58 IX. CAPPAEIDEiE. [Capra'-i^. 



5 together, one above the other, in lateral clusters along the leafless tops of the 

 side-branches, or above the upper axils. Outer sepals thin, slightly pubescent, 

 unequal, the larger one saccate at the base and about 3 lines long ; inner sepals 

 and petals longer, oval-oblong, pubescent. Stamens few. Fruit glabrous, 

 globular, | to lin. diameter, on a stipes of about lin. Some barreri shoots, with 

 very small ovate, rhomboid, or oblong leaves, assume a totally different aspect 

 from the rest of the plant. 



Hab.: Ranges about Cairns to Cape York, the Hammond Island, Torres Straits. Also in 

 New Caledonia. 



4. C. nummularia (leaves roundish, like a piece of coin), DC; Benth. 

 Fl. Amtr. i. 94 ; " Longullah " and " Mijah," Cloncurry, Palmer. 

 A dense or rambling shrub 5 or 6ft. high, or in some situations 

 nearly prostrate or reclining on rocks, with hard tortuous branches. 

 Stipular spines short, straight or recurved. Leaves broadly ovate or orbicular, 

 very obtuse or sometimes emarginate, with a minute point in the notch, ^ to fin. 

 long, rather thick, on petioles of 8 to 4 lines. Peduncles axillary, solitary, lin. 

 long or more. Outer sepals glabrous, very unequal, imbricate, the large one 

 broadly hood-shaped, acuminate, fin. long, the other much narrower and 

 concave. Inner sepals and petals apparently longer and glabrous, but very 

 imperfect in our specimens. Stamens very numerous. Berry ovoid, succu- 

 lent, fully l^in. long, marked with longitudinal ribs, bursting when ripe like 

 the fruit of a Momordica, on a stipes of at least Ifin. — F. v. M. Fragm. i. 143 

 and 244. 



Hab.: Many parts of the colony. About Boulia, Burke River, it forms handsome large, dense 

 bushes. 

 Fruit eaten by natives, 



5. C. sarmentosa (branches straggling), A. Cimn. Herb. ; Benth. Fl. AuUr. 

 i. 95. A slender tree, supporting itself on the branches of others, the younger 

 branches slightly rusty-tomentose. Stipulary spines very short and hooked. 

 Leaves almost sessile, broadly ovate, obovate or orbicular, obtuse, ^ to fin. long 

 or sometimes much smaller, thin and glabrous when full grown. Flowers 1 or 2 

 together in the upper axils, on pedicels of 4 to 6 lines. Outer sepals glabrous, 

 slightly unequal, about 3 lines long ; inner pepals and petals rather longer, 

 slightly tomentose or pubescent. Stamens 15 or more. Berry ovoid, not large, 

 on a slender stipes of about an inch. 



Hab.: Brisbane river, and many other southern localities. 



The twigs sometimes infested with the fungus Didymosphosria conoidella. Sacc. and Berk. 



6. C. uberiflora (flowers numerous), F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 172. A glabrous 

 (except the petals) climbing shrub. Leaves deep-green and membranous, oblong- 

 lanceolate, 2^ to Bin. long, IJ to Sin. broad, the apex usually with a minute 

 sharp point, tapering to a slender petiole of about ^in. Stipular spines on the 

 older branches, none on the flowering branchlets, in pairs, small, recurved. 

 Peduncles axillary near the ends of the branchlets, often attaining l^in. in 

 length, thin and compressed, bearing at the end a dense or more or less elongated 

 raceme of rather small white flowers. Pedicels filiform, about Jin. long. Sepals 

 boat-like, about 2 lines long. Petals linear, 4 lines long and 1 broad, tomentose, 

 densely so near the base. Stamens rather numerous, filaments flexuose, very 

 slender, fin. long. Berry oval, on a slender stipes of fin. 



Hab.: Brook Island, Dallachy; Cairns, L, J. Nugent— the above from these specimens. 



7. C ornans (alluding to beauty of flowers), F. v. M. Herb.; Benth. Fl. Aiistr. 

 i. 95. A woody climber, the branches hoary with a minute pubescence. Leaves 

 ovate, obtuse, 2 to Sin. long, narrowed at the base, on petioles of i to lin., 

 glabrous on both sides. Stipulary spines conical, reflexed, often wanting on the 



