16 THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



Branclied strub or tree. 



Leaf narrowed towards base ... ... .-• 2. P. ddoides. 



Leaf broadest at base 3. P. pulrhellus. 



1. P. SPICATOS, B. Brancbes herbaceous, erect, strict from a hard perennial 

 base, 2-5 feet high. Leaves from oblong to cuneate, stalked, about 1 inch 

 long, becoming smaller and nearly sessile up the branches. Flowers very- 

 numerous, solitary, or few, in the axils of the leaves, forming a long, rather dense, 

 leafy spike. Calyx 5-angled. Petals yellowish-white, oblong, about 3 lines long. 

 Stamens about 16. Anthers crescent-shaped. Styles filiform. Lawrencia 

 spicata, Hook. 



North-eastern parts. Bass Straits, Southern Australia, and New South 

 Wales. PI. Feb. 



2. P. siDOiDES, H. A tall shrub or small tree, more or less clothed with stellate 

 tomentam. Leaves from very broadly ovate-acuminate to narrow lanceolate, 

 generally narrowed towards the stalk, 2-6 inches long, margin serrate or 

 toothed. Flowers numerous in axillary racemes in the upper leaf axils. Func- 

 tionally unisexual. Staminate flowers with a campanulate calyx and white 

 spreading petals, 3 lines long. Stamens about 15. Pistillate flowers with a 

 tubular calyx, about Ij line long, inconspicuous petals, abortive stamens, and 

 2-carpelled pistil. 



Common in damp woods in Southern Tasmania. Fl. May-June. 



3. P. puiiCHELLUS, Gray. A tall shrub, or small tree, usually nearly glabrous. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate, with a subcordate base, acuminate, coarsely obtusely 

 toothed, on slender stalks. Flowers in rather loose clusters or racemes in the 

 upper axils, functionally unisexual, being similar to those of P. ddoides, o-olj fhe 

 stamens much more numerous, and in the flowers with perfect pistils the calyx is 

 globular at the base, with rather long lobes, and the pistil is 5-carpelled. 



Common in northern parts of the Island ; also in New South Wales and 

 Victoria. Fl. Oct.-Nov. 



Var. tomentosa. Much more tomentose, and with somew;hat longer 

 styles, p. tasmunicus. Gray. 



2. LAVATERA. 



Carpels many. Column usually expanded at the apex. Bracteoles 3, united 

 into an involucre close beneath the calyx. 



A common genus in the Northern Hemisphere. 



L. PLiBEiA, Sims. An erect perennial, often many feet high. Leaves orbi- 

 cular, palmately veined, 5-lobed, margin toothed, on rather long stalks ; lower 

 ones often many inches diameter, upper ones 1 inch. Flowers solitary, or few 

 together in the upper axils. Petals pink or pale purple, oblong, about 1 inch 

 long. Rare. 



Woolnorth, Bass Straits, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia^ West 

 Australia, and South Queensland. PI. Nov.-Dec. 



3. MALVA. 



Similar in structure and habit, only the three bracteoles are free and inserted 

 towards the base of the calyx. 



M. EOTUNDIFOLIA, Linn. Decumbent, leaves nearly round, irregularly 

 and shallowly notched. Flower about \ inch. European. 



M. STLVESTBis, Linti. Ascending. Leaves angular, more deeply notched. 

 Flowers 1 inch. European. 



Order XYl.—STERCULIACE^. 



Pistil of few to many carpels, more or less united. The ovarian cavities dis- 

 tinct. Styles divided at the apex into as many branches as there are carpels or 



