia, and Grevillea) of which are peculiar to Australia and Tasmania, 8 are con- 
fined to South-western Australia, 4 to South-eastern, and 3 to Tasmania. Of the 650 species, upwards of 
190 are South-eastern, and 400 South-western, none, I believe, being common to both quarters; there are 
also between 30 and 40 tropical species, some of those of the north-west coast especially being very sin- 
gular forms of Grevillea, etc. This aggregation of the most peculiar forms of the Australian vegetation in 
the South-western quarter I have often found occasion to notice, though it is not exhibited in so striking 
a degree by any other Order, nor perhaps is it paralleled by any similar fact in geographical distribution 
that the globe presents. 
The extra-Australian Proteacea are for the most part South African, whence nearly 280 have been 
brought, all belonging to genera differing from the Australian. Upwards of 50 American species are 
known, the majority tropical; and 18 Asiatic, natives of the Malayan peninsula and islands, Ceylon, and 
the Eastern Himalaya. A very few Polynesian species have been found, and many no doubt exist in New 
Caledonia and the neighbouring groups. No species of the Order enters the north temperate zone, except 
m the warm lower hills and valleys of the Himalaya, and in the island of Japan, which presents so many 
anomalies in geographical distribution. 
Gen. I. CONOSPERMUM Smith. 
Flares hermaphroditi, spicati, capitati v. paniculati. Perianthium tubulosum, deciduum, limbo 4-fido 
sequah v. sublabiato, lobo postico fornicato. Stamina 4, laciniarum basi baerta, bclusa; filamentis brevi- 
bus, antico ananthero; antheris 3, primo cotuerentibus, 2 lateralium lobo exteriore abortive, interiore cum 
