94 THE FLORA OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. 



4. A. Moquiniana, Welb. — Bay of Rest, N.W. Coast, A. Cunningham. 



5. A. nummidaria, Lindl. — Macdonnell Ranges, G. F. Hill (No. 28), 

 23/3/1911. On flat country. 



Undunya Creek, Finke River, G. F. HiU (No. 27a), 3/3/1911. 

 Old Man Saltbush. Good fodder. 



6. A. semibaccata, B. Br. — Near Hermansburg, Fiake River, G. F. Hill 

 (No. 105), 20/3/1911. 



7. A. spongiosa, F. v. M. — Start's Creek, F. v. Mueller. 



8. A. varia, Ewart and Davies (Plate XI.). — Henbury Station, Finke 

 River, G. F. Hill (No. 42), 9/3/1911. 



60 miles N.E. of Camp II., G. F. HiU (No. 284a), 7/6/1911. 



Stems about 20-25 cm. high ; woody at the base ; mealy-white, with scales 

 and scale-hairs. Leaves petiolate, ovate, coarsely and irregularly sinuate- 

 toothed or lobed, 15-20 cm. long. Flowers small, monoecious ; females alone 

 in clusters in the lower axils ; males in clusters surrounded by females in the 

 upper axils and a few of the males alone, forming a short terminal spike. Fruit- 

 ing perianths sessile, 2-5 mm. long, 2-3 mm. broad, the lower half a triangular 

 tube closed at the base ; the upper, flat, appressed, 5-toothed valves. On 

 the exterior of the fruit are three prominent teeth (Fig. III.). Two types of 

 fruit are seen in Fig. III., between these two extremes all intermediate stages 

 may be found on the same specimen. Specimens resembling type A are by far 

 more plentiful. The species is most closely alhed to A. Muelleri, Benth. It 

 differs in the strongly toothed fruits and pistillate flowers. The male flowers 

 were not ripe in either of the specimens. Good fodder. 



A. leptocarpa, F. v. M. ; A. limbata, Benth. ; A. Muelleri, Benth. ; A. 

 vesicaria, Hew. ; A. halimoides, Lindl. ; (in National Herbarium Census), 

 and A. lobativalve, F. v. M. (in Austrahan Salsol. VI.) recorded from North 

 Austraha. 



5. BASSIA, All. 1766. 



{Chenolea, Thunb., 1781 ; Echinopsilon, Moq., 1834 ; Eriochiton, F.v. M., 

 1854 ; Londesia, Fisch. and Mey., 1835 ; Willemetia, Maerkl., 1800 ; Sclero- 

 laena, Anisacantha, Mentropsis, Dissocarpus, Osteocarpum, Coilocarpus, 

 Enchylaena and Threlkeldia, partly). 



Section I. Fruiting perianth globular or depressed, membranous, her- 

 baceous or succulent, the lobes horizontally (or rarely conically) closing over 

 the fruit. Seed horizontal or obhque. 



Fruiting perianth with 3 long radiating soft woolly horns, obtuse and 

 turned up at the end. — 1. B. tricornis. 



Fruiting perianth with 5 radiating spines or awns. Perianth without 

 appendages above the spines. 



Perianth with 5 short radiating spines, enveloped in fulvous hairs not 

 longer than the perianth. — 4. B. Muelleri. 



Perianth with 5 membranous notched or bifid appendages and 5 radiating 

 spines lower down, enveloped in dense cottony wool. — 6. B. scleix)laenoides 



Section II. Fruiting -perianth hard, at least at the base, the lobes usually 

 membranous and withering. 



Series I. Fruiting -perianth tomentose or woolly, with 2 opposite diverging 

 dorsal spines, rarely wanting. Seed horizontal or oblique. 

 Flowers solitary in the axils. ^ — 1. B. bicornis. 

 Flowers several together united in a hard globular mass. 



