THE TASHANIAN FLOBA. 231 



1. A. GRACILIS, Sond. Leaves and flowering stem J-1 incli long. Spike ovate, 

 turned to one side, about 2 lines long ; lowest bract containing a stamen 

 surrounded by a single scale or sometimes 2 such flowers ; the other bracts 

 6-9, each containing a single ovary, without stamens, and with very rudimentary 

 or no scales. All the bracts are ovate, convex, and somewhat hirsute. A. (/wmli. 

 Hook. 



Formosa, South Esk River ; also in Victoria, South Australia, and New South 

 Wales. PI. ISTov. 



2. A. PUMiLio, F. V. M. About the same size as the last. Spike ovate, erect, 

 about 2-3 lines long ; 1 or 2 lowest bracts containing 2 male flowers each, 

 subtended by a scale ; the other bracts, 10-16, each containing a single ovary, 

 subtended by a broad scarious scale. All the bracts narrow, and flattened 

 longitudinally, somewhat hirsute. 



Cheshnnt ; also in Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, Fl, 

 Nov. 



3. CENTROLBPIS. 



Flowers generally numerous, rarely solitary, each surrounded by 1, 2, or 3 

 scarious, unequal, and irregular scales, rarely absent, enclosed by 2 herbaceous 

 bracts. Ovary of 3 to many carpels, rarely only 1, placed above one another in 

 1 or 2 spiral 'lines. Style free or slightly joined at the base. 



Excepting a species from South China, the genus is confined to Australia. 



i. Bracts greatly exceeding the flowers ... ... ii. 



Bracts not twice as long as flowers ... ... iii. 



Bracts hardly exceeding flowers ... ... ... iv. 



ii. Bracts gradually tapering, slender, curved ... 1. C 'polygyria. 



Bracts abruptly contracted, linear, erect ... 6. (7. aristata. 



iii. Head very small, narrow, and slender. Stalk 



exceeding leaves ... ... ... ... 2. C. glabra. 



Head small and narrow.' Stalk shorter than 



leaves ... ... ... ••• ... ... 3. C. muscoides. 



Head narrow, bracts obtuse, 2-3 lines long. Stalk 



short ... ... ... ... ... ... 4. C. monogyna. 



Head fairly broad, on a long stalk ... ... 7. C. fascicularis. 



iv. Bracts small, spreading. Flowers 1-3 in each 



bract ... ... ... ... ■■• ... 5. C. pulvinata. 



Bracts erect, broad, hairy. Flowers very 



numerous ... ... ••■ ... ... 8. C. strigosa. 



1. C. POLTGTNA, Sieron. Very small and tufted. Leaves slender, filiform 

 bat rigid, j inch. Flowering stems generally about ^-1 inch long. Bracts close 

 together, glabrous, narrow, rigid, erect, the lower one tapering into a slender 

 point, 3-4 lines long, the upper one shorter. Flower solitary, or rarely 2, with a 

 single scale. Carpels usually from 10-20. Alepyrum polygynum. Hook. 



Near George Town, near George's Bay ; also extra-tropical Australia. 



2. C. GLABRA, Hieron. A small plart, in dense tufts. Leaves thread-like, ^-1 

 inch long. Flowering stems generally shorter than the leaves. Bracts close 

 together, glabrous, narrow, erect ; the lower one acutely pointed, \\-2 lines long ; 

 upper bract shorter and less acute. Flowers usually 4, without scales. Carpels 

 about 8. AUpyrum muelleri. Hook. 



Bottom of a lagoon on Macquarie River ; also in Victoria, West Australia, 

 South Australia, and New South Wales. 



3. C. MUSCOIDES, Sieron. Similar to the last in habit, only smaller, forming 

 small moss-like tufts. Leaves about 2-3 lines long, filiform, but with sheathing 

 bases. Flowering stem very short. Bracts close together, ntorow, acute 2-3 



