22 On the Octoclinis Macleayana, 



length, alternately shorter, all below the apex mucro- 

 nate. Central columna very short, pyramidal. Seeds 

 numerous, much smaller than the valves, erect, inserted to 

 the lower part and to the base of the valves, a few of the 

 lower ones fertile, the rest sterile, amorphous and wingless. 

 Fertile seeds nearly ovate, somewhat compressed and angu- 

 late, on the inner side nearly wingless, on the outer side 

 winged. Indumentum crust-like. Embryo lying in a fleshy 

 albumen, consisting of two cotyledons and a superior cylin- 

 drical radicule. 



A tree of eastern extra-tropical Australia, with quaternary- 

 verticillate always linear subulate triangular spreading per- 

 sistent decurrent leaves, without dorsal glands. 



Octoclinis Macleayana. — At Tacking Point of Port Mac- 

 quarie, discovered by W. S. Macleay, Esq. 



A tall pyramidal tree with dense foliage, and spreading 

 scattered branches. Branchlets densely foliated, scattered. 

 Leaves compressed, varying in length generally between i 

 — J" in their free part, ^ — 1'" broad, decurring to the next 

 verticill, and alterning with the leaves of it, the middle nerve 

 in age prominent, terminating in a very short mucro. Male 

 amenta, 2 — 4'" long on a very short peduncle, surrounded at 

 the base with four ovate-lanceolate, acuminate short bracts. 

 Connectivum about 1'" long. Female flowers as yet un- 

 known. Stroboli at the average one inch long, flat at the 

 base, short stalked. Valves always alternately somewhat, 

 in many instances conspicuously, shorter ; their dorsal cuspis 

 short green recurved. Seeds, at least the sterile ones, by 

 mutual pressure of indeterminate form ; fertile ones nearly 

 | of an inch long, with a brown testa ; the inner margin 

 wingless, or with a very narrow wing, the wing of the outer 

 margin resting between the valves, sometimes broader than 

 the nucleus, sometimes only below the middle developed. 



In a retrospective view over the above characters it will 

 be observed that the genus Octoclinis approaches amongst its 

 allied cupressinous genera in foliage next to some Juniperi ; 

 in disparity of valves and number of seeds to Frenela ; in 

 number of cotyledons to Actinostrobus and Callistris; but 

 differs, as already mentioned, from all in quaternary develop- 

 ment of flowers and leaves, and in an octamerous fruit. 



Sydney Botanical Gardens, 

 February, 1857. 



