410 THE LORANTHACEAB OP AUSTRALIA, iii., 



Under L. pendulus Sieb., Bentham (B-Fl., iii.,, 394) refers to L. congener 

 Sieb. thus, "Leaves short, central flowers sessile." He probably had access to 

 the type. The leaves are seldom "5 lines broad," unless in depauperate specimens. 



The leaves of L. congener Sieb. figured by Ettingshausen (Uber die Blatts. 

 der Lor., 1871, Tab. ii., Figs. 22-24) are almost exactly similar to many dried 

 specimens — they measure from 24-3^ inches long, and 10 lines broad. 



The following is a more complete description, from specimens collected in 

 the Port Jackson district. Erect compact plants 1-3 ft. in diameter', with short 

 divaricate branches, with a dark rough bark on the older portions, glabrous, 

 except the flowers and the very young parts, which are more or less covered with 

 a minute hoary or scurfy substance, which disapi^ears with age. Leaves op- 

 posite, or occasionally alternate, obtuse, oblong-, narrow to broad lanceolate, or 

 falcate, 5-10 cm. (2-4 inches) long, tapering into a short flattish petiole, dark 

 green above, paler beneath, often drying a very dark brown or nearly black, 

 obscurely 3-nerved or the primary nerve alone conspicuous. Cymes axillary,' 

 often in pairs, the common peduncle slender, 2-2^ cm. long, bearing an umbel 

 of 2-5 rays, the partial cyme triflorous, the central flowers sessile, the lateral on 

 short, somewhat fleshy pedicels, tenninating in an ovate, acute, and slightly gib- 

 bose bract, somewhat broader than the bract supporting the central flower. Buds 

 slender, minutely mealy or almost glabrous, acute, sea-green, shaded pink, oi 

 sometimes when found in exposed places the same colour as the filaments, 2-34 

 cm. long. Calyx cupular to ureeolate, the limb very thin and minutely pubescent 

 as well as the base, often splitting into minute irregular lobes. Petals very nar- 

 row, carmine inside, at first deflexed, becoming curved and twisted with age, 

 the inner margins ciliate. Filaments carmine, style terete, slightly bent in bud, 

 exceeding the anthers when fully developed; stigma very small, obovate, green. 

 Anthers adnate linear, 3 mm. long. Ripe fruit gTeenish, minutely pubescent, or 

 pale yellow, barrel-shaped, 10-13 mm. long, on stout pedicels. Disc rather pro- 

 minent, pentagonal, exceeding the outer rim by about h mm. Fruit opening 

 semi-apically. Seeds ovoid, the acute base resting upon a scarcely viscid spongy 

 cushion, from which arise 5 narrow strap-like appendages extending the full 

 length of the endosperm, or sometimes exceeding it, and 5 shorter appendages, 

 about half the lengih of the endosperm, which give the seed a striped appearance, 

 and are more conspicuous when the visciu that surrounds the seed breaks down 

 or dissolves. Epicarp thick and leathery. Endosperm and embryo dark green. 

 Hypoeotyl short, slender, covered with purplish papillae; as it develops it turns 

 pink, as does the endosperm, but to a lesser extent. Embryonic cotyledons 

 spathulate, remaining enclosed in the endosperm. Primary leaves narrow lanceo- 

 late. Suctorial disc much enlarged and surrounded by rather long, pink, deflexed 

 suctorial papillae, the surface gelatinous and microscopically rough beneath the 

 viscin before it reaches the host. 



Double embryos are very common in this species and, like P. celastroides (a 

 plant it is often confused with), it ranges to a very limited extent beyond the 

 tidal waters of the creeks and rivers in New South Wales. As it does not extend 

 inland or thrive at high elevations from the coast, it opens up a very interesting 

 subject as to tlie cause. The fruits are eaten by the Mistletoe and other birds, 

 and they would very naturally carry it inland, but as it has not yet been found 

 beyond tBe coastal ranges, it is difBcult to account for its non-appearance, especial- 

 ly when the chief agent of distribution is so widespread. 



I have pointed out that some of the seeds of this genus need moisture to 

 facilitate germination. Whether the seeds of this species need a greater amount 

 of moisture to enable them to germinate than tliose of nny otlier species. T onnnot 



