MyrmecotUa.] LXlV. RUBIACE^. '7'75 



broad, densely clothed with brown filaments. Calyx glabrous ; limb campanu- 

 late truncate, minutely irregularly denticulate. Corolla deeply 4-lobed ; lobes 

 thick, elongate-triangular, barbate below the insertion of the stamens. Stamens 

 4 ; anthers ovate, obtuse, dorsifixed about tlie middle to short 61anients. Ovary 

 4 - celled ; style filiform. Stigmas clavate, 4-lobed; lobes thiol:, papillose, obtuse. 

 —21. ecldnata, F. v. M. Pap. PL 90 (not of Gaudich.) 

 Hab.: Torres Straits. 



3. Va. Antoinii (after F. Antoine), Becc. Males, ii. 116, Tab. xix. fig. 2 

 to 4. Tuberous stem tuberculate-spinous ; spines simple, short, rigidly pungent ; 

 branches tetragonous, clypeolate. Clypeole subrotund or transverse, sub- 

 rectangular ; margins densely spinous. Leaves ovate-elliptic or oblong, small, 

 on petioles shorter than the blades. Flowers nestling between clypeoles in 

 rimose alveoles. — M. echiiiata, F. v. M. Fragm. vii. 45. 



Hab.: TorreB Straits. 



82. OPERCULARIA, Gsrtn. 



(Eeferring to the dehiscence of the fruits.) 



Flowers connate by the calyx-tubes in a globular compound or rarely simple 

 and solitary head. Calyx-lobes 3 to 5. Corolla-tube short ; lobes 8 to 5, valvate. 

 Stamens inserted at the base of the corolla-tube ; filaments long ; anthers 

 exserted. Ovary 1 -celled, with 1 erect ovule (rarely 2-celled with 1 ovule in each 

 cell, but 1 cell and ovule abortive ?) ; style filiform, divided to the middle or 

 nearly to the base into 2 long usually papillose-hirsute branches, one sometimes 

 abortive. Fruit a 2-valved capsule, the capsules of each compound head distri- 

 buted into partial heads of 3 to 6, the outer valves in each partial or solitary 

 head united in a persistent cup, the inner valves united in a deciduous operculum. 

 Seeds obovate or oblong, often rugose, the inner face often concave or marked 

 with longitudinal raised ridges. Albumen copious. — Herbs, undershrubs, or 

 rarely twiners, often very foetid when fresh. Stipules usually forming with the 

 base of the petioles a short sheath, with 1 or 2 entire or ciliate-toothed points on 

 each side. Flower-heads usually in the forks of the stem or terminal, either 

 upon an erect peduncle often longer than the head or upon a short recurved 

 peduncle, and then often appearing axillary from the development of only one 

 branch of the fork. Flowers often polygamo-dicecious. 



The genus is confined to Australia. 



Peduncles recurved, all very short, or those of the primary forks only elongated. 



Usually large, glabrous or scabrous-pubescent. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, 

 often above lin. long. Heads many-flowered. Seeds with 2 smooth ribs 

 on the inner face 1.0. aspera. 



Glabrous. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Flower-heads small, sessile or nearly 



so. Seeds pitted-rugose, without smooth ribs 2. 0. diphylla. 



Glabrous or nearly so, small and diffuse or wiry and elongated. Leaves and 

 flower-heads small. Seeds broad, slightly rugose, with 2 prominent ribs on 

 the inner face 3. 0. varia. 



1. O. aspera (rough), Qmrtn. Fruct. i. 112 t. 24 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. iii. 434. 

 A rather coarse or slender species, 1 to 2ft. long or more, glabrous or scabrous- 

 pubescent, varying much in foliage. In the original form leaves shortly petiolate, 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, very scabrous on the upper side, glabrous or pubescent 

 underneath, mostly | to l^in. long. Flower-heads globular, compound, on shore 

 recurved peduncles. Calyx-lobes linear-lanceolate. Corolla funnel-shaped, about 

 2 lines long, the lobes varying as in other species from 3 to 5. Stamens as 

 many as corolla-lobes or fewer. Style-branches occasionally reduced to 1. Seeds 



