66 THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



broad sheathing-base clothed with white silky hairs. Peduncle terminal, rather- 

 short to 1-^ inch, slqnder, hairy. Umbel about 2 lines diameter, bracts about 

 6, nearly free. Flowers about 5 or 6. Calyx of 4 sepals, and shortly united in 

 a tube above the ovary. Petals none. Stamens apparently always 2. Fruit 

 black, shining. 



Swamp halfway up Mount Hartz, Mount Hamilton, Mount Reid, Mount 

 Tyndal. Fl. JSTov.-Jan. 



7. ERTNGIUM. 



Calyx-lobes developed into spines. Petals entire. Fruit ovoid, scarcely com- 

 pressed, the ribs obscure. 



A common genus in both hemispheres. 



E. VESicuLOSUM, Lah. Prostrate and spreading. Leaves tufted on the stems, 

 oblong to almost linear, coarsely pr.ickly, mostly 2-3 inches long. Flowers in 

 small, dense, compound umbels at the nodes of the creeping stems ; bracts much, 

 exceeding the flower-heads, linear, rigid, and prickly. 



Very common in marshy situations ; also throughout South-Eastern Australia. 

 Fl. Nov.-Feb. 



8. APIUM. 



Calyx-lobes inconspicuous. Petals ovate. Fruit short, slightly compressed 

 laterally, ribs prominent, bracts absent. 



A genus of few species, but of excessively wide distribution. The only 

 Tasmanian representative is common to southern extra-tropical parts. 



A. AUSTEALE, Hook. Usually prostrate and spreading, rarely almost erect. 

 Leaves divided, but to a variable extent, usually into many acutely-lobed 

 segments. Flowers white, many, in small stalked umbels, 3-6 of these arising 

 from a common stalk forming a compound umbel that remains very shortly 

 stalked in the leaf -tufts. There are no bracts to either the primary or secondary 

 umbels. Fruit with very distinct ribs. A. prosfratum, Lab. 



Very common on coasts and in wet places. Throughout Australia, and a 

 common plant throughout extra-tropical Southern Hemisphere. Fl. Nov. -Jan. 



9. OREOMYRRHIS. 



Calyx-lobes inconspicuous. Petals with inflexed tips. Fruit oblong or narrow, 

 asually tapering towards the end, slightly compressed laterally. 



A small genus. The following, which is the only one in Australian distri- 

 bution, is common to South America. 



0. ANDICOLA, Endl. A tufted perennial, variable in habit and extent of 

 development. Stems erect, from simple leafless to branched and slightly leafy^ 

 and from a few inches to 1 foot or more. Leaves singly to many times divided. 

 Lobes small, linear to oblong. Stems bearing a simple or compound umbel 

 surrounded by 6-10 ovate bracts. Flowers numerous, at first nearly sessile, but 

 the stalks lengthening under the fruit. Fruit narrow-oblong, tapering above, 

 If -3 lines long. 



Common in very numerous situations ; found also in New South Wales and 

 Victoria. Fl. D'ec.-Jan. 



Very variable and numerous doubtful species have been formed of the 

 varieties. 



10. CRANTZIA. 

 Calyx-lobes shortly prominent. Petals acute, concave. Fruit broadly ovoid 

 very slightly laterally compressed, the carpels almost cylindrical, ribs distinct. 



