230 THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 



branch terminating in a single flower. Perianth minute. Carpels 5-10, 2-3 

 lines long. 



Bellerive, South-East Coast; also thronghoTit Australia. Common to the 

 tropical and sub-tropical coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Fl. Dec. 



Order LXXXVI.—CjENTBOLEPIDJE^. 



Perianth none, but each flower surrounded by 1-3 thin irregular scales. 

 Plowers solitary, or many, enclosed in 2 bracts. Stamen solitary. Filament 

 slender. Anther 1-celled. Ovary either simple, 1-3-celled, or the carpels very 

 distinct, though united and placed one above the other, often many in a single or 

 double spiral. Ovules 1 to each carpel. Styles partially combined. Fruiting 

 carpet not essentially altering from the fruiting form. 



An order of small sedge-like plants, chiefly Australian, and entirely confined 

 to the Southern Hemisphere. Continuous through Oaimardia with RestiacetB, 

 and often included in that order. 



Flowers in a capitate head, surrounded by an 



involucre of bracts 1. Trithuria. 



Flowers in a flat spike, with 2 opposite rows of equal, 



or nearly equal, bracts ... ... ... .. 2. Aphelia. 



Flowers few or numerous, in an irregular double , 



head, each head subtended by a bract ... ... 3. Centrolepis. 



Similar, and leaves tipped with a slender hair ... 4. Gavmardia. 



1. TRITHURIA. 



Flowers sessile, in a terminal head, surrounded by an involucre of bracts, 

 without subtending scales. Ovary 3-angled or flat, 1-celled, with 1 ovule. 

 Styles 3 or 2, slender, united at the base. 



The genus contains but 3 species, and is confined to Southern Australia and 

 Tasmania. 



Filaments and stigmas very short ... ... ... 1. T. submersa. 



Filaments and stigmas long ... ... ... ... 2. T. jilamentosa. 



1. T. SUBMERSA, S. Leaves in a radical tuft, very slender, hardly 1 inch long. 

 Flowering stem slender, about the same length. Bracts generally 6 or 7, 

 lanceolate, about 1 line. Stamens nearly as long as the bracts, inserted at the 

 base of the carpels. Ovary shorter than the stamens, generally about j line 

 long. 



In wet situations, Macquarie Harbour, South Esk River, Western mountains ; 

 also extra-tropical Australia. Fl. Dec. 



2. T. FiLAMENTOSA, Rod. Close to and similar in habit to T. submersa. 

 Inflorescence rather larger. Bracts 2-5, erect, and enclosing the flowers, 2-2| 

 lines long. Stamens usually 2, and confined to flowers that bear but few carpels. 

 Filaments filiform, 5-6 lines long. Anther linear, obtuse, nearly 1 line long. 

 Carpels stipitate, nearly round, the three angles obtuse ; stigmatic branches 5-6 to 

 each carpel, 2-3 lines long, filiform. Fruiting carpels slightly indurated. 



Head of Broad River, Mount Field. Fl. Dec. 



2. APHELIA. 



Bracts herbaceous, in 2 opposite rows, each containing a solitary sessile 

 flower. Scales 1 or 2. Pistil of a single 1-ovuled carpel. 



The genus contains about 6 species, and is confined to the temperate portion 

 of Australia. 



Spike turned to one side. Bracts 10 or under ... 1. A. gracilis. 



Spike erect. Bracts 12 or more ... ... ... 2. A. pumilio. 



