[Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 35 (N.S.), Ft. I., 1922.] 



Art. III. — Description of a New Victorian Helichrysuni. 

 By H. B. WILLIAMSON, F.L.S. 



(With Plate V.) 

 [Read 20th April, 1922.] 



Helichrysum Gatesli, n.sp. 



Fruticulus humilis circiter 15 cm. altus, caulibus saepe occum- 

 bentibus rarius ramosis adpresse albo-lanatis, foliis alternis, 

 subamplexlcaulibus oblanceolatis vel linearibus subtus dense supra 

 sparse albo-lanatis margine paulo recurvatis undulatisque 2-4 cm. 

 longis 0.5-1 cm. latis, capitulis solltariis caules superne dlssite foliates 

 terminantibus campanulatis circiter 1 cm. longis latisque, involucri 

 bracteis numerosis plerumque longo-linearibus scariosis stramineis 

 rugulosis ad apicem tenuibus ciliolatis aureis ruginosis subpatentibus, 

 exterioribus brevioribus omnibus praeter intimas longe lanatis in- 

 volucram vix superantibus, pappi setis circiter 20 interne sparse bar- 

 bellatis superne breviter plumosis, floribus foemineis paucis peri- 

 phericis circiter 12 pappi setis instructis, acheniis glabris erostribus 

 1.5 mm. longis, pappi setis 6 mm. longis. 



On hard dry ground on hillsides, Lome, Vic. Rev. A. C. P. 

 Gates, Dec. 7th, 1921. Flowering December to April. 



A plant about 15 cm. high, with the habit and general aspect of 

 Leptorrhynchus Waitzia or L. pulchelluSy with alternate leaves, and 

 with stems and the under side of the leaves woolly white. Flower 

 heads solitary on rather long stems, with distant leafy bracts towards 

 the flower heads. Involucral bracts not expanding into a ray, the 

 outer ones shorter, and all embedded in cottony wool growing from 

 their edges, wrinkled, and with light golden ciliate tips. Florets 

 scarcely exceeding the involucre, with about 20 pappus bristlets ex- 

 cepting the few female florets which have about 12. All pappus 

 bristlets sparsely barbellate below, shortly plumose at the summit. 

 Achenes glabrous, not beaked. 



Reference to page 612, vol. iii., Fl. Aust., will indicate the diffi- 

 culty encountered in assigning a place to this plant. The bracts, 

 consisting of woolly-edged linear claws point to Ixiolaena, but the 

 numerous pappus bristlets plumose at the summit keep it out of that 

 genus. It is here placed out of Leptorrhynchus on account of the 

 shortness of the florets, and the absence of distinct upward narrowing 

 of the achenes. It approaches near to Helichrysum amhiguum, Turcz. 

 (Leptorrhynchus, Bth.), but that species has female florets with 

 few or no pappus bristlets, and a very different involucre. From 

 H. rutidolepis it is distinguished by having all flowers provided with 

 at least 12 pappus bristlets, and by the short ciliate wrinkled laminae 

 of the bracts. 



