THE TiteMANIAN FLORA. 127 



STATICB. 



Calyx expanded above, with 5 ribs projecting into as many short lobes, dry 

 and coloured. Petals slightly united at the base. Styles free, linear. Fruit 

 included in the calyx. 



A common maritime genus of the Northern Hemisphere. The only 

 Tasmanian, also Australian, representative extends to New Caledonia, China, 

 and Japan. 



S. AtrsTEALis, Sprang. Leaves all radical, oblong, 1^-3 inches long, entire, 

 stalked. Flowers numerous, in a broad panicle raised on an angular stem, 

 1 foot to 18 inches high. Calyx-lobes pink, ribs hairy. Petals yellow, rather 

 longer than the calyx. Statice taxanthema, Eoem. 



On muddy coasts in the north. Recorded also from Queensland, Victoria, and 

 New South Wales. Fl. summer. 



Order XLYII. PRIMVLACE^. 



Calyx tubular, with usually 5 lobes or teeth. Corolla-tube often very short, 

 lobes or divisions of the same number as the calyx ; in rare cases, not 

 Tasmanian, corolla absent. Perfect stamens, similar in number, and opposite to 

 the divisions of the corolla. Ovary 1-oelled, with 1 or more ovules. Placenta 

 free, central. Style single. Stigma capitate. Fruit capsular. 



A common northern tem.perate order, poorly represented in Australian distri- 

 bution. 



Corolla red or blue. Leaves opposite ... ... 1. Anagallis. 



Corolla white. Leaves alternate ... ... ... 2. Samolus. 



1. ANAGALLIS. 



Calyx free, deeply 5-cleft. Corolla divided nearly to the base. Capsule 

 bursting by a transverse division, the upper portion lifting ofE. 



A. AEVENSis, Linn. A procumbent spreading annual, 6 inches to 1 foot long. 

 Leaves ovate, opposite, sessile, mostly about ^ inch long. Flowers bright red or 

 blue, on long stalks, solitary, axillary. Corolla broadly spreading, about j inch 

 diameter. 



Introduced, but widely established. Very common in Europe and Northern 

 Asia. Fl. all spring and summer. 



2. SAMOLUS. 



Calyx tubular, spreading, united with the wall of the ovary towards the base. 

 Lobes 5. Corolla-tube short ; lobes 5, spreading, with 5 filiform staminodia-like 

 processes alternating with them. Stamens 5, opposite the corolla-lobes. Fruit 

 a capsule, half immersed in the adnate calyx-tube, and dehiscing by 5 valvular 

 openings above. 



A small genus, principally of the Southern Hemisphere. 



S. KBPENS, Pers. A small perennial, with prostrate-ascending or sub-erect 

 stems, seldom above 6 inches high. Leaves alternate, more or less stalked, 

 obovate to linear, ^-2 inches long. Flowers on long stalks, few together in the 

 terminal axils. Calyx-tube aboutl line long, the lobes ovate, aboutthe same length. 

 Corolla very spreading, the tube about I line long, the lobes oblong usually, in 

 Tasmanian specim'ens, nearly 3 lines long. Placenta central. Seeds numerous. 

 S. littoralis, Hook. 



Very common in salt marshes, &c. It occurs on the coast throughout extra- 

 tropical Australia, and also in New Zealand and New Caledonia. Fl. spring and 

 summer. 



