TEE TASUANIAN FLORA. 209 



2 PATERSONIA. 



Perianth with a long linear tube and 6 lobes, 3 outer broad and spreading, 3 

 inner veiy small and erect. Stamens 3, united in a tube to the orifice of the 

 perianth, free portion very short. Anthers oblong, all perfect.' Style slender, 

 exceeding the perianth-tube. Stigmatic branches 3, reflexed so as to appear as 

 a head to the style. ' Capsule obtusely 3-angled. Seeds, at least in Tasmanian 

 species, oblong, black, and shining. 



Confined to Australian distribution. 



P. GLAUCA, It. Br. Plant tufted. Stems and leaves arising from a 

 short creeping base. Leaves flat, about 1-2 lines broad and 1 foot long, acute, 

 pale green. Stems usually, but not always, much shorter than the leaves, 

 bearing a single terminal spike enclosed in 2 reddish-brown bracts, each about 

 1| inch long, the longitudinal veins fairly distinct. Flowers blue, 2-4 in each 

 spike, each subtended by a transparent bract. Perianth-tube exceeding the 

 bracts, lobes about J inch long, inner lobes hardly 1 line long. Stigmatic 

 lobes fringed. 



Common on wet heaths.. It occurs also in New South Wales, Victoria, and 

 South Australia. Fl. Nov.-Jah. 



P. LONGisCAPA, Sweet, is also, probably by mistake, recorded from 

 Tasmania. Many Tasmanian forms of P. glauca closely approach it. 



3. LIBERTIA. 



Perianth divided to the ovary into 6 nearly equal segments. Stamens 3, 

 ;arising from the base. Filaments slender. Style single, but divided above into 

 3 filiform lobes. Capsule small, ovoid, or globular. 



A genus of few species, extending to New Zealand and South Amferica. 

 Included by Mueller in Sisyrinchium . 



L. pulChella, Spreng. Plant tufted.' Leaves clustered at the base in 2 

 opposite rows, grass-like, 2-6 inches long, 2-3 lines broad. Stem from shorter 

 to longer than the leaves. Flowers in interrupted clusters towards the ends of 

 the stem, each cluster subtended by a leafy bract. Flowers usually 3 or 4, in a 

 cluster, each subtended by a bract, and mounted on a slender stalk f-1^ inch 

 long. Ovary globular, about 1 line long. Perianth white, the segments spreading, 

 2-3 lines long, oblong. L. lamrencii, Hook. 



Common in many parts, but chiefly in the north and west ; it occurs also 

 in New South Wales and Victoria, and extends also to New Zealand. Fl. 

 Nov.- Jan. 



4. TRICHONBMA. 



Perianth regular, spreading, united only at the base. 



A small European and South African species. 



T. EOSEUM, Ker. Small, bulbous. Leaves radical, linear, 3-10 inches. 

 Flower pink, solitary, on a stalk shorter than the leaves. 



A South African species. Introduced. Domain (Hobart), and probably 

 elsewhere. Fl. Sept.-Oct. 



5. HEWARDIA. 



Perianth spreading, united only at the base, regular. Stamens 3, adnate to 

 the base of the three inner segments. Filaments short. Anthers opening outwards. 

 Ovary 8-celled,- with numerous ovules; combined at the base with the perianth, 

 ■ otherwise free and superior. Style short, with 3 stigmatic branches. 



A genus of bui one specie" usually i-efeijred to Liliacew on the strength of the 

 nearly superior ovary 







