BY W. F. BLAKELY. 207 



et aeutiora, rarius (in quibusdam 4- et 5-meris) aequalia. Stamina petalorum 

 ratione aut aequalia aut diversa: longioribus altioribus solito more ante petala ob- 

 tusa, brevioribus demissioribus ante acuta positis ; Filamenta inferne petalo post- 

 posito adnata, superne libera cylindrico-filiformia, apice subulata, cum eonneetivo 

 axtieulata; Antherae dorso plq. medio affixae, versatiles, ellipticae v. oblongae, 

 biloculares, longitrorsum birimosae. PoUinis granula ut in Psittacantho. Ovarium 

 eylindrico-subglobosum usque lineare, disco caxnoso annuliformi integerrimo v. 

 pro petalorum numero lobato tectum; Stylus cylindrico-filiformis, v. subulatus. 

 Stigmate capitato v. punctiformi, rarius sub-bilobo. Bacea suceosa, epicarpio 

 carnoso, endoearpio plq. membranaoeo, mesocarpio viscoso crasso totum semen 

 involvente. Semen albuminosum; Endospermium aequabile (Phr. aphyllus et al.) 

 aut plieis endocarpii ruminatum (P. Tagita), flrme earnosum v. corneum; Embryo 

 cylindncus, endospermii fere longitudine, Cauliculo plq. breviter exserto. Coty- 

 ledonibus 2 liberis semiteretibus applicativis. 



Frutices super Dieotylearum ramos semiparasitici, rarius. Arbusculae ter- 

 retres autotrophae. Radices solemniter nonnisi intracortieales, rarissime aereae 

 prehensiles. Caulis Ramique plq. teretes. Folia opposita deeussata, saepe meta- 

 topice disjecta, rarius per spiram 2/5 v. afiSnem alterna, frondosa, ruro ad squa- 

 mas reducta, utrinque stomatophora. Flores solitarii v. per ternationes in 

 racemis corymbisre terminalibus et axillaribus (in una adeo reductis, ut florem 

 axillarem mentiantur, cf. infra n. 2) ; Bracteis Bracteolisque variis (cf. infra 

 conspectum speeierum), flore tamen ternationis intermedio nunquam cupula in- 

 structo, in lateralibus bracteolis secundariis constanter deficientibus. Flores 

 inter majores, ^ poll.- spithamaei, rubri flavi y. albi.- Crescunt majore numero 

 in topicis Americae australis, regionibus praecipue montosis Columbiae, F'eruviae, 

 Chile et in Brasilia subtropica; paucae in Australia occurrunt. 



The following brief description covers the Australian representatives of the 

 genus: Flovfers bisexual, i to If inch, long; calyx cylindrie or pear-shaped, 

 obscurely toothed or entire. Buds clavate; corolla straight or curved, on maturity 

 readily separating to the base into 5, rarely 6 narrow-linear segments. Stamens 

 as many as petals; filaments compressed or terete; anthers elliptic oblong, ver- 

 satile; style filiform, terete or angTilar; stigina clavate or capitate. Fruit spheri- 

 cal, cylindrical or pear-shaped, 5 to 15 mm. long. Endosperm albuminous; 

 embryo cylindrie ; embryonic cotyledons not withdrawn from the endosperm on 

 germination. Primary leaves narrow lanceolate, broad spathulate to elliptical, 

 2, occasionally 3. Inflorescence sub-terminal, cymose or the flowers borne on 

 very slender furcate peduncules. Flowers single or temate, each supported by 

 a small, navicular, persistent, pedicellate bract. Parasitic shrubs with numerous 

 divaxicate branches, and usually with conspicuous aerial roots. Leaves opposite, 

 linear, spathulate, obovate to lanceolate-falcate. Difliering from the Australian 

 LoroMthus mainly in the versatile anthers and terminal inflorescence. 



The genus is represented by about thirty species, mainly from Brazil, Chili 

 and Peru. New Zealand and the Phihppine Islands have each one representative, 

 while Australia has four. 



Sect. MuELLEEiNA Engler. 



Engl, and Prantl, Pflanzenfam., Naehtr., iii., 1897, 134; genus Muellerina, 

 van Tiegh., Bull. Soc. hot. Fr., xlii., 1895, 25, 175. 



Inflorescence cymose; flowers ternately arranged; the central flower sessile. 



