THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 169 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW LOBELIA FROM WESTERN 

 AUSTRALIA. 



By J. G. Luehmann, F.L.S., Government Botanist. 

 {Read before the Field Naturalists'' Club of Victoria, 10th Dec, 1900.) 



Lobelia toppii, sp. nov., Luehmann. 



A herb from 6 inches to a foot high, leafless as far as known, 

 the leaves being replaced by scales, glabrous, creamy-white, 

 except the flowers, of waxy consistence. Scales lanceolate, 2 or 

 3 lines long. Flowers in simple racemes or divided into two or 

 three branches, mostly turned to one side, 6 to 10 in a raceme. 

 Bracteoles 1 to 1^2 lines long, deltoid. Sepals lanceolate- 

 deltoid, about 2 lines long, shorter than the calyx tube, white. 

 Corolla over half an inch long, the two upper lobes recurved, 

 hardly exceeding 1 line, the three lower lobes of a very pale to an 

 azure blue colour, with a white central line, hardly acute, the 

 central lobe about 3 lines long, the lateral lobes shorter, falcate. 

 Anthers all tipped with with a tuft of hairs, their edges of a purple 

 colour. Stigma with a few hairs. Capsule obovoid, nearly half an 

 inch long. Seeds very numerous, not winged. 



Near Nannine, Murchison River, Western Australia ; A. W. 

 Morgan. 



This species belongs to the section Holopogon, and is nearest 

 to L. gibbosa; it is named in honour of Mr. C. A. Topp, M.A., 

 F.L.S., Under Secretary for Victoria, and a former president of 

 the Field Naturalists' Club. 



The plant is most remarkable for the retention of its vitality ; 

 the youngest specimen was despatched from Nannine seven weeks 

 ago, and still looks quite fresh ; in fact the flowers did not open 

 till some time after arrival in Melbourne, though it was not placed 

 in water. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 



1. ""Plant (nat. size). 6. Pollen grains. 



2. Flower. 7. Style and stigma. 



3. Fruit-bearing calyx. 8. Transverse and longitudinal 



4. Stamens. section of a fruit. 



5. Front and back view of a stamen. 9. Seed. 



2 to 9 enlarged, but to various extent. 



The increasing interest taken in the study of Astronomy has 

 induced the proprietors of Knowledge to issue an annual for 

 students and workers in that science specially devoted to their 

 requirements. It is entitled " Knowledge Diary and Scientific 

 Handbook, 1901," and will contain, amongst other things, useful 

 tables, original articles, calendar of scientific events, and a blank 

 diary portion 



