THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 177 



3. MICRANTHEUM. 



Calyx petaloid, of 6 segments, the inner ones rather larger. Stamens 3-9. 

 Anthers opening longitudinally. Ovary rudimentary in the staminate, 3-lobed 

 and 3-celled in the pistillate ones. Fruit capsular. 



A genus of only two species, limited to Australian distribution. 



M. HEXANDRUM, Hook. An erect much-branched shrub, 5-10 feet high. 

 Leaves in clusters of 3, shortly stalked, linear to oblong, j-| inch long. Flowers 

 solitary or few together, in the upper axils, staminate flowers on a short slender 

 stalk, pistillate ones sessile or nearly so, both usually on the same plant. 

 Perianth white, about 2 lines diameter. Fruit broadly ovate, about J inch long, 

 each carpel with a short, thick, curved style. 



Near Launceston, North-West Coast, near George's Bay, East Coast, &c. ; also 

 in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Fl. Sept.-Maf. 



4. PSEUDANTHUS. 



Calyx petaloid, of 6 nearly equal segments, or 1 segment reduced or absent. 

 Staminate flowers with .3, 6, or many stamens and a rudimentary pistil. Anthers 

 opening outwards. Pistillate flowers with a 2 or 3-lobed ovary. Styles thick, 

 diverging. Cells 2 or 3, with 2 ovules in each. Fruit a 1-celled, 1-seeded capsule. 

 Flowers axillary, solitary or few together. 



The genus^contains few species, and is limited to Australia. 



P. ovALiPOLius, F. V. M. A densely-branched, low, rigid shrub. Leaves 

 mostly alternate, shortly stalked, broadly to narrowly oblong, concave, 1-2 lines 

 long. Both flowei'S on the same plant. Perianth 1 line long. ' Staminate flowers 

 with 6 stamens, shortly stalked. Pistillate flowers sessile. 



Flinders Island ; also in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. Fl. 

 spring and summer. 



5. BEYERIA. 



Staminate flowers with 4 or 5 petaloid segments. Petals small, usually 

 (but not always) similar in number. Stamens numerous, on a central cushion. 

 Filaments short. Anthers opening outwards. Pistil quite absent.- Pistillate 

 flower with a smaller, less petaloid, calyx. Ovary 3-celled, with 1 ovule in each. 

 Stigma short, usually broad. Fruit capsular, usually 3-lobed. 



The genus is limited to Australia 



B. viscosA, Miq. A tall, erect, much-branched shrub, usually 10-15 feet high. 

 Leaves alternate, oblong to almost linear, tapering into a stalk below, rather 

 pale on the under surface, mostly 1-2 inches long. Flowers axillary or 

 terminating short lateral branches, staminate flowers few together, pistillate 

 ones solitary. Pistillate flowers with a rather long stalk, much thickened 

 upwards. Ovary covered with viscid glands. Stigma short, spreading, 

 €up-shaped. Fruit hard, globular, 3-lobed, about J inch diameter. B. ohlongi- 

 folia and B. back/iousii, Hook. " Fl. Tas." B. opaca, F. v. M., included. 



Very common ; also extra-tropical Australia. Fl. Sept. -Dec. 



6. EICmOCARPUS. 



Calyx usually of 5 segments. Petals as many as the calyx-lobes, sometimes 

 none. Staminate flowers with numerous stamens, united in a central column. 

 Filaments shortly free. Anthers opening outwards. Pistil quite absent. Pistillate 

 flowers with a 3-celled ovary and 3 deeply bifid styles. Fruit capsular, dividing 

 into its component carpels. 



A purely Australian genus. 



R. PiNiFOLiiJS, Desf. An erect branched shrub, about 3 feet high. Leaves 

 mostly alternate, shortly stalked, linear, acute, margins closely re volute, about 1 



