148 XXIII. STERCULIACE^. [Cowmersonia. 



1. C. Praseri (after C. Fraser), /. Gay; in Mew,. Mm. Par. x. 215, t. 16 ; 

 Bcnth. Fl. Austr. i. 242. A tall shrub, with tomentose or hirsute branches. 

 Leaves cordate-ovate, acuminate, 3 to 6in. long, irregularly toothed, often oblique 

 at the base, glabrous or slightly pubescent above, white -tomentose or softly 

 hirsute underneath, the lower ones in the young plants broad and 3 or 5-lobed. 

 Gymes loosely dichotomous, many-flowered, but shorter than the leaves. Calyx 

 tomentose, fully 3 lines diameter, the lobes acute. Petals with a very short 

 broad concave base, the ligula oblong- spathulate, nearly as long as the ca,lyx. 

 Stamiuodia linear-spathulate, as long as the petals, the central one of each three 

 rather broader and lanceolate at the base, the lateral ones filiform at the base and 

 shortly adnate to the central one ; anther- bearing filaments very short. Capsule 

 large, densely beset with soft villous setae.^ — Steetz, ii) PI. Priess. ii. 359 ; F. v. 

 M. PI. Vict. i. 148. 



Hab.: Southern Queensland. 



2. C. Iieichhardtii (after L. Leichhardt), Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 2.42. A 

 medium-sized shrub, the branches densely velvety-tomentose or hispid. Leaves 

 ovate-lanceolate or cordate, 2 to Sin. long (or specimens narrow-lanceolate- 

 oblong), unequally toothed, rather harshly velvety-tomentose on both sides. 

 Cymes nearly sessile, few-fiowered. Calyx very tomentose, spreading to about 

 5 lines diameter ; lobes broad and acute, sometimes reddish inside. Petals 

 glabrous, violet, with an oblong ligula much shorter than the calyx. Central 

 staminodium of each 3 lanceolate and fine-pointed, lateral ones filiform, attached to 

 it near the base. Anther-bearing filaments very short. Ovary glabrous. 



Hab.: Boyd and Cape Elvers and Eookingham Bay. 



3. C. echinata (capsule prickly), Forst.; DG. Prod. i. 486 ; Benth. Fl. Amtr. 

 i. 243. Brown kurrajong ; "Dim," Maroochie. A tall shrub or small tree, the 

 young branches and inflorescence whitish-tomentose. Leaves ovate or cordate, 

 acuminate, 3 to 6in. long or even more, irregularly toothed or nearly entire, often 

 oblique at the base, glabrous or slightly-tomentose above, more densely whitish- 

 tomentose underneath. Cymes pedunculate, many-flowered, but shorter than the 

 leaves. Calyx tomentose, nearly 8 lines diameter, the lobes acute. Petals with 

 a very short concave broad base, the ligula narrow-linear, nearly as long as the 

 calyx. Central staminodium of each three lanceolate, pubescent, much shorter 

 than the petals, lateral ones small, filiform, recurved, attached to the very short 

 anther-bearing filaments. Anther-cells less divaricate than in the other species. 

 Capsule often ^in. diameter, without the long, poft, villous setae which cover it. 



Hab.: Cape York, Endeavour Eiver, Pinq Eiver, Upper Brisbane Eiver, and other localities. 



Wood soft, close-grained, white, and light. The bark yields a strong fibre, which was used by 

 the aborigines for net-making and fishing lines. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods No. 32. 



13. SERINGIA, J. Gay. 

 (After M. Seringa.) 



Calyx deeply 5-lobed, scarcely enlarged after flowering, and neither scarious 

 nor coloured. Petals none. Stamens 5, alternate with the calyx-lobes, alter- 

 nating with 5 subulate staminodia, and slightly united with them at the base ; 

 anther-cells parallel, opening by dorsal slits. Ovary 5-celled, with 2 or 3 ovules 

 in each cell ; styles cohering at the summit or nearly from the base. Fruit- 

 carpels distinct, winged on the back, opening in 2 valves, Seeds atrophiolate, 

 albuminous, embryo straight, with flat cotyledons. — Shrub, with the habit nearly 

 of a Cqmmersonia. Flowers in dense, terminal, or leaf-opposed cymes. Braoteoles 

 none. 



The genus is now limited to a single Australian species. — Benth. 



