THE TASMANIAN PLOBA. 153 



few flowers in a globose head. Sepals broadly oblong, hairy, the margins very 

 scariors. Petals very obtuse. Fl. spring and summer. 

 Very common ; also throughout Australia. 



A most variable plant, upon whose varieties many species have been 

 founded. 



2. P. TASMANICA, f£. Very similar to the last,' the leaves sometimes quite 

 •glabrous, but often hairy. Spike never long. Flowers about 1 line. Sepals and 

 bracts glabrous, the margins not broadly scarious. P. antarctica, D'cne., and 

 P. bellidifolia, D'cne., included. 



Very common at a considerable altitude ; also in Victoria. Fl. summer. 



3. P. BEOWNii, Mapp. Small, glabrous or hairy, succulent, the leaves and the 

 numerous peduncles forming a rosette. Leaves oblong-spathulate, ^-1 inch long. 

 Flowers very few, in a spherical spike, nearly as large as in P. varia. The sepals 



.-similar, but glabrous. Petals rather more acute. Passing into small forms of P. 

 varia. 



Common on sea-coasts ; also in New Zealand. Fl. summer. 



An alpine form, with a more erect habit and few scapes, has been described 

 distinct as -P. paradoxa, H. 



4. P. GUNNll, JEi. A very distinct little plant, usually pale from the rather 

 copius tomentum. Leaves 3-6 lines long, oblong, forming a rosette. Peduncles 

 j-^ inch, slender. Flowers mostly solitary, about | line long. Sepals and petals 

 acute. 



Western mountains and Mount Field, often on cushions of Abrofanella, &o. 

 Fl. Feb. 



The following introduced plants have become well established : — 



5. P. CORONOPUS, Ziinn. Leaves pale, linear, acute, often with few simple 



lobes, 1-4 inches. Spike 1-4 inches long, very narrow and dense. 

 The flowers closely appressed. 



6. P. LANCEOLATA, Linn. Leaves dark green, lanceolate, 4-8 inches, the 



main ribs very prominent. Peduncles long, angled. Spike short, 

 dense, oblong, dark. 



7. P. MAJOR, Linn. Leaves very broadly ovate, 6-10 inches long. Spike 



erect, rigid, 6-10 inches^ linear. Flowers very numerous, but not 

 closely appressed. 



Oedee liK.—PHYTOLACGACE^. 



Perianth of 5 or 4 divisions, herbaceous or more or less scarious. Stamens as 

 many or more than the perianth-lobes. Ovary of a single, or several, free or 

 nearly free carpels, with a single ascending ovule in each. Styles as many as the 

 carpels. Fruiting-carpels variously enlarged. 



The order is almost confined to the warmer districts of America and Africa. 



DIDYMOTHECA. 



I^lowers dioecious. Perianth small, deeply 4-lobed. Stamens twice as many 

 as the perianth-lobes, with very short filaments, and radiating in a single row 

 round a central disk. Pistillate flowers with 2 carpels attached by their inner 

 edge to a central column. Styles linear. Fruit dry, the carpels adhering to the 

 central column, and splitting from above downwards, chiefly along the dorsal 

 suture. 



D. THESloiUEs, Hooh. An erect perennial, with xei'j slender branches of 1-2 

 feet. Leaves linear, |-2 inches long, alternate. Flowers l|-2 lines diameter, on 



