68 THE FLORA OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. 



8. E. scariosum, R. Br. — N. Coast, R. Brown ; Port Darwin, Schultz 

 (No. 261). 



9. E. Schultzii, Benth.— Port Darwin, Schultz (No. 288) 



10. E. setaceum, Linn. — ^Near M'Adam Range, F. v. Mueller ; Port 

 Darwin, Schultz (Nos. 75, 369). 



11. E. spectabile, F. v. M. — Sources of the Limmen Bight River, Gulf of 

 Carpentaria, F. v. Mueller. 



12. E. tcrrtuosum, F. v. M. — ^Victoria River, F. v. Mileller. 



E. quinquangulare, Linn. Recorded in National Herbarium Census, from 

 North Australia. 



COMMELINACEa:. 



Flowers enclosed in a folded, cordate-turbinate or falcate spatha or leafy- 

 bract, or within short loose leaf-sheaths. 



Perianth-segments united in two series. Stamens all perfect. — 3. 

 Cyanotis. 



Perianth-segments free. Half the stamens reduced to staminodia. — 1 

 Commelina. 



No spatha. Bracts small. Flov/ers paniculate. — 2. Aneilema. 



No spatha. Flowers spicate. Outer segments herbaceous. Stamens 

 all perfect. Ovary 3-celled. — 4. Cartonema 



1. COMMELINA, Blume. 1735. ' 

 ( Amanihopus, Rafin, 1817 ; Disecocarpus , Hassk., 1866 ; Erxlebia, 

 Medic, 1790 ; Heterocarpus, Wight, 1853 ; Lechea, Lowe, 1790 ; Allosperma, 

 Rafin, 1836). 



Spatha not cordate, closed at the base, forming an obhque turbinate 

 inverted cone open at the top only. — 3. C. ensifoUa. 



Spatha cordate at the base, with rounded auricles closely appressed but 

 not connate. 



Leaves ovate-lanceolate or rarely narrow, contracted above the sheath. 

 Spatha acute. Peduncles short. Seeds pitted. — 1. C. cyanea. 

 Spatha tapering to a long point. Peduncles long. — 2. C. acuminata. 

 Leaves very narrow, but contracted above the sheath. 

 Spatha with a long point. Seeds srnooth or slightly rugose. — 4. C. 

 lanceolata. 



1. C. cyanea, R. Br. — Victoria River, F. v. Mueller. 



2. C acuminata, Ewart and M' LenTMn. Plate VII. — Erect glabrous 

 herb, leaves Unear, varying in length from 2 to 7 inches without any contrac- 

 tion at the base above the leaf sheath. Spathas on long peduncles from 2\ to 

 3| inches broad, strongly acuminate, cordate at the base not connate, length 

 from li to If in. 



Peduncles two, enclosed in spatha, the pedicels of the flowers protruding 

 beyond. A male flower is borne on one peduncle and three hermaphrodite 

 flowers by the second. Outer perianth segments about 3 lines long, the inner 

 about 6 lines and blue in colour. 



Perfect stamens 3, the filaments of two being equal in length, and as long 

 as the inner perianth segments, the third being shorter and bearing a larger 

 anther. Petaloid staminodia three with short filaments and bright yellow in 

 colour. Ovary 3-celled, single style and terminal stigma. 



The nearest affinity is with Com.melina cyanea, from which it differs in 

 having long linear leaves, spathas which taper to a long fine point and which 

 are borne on long pedimcles, and larger flowers with longer outer perianth 

 segments. 



