THE TASMANIAN FLOEA. 167 



forms of ^. rosea, and is hardly distinct from it. Habit procumbent. 

 Common in cultivations on tbe banks of the Derwent, and probably 

 elsewhere. 



The typical European form has often broadly-hastate toothed leaves 

 and ovoid fruiting-perianths, and has a very restricted hold as yet 

 in Tasmania. 



4. A. BILLAKDIEEI, Hook. Small, prostrate, and spreading, branches 

 about 6-9 inches long, the whole plant somewhat yellow, and covered with 

 the nearly free globular tomentum so common in the order, but in this 

 species the cells are large, giving the surface a crystalline appearance. Leaves 

 oblong or nearly so, nearly ses'sile, obtuse, entire, or obscurely toothed, mostly 

 about I inch long. Flowers separated from one another; the staminate terminal, 

 many, in small sessile clusters or solitary, perianth about 1 line diameter, 

 stamens exserted ; pistillate flowers in small sessile clusters, usually 2 or 3 

 together, in the l^-'af -axils lower down the branch, perianth rhomboid, under | line 

 long. Styles long, filiform, freely exserted. Fruiting-perianths with the lower 

 united portion much elongated, so as to become obovoid, compressed contrary to 

 the plane of the valves, so that they become convex instead of flat, as in the rest of 

 the genus. Seed slightly compressed, parallel to the compression of the 

 perianth. A. crystallma, Hook. 



Recherche, Southport, Pirates Bay, George's Bay, George Town. Probably 

 ift many localities on sandy shores. It occurs also throughout the coast of extra- 

 tropical Australia. Fl. Nov.-Dec. 



4. THRELKELDIA. 



Flowers bisexual. Perianth tubular, with 4 or 5 short lobes that are usually 

 smooth on their outer surface. Stamens 5 or fewer. Styles 2 or 3. Fruit 

 depressed-globular, dry, surrounded by the persistent perianth that becomes 

 enlarged and fleshy- 



A small Australian genus. 



P. DIFFUSA, R. Br. A small, spreading, somewhat fleshy, under-shrub, mostly 

 about 1 foot. Leaves fleshy, nearly cylindrical, mostly about j inch. Flowers 

 small, solitary, and sessile in the leaf -axils. Perianth under 1 line long; the 

 lobes very short, erect, and ciliate. Fruiting-perianth enlarged to twice as long, 

 fleshy. 



Near Georg-e Town, on the shore ; Bass Straits ; also in Victoria, South 

 Australia, Western Australia, and New South Wales. Fl. Nov. 



5. SU^DA. 



Flowers normally bisexual, but occasionally not maturing both elements. 

 Perianth deeply divided into 5 membranous lobes. Stamens 5. Styles 2 oi' 3. 

 Fruit dry, surrounded by the closely over-lapping and hardly altered perianth. 



A small genus of succulent coast plants that differ from U/ienopodium oii\j in 

 habit. The distribution is world-wide, and the Tasmanian plant, though rather 

 robust, is identical with a common form distributed as widely as the genus. 



5. MABITIMA, Dumort. Sub-erect or diffuse, and much-branched, annual or 

 biennial in most situations, but the Tasmanian form appears perennial, usually 

 about 1 foot high, and the stems somewhat woody. Leaves fleshy, almost 

 cylindrical., |-1|- inch long. Flowers small, in close axillary clusters or solitary. 

 Perianth about 1 line diameter. Fruit depressed, globular, rarely ovate. 



Very common on muddy coasts ; also throughout Australia. PI. Oct.-Nov. 



6. SALICORNIA 



Flowers mostly bisexual. Perianth thin, and variously shaped, thickened 

 subsequent to flowering. Stamens 1 or 2. Fruit somewhat flattened, and 

 enclose(jl in the persistent perianth. 



