146 THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



2-celled, but often appearing 3 or 4-celled by the prominence of the placenta ; in 

 some species the ovary is further divided into 6 or 6 cells. 



The genus spreads from the Pacific and Australia to the Indian Archipelago 

 and tropical Africa. 



Leaves lanceolate to oblong 1. M. serratum. 



Leaves narrow to linear 2. M. parvifolium. 



1. M. SBBEATUM, R. Br. A most variable plant in both habit and details. 

 Erect, but usually widely-spreading, shrub, generally 8-10 feet high. Leaves 

 various modifications of oblong or obovate to lanceolate, mostly toothed towards 

 the apex and contracted into a short stalk below, but sometimes quite entire, 

 thick, alternate, mostly about 2 inches long, but varying from |-4 inches.' 

 Flowers in small axillary clusters, small and variable in size. Calyx-lobes 

 narrow, mostly 1-1| line long. OoroUa-tube about 1 line long, dilating upwards ; 

 lobes slightly longer, nearly orbicular, spreading, the whole white, marked with 

 pale purple, and more or less hairy inside. Stamens 4, not protruding. Ovary 

 1 line long, oblong. Style as long as the ovary, with a capitate stigma, cells 

 mostly 3, sometimes 2 or 4. M. fasmanicum, Hook. ; M. insulare, R. Br. 



Common on coasts, except towards the west ; also throughout extra-tropical 

 Australia. PI. midsummer. 



Many varieties have been treated as distinct species. The common 

 Tasmanian form has obovate to oblong leaves and a 2-celled ovary, and 

 is usually referred to as var. obovatum, or M. adscehdens, R. Br. 



2. M. PARVIFOLIUM, R. Br. A small procumbent shrub, of few feet growth. 

 Leaves linear to narrow-spathulate, entire, thick, contracted at the base, alternate, 

 ^-1 inch long, Flowers solitary or very few together, in the axils, small. Calyx- 

 lobes about \\ line long. Corolla-tube expanding, about 1 line long ; lobes 

 broad, as long as the tube, seldom hairy inside. Stamens 4, rather prominent. 

 Ovary 3 or 4-eelled, with one ovale in each. Fruit fleshy, about 2 lines diameter. 

 M. humile, R. Br. 



Flinders Island ; also in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and 

 New South Wales. Fl. Dec. 



VERBENACEJE (alien). 



♦■ 



Flowers irregular or regular. Calyx of combined sepals. Corolla 4-5 or 

 6-8-lobed. Stamens usually 4, equal, and inserted into the corolla-tube, 

 rarely more. Ovary 2-celled, but the cells often divided down the 

 middle, each division containing I ovule. Style terminal, simple. 

 Fruit usually dry, often more or less separating into 1-seeded portions. 



A very large order, of very wide distribution. 



VERBENA. 



Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla-tube distinct ; lobes 5, spreading, unequal. 

 Stamens included in the tube. Ovary 4-celled, with I ovule in each. 

 Fruit readily separating into 4 1-seeded nuts. 



The genus is almost confined to America. The only Tasmanian 

 representative has an excessively wide distribution in Europe 

 and Asia. 



V. OFFICINALIS, Linn. An ^rect perennial, 1-2 fpet high, sparely branched. 

 Leaves opposite ; lower ones stalked, oblong, toothed ; upper ones sessile, 

 usually simpler. Flowers small, in terminal elongating spikes. Calyx 



