THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 15 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, WITH 



OCCASIONAL OTHER ANNOTATIONS ; 



By Baron von Mueller, K.C.M.G., M. & Ph.D., F.R.S. 



(Continued.) 



Drimys semecarpoides. 



Arborescent; leaves large, on conspicuous petioles, chartaceous, 

 glabrous, from ovate- to elongate-elliptic, but gradually narrowed 

 into a cuneate base, rounded-blunt at the summit, very grey on 

 the under side, punctular-rough, the costular venules very thin, 

 the secondary venules much concealed ; peduncles elongated, 

 glabrous ; sepals two, very small, roundish ; fruitlets solitarily 

 ripening, almost globular. 



On Russell's Creek ; W. Sayer. 



Tree attaining a height of 25 feet. Leaves to 8 inches long and 

 to 2^ inches broad, not very aromatic. Petioles often i inch 

 long. Peduncles to 3 inches long. Pedicels few or two or 

 even solitary. Flowers unknown. Ripe fruitlets of ^-yi inch 

 measurement. 



To this plant or an allied was alluded already in the 

 "Fragm. Phytogr. Austr.," vii. 18. 



This species differs from D. Howeana in almost entire absence 

 of aroma, in leaves of larger size, of thinner texture, of far less 

 prominent venulation and with the dots not transparent, in the 

 perfect separation of the sepals and probably also in characteristics 

 of the flowers. It comes very near to Drimys rivularis (Vieillard) 

 of New Caledonia, but the petioles are much longer, the venules 

 of the leaves more occult, the inflorescence is less ramified, the 

 ovularies are fewer, and also in this case the flowers, which in an 

 only specimen available here for comparison are not developed, 

 may be different. 



Bladhia pachyrrhachis. 



{Ardisia pachyrrhachis, F. v. M. collect.) 



Arborescent, glabrous ; leaves of firm texture, on very short 

 petioles, elongate-lanceolar, rather blunt, towards the base 

 cuneate, entire, devoid of lustre, the venules faint or almost con- 

 cealed ; flowers in solitary terminal fascicles ; peduncles robust, 

 rather short or even obliterated; rachis often somewhat elongated, 

 remarkably thick ; pedicels many times longer than the flowers, 

 often numerous; calyx very small, its lobes semiorbicular-deltoid; 

 corolla deeply five-cleft, its divisions about twice as long as their 

 breadth, acuminated; filaments extremely short; anthers pale, 



