112 



THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



3. P. EEiCiErOLiA, Sooh. A prostrate or ascending, much- branched shrub, its 

 branches often extending to 2 feet or more. Leaves linear, lanceolate, concave, 

 and often appressed to the branch, blunt, 1-3-ribbed, 2-3 lines long. Flowers 

 shortly stalked, solitary, in the upper axils of the branches. Bracts orbicular, 

 very small, the upper one containing a minute rudiment. Bracteoles oblong, 

 about half as long as the calyx. Sepals about 1 line long. Corolla-tube about 2 

 lines long. Lobes shorter, reflexed, and densely-bearded. Filaments very short. 

 Anthers barely protruding from the tube. Sti/phelia ericifolia, F. v. M. 



Near Lake St. Clair, Mt. Dromedary. Fl. Mar. 



4. TROCHOCAEPA. 



Corolla-tube short, cylindrical or campanulate. Lobes short and recurved, 

 smooth or loosely bearded. Filaments short, inserted into the top of the corolla- 

 tube. Ovary 10-celled, with 1 ovule in each. Fruit a globose berry-like drupe, 

 the mesocarp usually thick and pulpy. The pyrenes normally 10, and distinct 

 or easily separable. 



The genus is purely Australian, and of the six species of which it is composed 

 three are confined to Tasmania. It is separated from Pentachondra and 

 LeuropoffiDi by unimportant characters only. 



Leaves mostly 1-1^ line long. Flowers red, in dense 



nodding spikes ... ... ... ... ... 2. T. thy mif alia. 



Leaves mostly from ;f-j inch long. 



Leaves somewhat distichous. Flowers few or 

 many, in short terminal spikes. Corolla-tube 

 hairy at throat ... ... ... ... ... 1. T. disticha. 



Leaves scattered. Flowers few, in terminal or 

 axillary, small, dense spikes, sometimes solitary. 

 Corolla glabrous ... ... ... ■ ■ ... S. T. gunnii. 



1. T. DISTICHA, Spreng. A tall, often broadly-spreading, shrub. Leaves from 

 broadly ovate and under ^ inch long to narrow-oblong and exceeding f inch, 

 mostly with 3 or 5 prominent veins below and reticulated above, shortly stalked, 

 and arranged irregularly in 2 rows. Flowers red or white, in short, dense, 

 terminal spikes. Bracts few, small, orbicular. Bracteoles about half as long as 

 the calyx. Sepals about 1 line long, broad. Corolla- tube about 2 lines long. 

 Lobes about half as long, recurved, usually quite glabrous, except towards the 

 base, where they bear a dense tuft of white hairs that are reflected into the tube» 

 Filaments more than half as long as the corolla-lobes. Fruit very fleshy, 

 about ^ inch diameter, purple. The pyrenes quite distinct. Decaspora disticha, 

 Hook. 



Mt. Bischoff, West Coast, Southport, Huon, &c. Fl. JSTov.-Jan. 



Var. cunning hami. Smaller, usually decumbent, and white-flowered. 

 D. cunmnghami, H. 



2. T. THYMiFOLiA, Spreng . A small, spreading, sub-erect shrub. Leaves on 

 recurved stalks neaily as long as the laminse, ovate to cordate, thick, convex, 

 1-5-ribbed. Flowers red, many, in dense, terminal, nodding spikes. Bracts few, 

 broad, small, sometimes none except the bracteoles. Sepals broad, f-f line long. 

 Corolla-tube about twice as long as the calyx. Lobes about 1 line long, bearded 

 in the centre. Filaments about | line long, thick. Fruit about \ inch diameter, 

 pale purple, very fleshy. Pyrenes quite distinct. Decaspora thymifolia. Hook. 



Western mountains. Mount Wellington. Fl. Dec- Jan. 



3. T. GONNii, Benth. A tall much-branched shrub. Leaves from j inch long 

 and broadly oblong to | inch and narrow, shortly stalked, mostly 3 or 5-ribbed. 

 Flowers white, few together, in small, dense, terminal or axillary spikes, 



