THE TASMAKIAN FLOEA. 141 



, 2. V. DEEWBNTIA, Andr. An erect unbranclied perennial, often 4 feet high. 

 Leaves sessile, lanceolate, taut with a taroad base, serrate, often 3 inches long. 

 Flowers pale blue or nearly white, numerous, on much-elongated racemes 

 towards the ends of the taranches. Calyx rather more than 1 line long, 4-lobed. 

 Corolla 4-lobed. Capsule ovate, about 4 lines long. V. labiaia, Hook. 



Common in most parts of the Island. It occurs also throughout South-Eastern 

 Australia. Fl. Nov.-Dec. 



3. V. NIVEA, Lindl. An ascending or sub-erect perennial, |-1| foot high. 

 Leaves divided into many, usually simple, linear lobes, mostly \-\\ inch long. 

 Flowers in numerous, rather elongated and loose, racemes towards the ends of the 

 branches. Calyx about 1^ line long, less deeply divided than in most species ; 

 lobes 4, oblong. Corolla pale blue, tube very short ; lobes about 2 lines long, 

 one narrower than the other three. Capsule compressed, notched in the centre, 

 about twice as long as the calyx. 



Common on most mountains ; also in yictoria and New South Wales. Fl, 

 Sept.-Jan. 



4. V. QEACILIS, R. Br. Rootstock creeping ; stems erect or ascending, slender, 

 not much branched, 2-18 inches high. Leaves linear-lanceolate, opposite, sessile 

 or nearly so, acute, entire or with few acute teeth, -1-1 inch long. Flowers few, 

 ;in small loose racemes towards the ends of the stems. Calyx nearly .3 lines 

 long, divided nearly to the base into 4 oblong acute lobes. Corolla blue, about 

 3 lines long ; lobes nearly equal, broad. Capsule compressed, slightly notched, 

 much shorter' than the calyx. 



Common in pastures and shaded places. It occurs also in ISTew South Wales, 

 Victoria, and South Australia. Fl. Oct.-Jan. 



5. V. BiSTANS, var. pubexcens, R. Br. Rootstock creeping ; stems erect or 

 ascending, not much-taranohed, 2-6 inches high. Leaves ovate, sessile or nearly so, 

 margin with few teeth or nearly entire, ^-1 inch long. Flowers towards the 

 ends of the taranches. Calyx nearly 3 lines long, with rather taroad lotaes. 

 Corolla white or pale blue, 4-5 lines long ; lobes taroad, nearly equal. Capsule 

 compressed, distinctly notched in the centre, as long as the calyx. 



Recherche Bay, Circular Head ; also in South Australia, West Australia, and 

 Victoria. Fl. ISTov.-Jan. 



The Tasmanian form departs from the type, and approaches V. calycina in 

 the structure of the leaves, taut has larger petals. 



6. V. CALYCINA, R. Br. Stems erect, or decumtaent and rooting, more 

 hirsute than its allies, from a few inches to 1 foot long. Leaves distinctly 

 stalked, taroadly ovate, coarsely toothed, mostly |-1 inch long, occasionally 

 still longer. Flowers few, in small loose racemes, mostly towards the ends 

 of the stems. Calyx nearly 3 'lines long, split nearly to the taase into 4, rather 

 broad, obtuse segments, enlarging after flowering. Corolla pale blue, 2-3 lines 

 long ; lobes nearly equal. Capsule compressed, slightly notched, about 2 lines 

 long. 



Common in many situations, in good or poor land, or in sand. It occurs 

 throughout Australia. Fl. Oct. -April. , 



The species is variable, and runs almost into its immediate allies. 



7. y. PLEBEJA, R. Br. Rootstock creeping ; stems procumtaent, long and 

 slender, sometimes rooting and extending to several feet. Leaves broadly ovate, 

 on long stalks, margin with bold acute teeth, mostly |-I inch long. Flowers 

 few, in small loose racemes towards the ends of the branches. Calyx about,2 lines 

 long, rather longer round the fruit. Corolla slightly exceeding the calyx. 

 Capsule compressed, not notched ataove, about 2 lines long. 



Swanport, Macquarie Hartaour ; also in Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, and New Zealand. Fl. Nov.-Jan. 



