816 LXV. COMPOSITiE. [Blwmea. 



6. B. Cunninghamii (after Allan Cunningham), DC. Prod. v. 435; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. iii. 526. An erect stiff scarcely branched annual, pubescent or silky- 

 villous. Leaves as in B. hieracifolia, the lower ones petiolate and nearly obovate, 

 the uppermost lanceolate, often stem-clasping, all irregularly and acutely toothed. 

 Flower-heads 2 to 3 lines long, mostly sessile in small clusters, forming an 

 oblong leafy panicle. Involucres of B. lacera. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown. 



This plant does not appear to be exactly matched in any of our Indian specimens, although 

 closely allied both to the preceding and the following species. It differs from B. hieracifolia 

 chiefly in the smaller flower-heads, from B. lacera in the more sessile leaves. — Benth. 



7. B. lacera (the leaves torn), DC. Prod. v. 436 ; Benth. FL Austr. iii. 526. 

 An erect annual, 1 to 2ft. high, simple or branched, not usually so stiff as B. 

 hieracifolia, more or less clothed with soft whitish hairs or pubescence. Leaves 

 all petiolate, obovate ovate or rarely oblong, coarsely toothed or almost lyrate. 

 Flower-heads seldom above 3 lines long and often not above 2 lines, very nume- 

 rous in narrow oblong and dense or looser and more spreading panicles, leafy at 

 the base, the upper heads sessile and clustered on the branches. Involucral 

 bracts usually very narrow. 



Hab.: Shoalwater Bay, E. Brown; Burdekin Expedition, t. v. Mueller; Bockhampton, 

 Dallachy ; Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, Fraser, F. v. Mueller. 



This is one of the commonest weeds in tropical Asia, extending from tropical and subtropical 

 Africa to the Archipelago and S. China. It is also extremely variable and sometimes difficult 

 to recognise in the bad specimens often preserved in herbariee. The Australian ones I have 

 seen belong chiefly to a slender loosely branched variety with long-petioled thin leaves, often 

 distinguished as a species under the name of B. Wightiana, DC. Prod. v. 435; Benth. Fl. 

 Hongk. 178 ; but which Thwaites appears to be right in reducing to B. lacera. The Brisbane 

 Eiver specimens are, on the other hand, nearly as tall and rigid as B. hieracifolia, and the 

 flower-heads are rather larger than usual in B. lacera,. but the leaves are mostly lyrate and all 

 petiolate, and they appear to represent only a luxuriant state of B. lacera. — Benth. 



f 



8. B> acutata (lobes of the leaves acute), DC; F. v. M. Fragm. ix. 160. 

 Of tall growth, moderately villous, the lower leaves large, runcinate-pinnate- 

 lobed, lobes broad, irregularly again lobed or toothed ; upper leaves sessile, 

 almost lanceolate, acutely toothed or lobed. Heads crowded, very shortly pedun- 

 culate or sessile. Involucral bracts acute, the inner ones somewhat broad linear. 

 Corollas very moderately glandular. Beceptacle very , shortly hairy. Male 

 florets about 12. Achenes slightly pilose. Pappus white. 



Hab.: Daintree River, E. Fitzalan (F. v. M. i.e.) 

 Also of Asia. 



21. PLUCHEA, Less. 

 (After M. Pluehe.) 

 (Spiropodium and Eyrea, F. v. M.) 

 Involucre either ovoid witb the bracts imbricate in several rows, usually 

 broader, more rigid and less acuminate than in Blumea, or hemispherical with 

 narrow bracts. Florets all tubular, those of the circumference female, filiform, 

 usually very numerous, those of the disk broader, hermaphrodite, but usually 

 sterile, few, or the heads almost dioecious. Anthers with short fine tails or 

 points at the base. Style (of the disk-florets) simple, papillose towards the end, 

 or very rarely branched as in Blumea. Achenes small, usually somewhat com- 

 pressed. Pappus of numerous capillary bristles. — Shrubs, undershrubs or 

 perennial herbs (rarely if ever annuals). Leaves alternate, entire toothed or 

 rarely almost pinnatifid. Flower-heads in terminal corymbs, sometimes con- 

 tracted into clusters or rarely solitary. 



The genus comprises several N. and S. American species, a very few from Africa and tropical 

 and subtropical Asia, besides the G Australian endemic ones, 4 of which are met with in 

 Queensland. They differ generally from Blumea, in habit as well as in the involucre and style, 



