DO 6 



Tecticornia, Hook. f. 



1. T. cinerea, (F. v. M.) Hook. f. in Benth et Hook, 

 Gen. pi. iii., 65, ami. 1883. (PI. xxxvii.) A low plant, of 

 which I have only seen one rooted specimen (from Darwin). 

 This has procumbent, woody stems and erect or ascending 

 branches 4-8 cm. long. Bentham says "apparently annual," 

 but it seems rather to be perennial, like other species within 

 the tribe. Barren articles 5-10 mm. long, 3-4 mm. thick at 

 the summit, which is dilated and rather acutely lobed, the 

 scarious margin prominent ; spikes usually terminal and 

 solitary 10 to 25 mm. long, 6 to 8 mm. thick, obtuse; fertile 

 articles 15-30, each article divided to the axis and thus trans- 

 formed into 2 scarious spreading scales, the outer margin of 

 which is thickened and herbaceous below, scarious above, and 

 flattened vertically (i.e. at right angles to the scale), so that 

 the scarious portion shelters the flowers of the scale next above 

 it; flowers in 6's (not in 3's, as stated by Bentham), usually 

 bisexual, horizontal, at first attached to the lower face of the 

 scale, afterwards free; perianth finely membranous, com- 

 pressed, contracted towards summit, usually 2 -lobed and 

 separating into 2 segments ; pericarp hyaline and quickly 

 seceding from the base of the perianth; seed compressed-ovate, 

 1^ mm. long, much resembling that of Arthrocnemum 

 lialocnemoideSj but the granules or papillae along the centre 

 of the back are rather longer, sometimes almost hair-like ; 

 testa light-brown, crustaceous ; endopleura membranous; 

 albumen lateral; cotyledons nearly as long as radicle. — 

 Halocnemum cinereum, F. v. M. Fragm., i., 140 (1859); 

 Salicornia cinerea, F. v. M. Fragm., vi., 251 (1868); Benth. 

 PL Aust., v., 203 (1870). 



N. Territory. Sturt Creek (the type; collected by F. 

 v. Mueller, when accompanying A. C. Gregory's Expedition 

 in 1856). Sturt Creek lies principally in Western Australia, 

 so that it is very probable the specimen was gathered there, 

 but Mueller does not quote that State for the species in his 

 2nd Census. Darwin (M. Holtze, 1883, from National Herb. 

 of Victoria). 



Queensland. Townsville (Rev. N. Michael, June, 1918) ; 

 Archer River (Rev. N. Hay; both in Queensland Herb.). 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 



Plate XXXIII. 



Arthrocnemum halocnemoides, Nees. The central figure 

 shows fruiting spikes. 6, 3 fruiting perianths, seen from above, 

 2 containing seeds (Finke River). 7, seed (Drummond's Western 

 Australian specimen). 8, embryo. 9, perianth with seed pro- 

 truding (J. McDouall Stuart's specimen). 10, seed (the same). 

 11, pistil and stamen (Birkenhead). 



