Friocaulon.] CXLIX. ERIOOAULEJ;. 1715 



Outer female perianth-segments complicated with a broad dorsal wing. 



Heads at length globular, with the outer bracts reilexed and empty. All 

 the female flowers with outer perianth. 

 Leaves mostly less than half as long as the scapes. Outer male 



perianth-segments broadly linear 10. E, scariosum. 



Leaves more than half as long as the scape. Outer male perianth 



segments very narrow 11. JS. fistvloium. 



Heads broad. Outer bracts rigid, all flowering. Inner female flowers 

 without outer perianth. • 



Scapes 2 to 4in. high. Heads pale coloured 12. JG. depveisum. 



Scapes 1 to 2in. high. Heads nearly black 13. E.deustum. 



1. E. setaceum (bristle-like), Linn.; Kunth, Enum. iii. 550; Benth, FL 

 Austr. vii. 191. An aquatic plant with submerged floating stenas lengthening out 

 to 1ft, or more, covered with linear-filiform almost capillary leaves of 1 to 2in. 

 Peduncles or scapes from amongst the upper leaves 2 to 3in. long, or in very 

 luxuriant specimens twice as long. Flower-heads depressed or at length nearly 

 globular, rarely attaining more than 2 lines diameter and usually smaller, white 

 with the mealy pubescence of the bracts,' becoming dark-coloured as it wears off. 

 Bracts broad, the outer empty ones in 1 or 2 rows. Male flower : 3 outer 

 segments obovate-oblong, slightly fringed at the apex, connate into a lateral 

 scale or at length separate ; 8 inner short, usually fringed, with a small gland. 

 Stamens 6. Female flower : 3 outer segments at the base of the stipes nearly 

 equal, obovate-spathulate, concave, slightly fringed ; 3 inner under the ovary 

 linear, erect. Ovary 3-merous. 



Hab : Eecorded for Queensland without locality by F. o. M. 



The species is common in E. India and the Malayan Archipelago. The Australian specimens 

 all belong to the species as restricted by Koernicke, Linnsea, xxvii. 603, with the bracts and 

 perianth-segments white-pubescent at the apex. — Benth. 



2. la. australe (Australian), R. Br. Prod. 251; BentJi. FL Atistr. \'n. 192. 

 The largest oi the Australian species. Scapes and leaves usually 1 to Ifft. high, 

 sprinkled below the middle with long loose hair, the leaves grass-like, flat or 

 concave, varying in breadth from 1 to 3 lines. Flower-heads depressed-globular 

 or at length nearly as long as broad, attaining 3 to 4 lines diameter, white with 

 the mealy indumentum of the bracts which rarely wear off in the old heads. 

 Bracts closely imbricate, broadly obovate-brbicular, a few outer empty ones 

 glabrous and shorter than the others. Flowers in some heads mostly males, in 

 others the females more numerous. Outer perianth -segments in both sexes 

 complicate, more or less connate, especially in the males, the dorsal keel broadly 

 winged ; third segment very narrow in the males, oblong-lanceolate and concave 

 in the females. Inner segments linear and slightly fringed, short in the males, 

 longer in the females. Stamens 6. Ov£w;y 3-merous. 



Hab.: Wide Bay, Bidivill ; Rockingham Bay, Dallachy ; Stradbrook Island South to N.S.W. 



3. E. Smithii (after Sir J. E. Smith), R. Br. Prod. 254 ; Benth. FL Atistr. 

 vii. 192. Scapes slender, 3 to 5in. long. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, 

 usually about lin. long. Flower-heads soon globose ; outer bracts ovate, glabrous, 

 at first very conspicuous but almost concealed under the old heads ; flowering 

 bracts thin, obovate, scarcely acuminate, glabrous on the back but the broad 

 margins ciliate with short hairs. Male flower: Outer perianth-segments 3, 

 oblong-linear, contracted at the base and more or less connate at first, slightly 

 hairy at the tips ; inner segments small, fringed. Stamens 6. Female flower : 

 Outer-segments dark-coloured, oblong-spathulate, concave, incurved, one of them 

 often deffieient; inner segments erect, linear-oblong, fringed and hairy at the 

 end with a small gland as in the males. Ovary 8-merous. 



Hab.: Moreton Bay, F. v. Mueller ; Cape Eiver, Bowman ; Springsure, Wnth. 

 The most frequently met-with species. 



