820 LXV. COMPOSITiE. [Pterinermi. 



not numerous, very slender, about as long as the involucre, 2 or 8-lobed at the 

 end, but not Usually ligulate ; disk-florets very numerous. Achenes densely 

 silky-hairy. — Pluchea macrocephala, F. v. M. Eep. Babb. Exped. 12. 



Hab.: Gulf of Carpentaria, F. v. Mueller; Georgina Biver, Whelan; Lake Nash, J/. Costello. 



4. P. microglossus (small-tongued), Benth. Fl. Austr. iii. 532. Glabrous 

 or slightly glandular-pubescent, the stems rigid, erect, nearly simple or some- 

 what corymbose, often under 6in. and probably not above 8in. high. Leaves 

 from cuneate-oblong to linear-cuneate, entire or denticulate, under lin. 

 long, rather rigid, narrowed towards the base, not deeurrent. Flower-heads 

 broadly ovoid, about ^in. long, the inner involucral bracts very acute. Florets 

 numerous, not exceeding the involucre, those of the ray scarcely so long, with a 

 small, narrow, entire or bifid concave lamina. Achenes less hairy than in 

 P. ligulatus. Pappus almost plumose. 



Hab.: Eeoorded for Queensland by F. v. Mueller. 



5. P. adscendens (mode of growth), Benth. Fl. Amtr. iii. 533. A diffuse, 

 ascending or erect, very much branched herb, with a hard almost woody base, 

 glabrous or pubescent. Leaves linear or linear-oblong, narrowed into a petiole, 

 entire or slightly toothed, not deeurrent. Flower-heads numerous, rather smaller 

 than in P. odorus. Involucre ovoid, the bracts acute, usually but not always 

 surrounded by a few floral leaves. Florets more numerous than in P. odoitts, 

 those of the ray filiform, scarcely so long as the involucre, with 2 or 3 short 

 linear lobes. Pappus-bristles very minutely denticulate. 



Hab.: Flinders Elver, E. Palmer; Cape Biver, Bowman; Belyando Biver (where it is a 

 suspected poison herb), Mitchell. 



23. THESPIDIUM, F. v. M. 



(Probably from its supposed resemblance to a Thespis.) 



Involucre ovoid, the bracts imbricate in several rows, dry, rigid and acute. 

 Florets of the circumference female, filiform, shorter than the involucre, 2 or 

 8-toothed; disk-florets few or only one, hermaphrodite, fertile, 4-toothed. 

 Anthers with minute tails. Style bulbous at the base, the lobes nearly terete, 

 papillose outside towards the end. Achenes cylindrical, striate. Pappus of 10 

 to 12 bristles, broad and chaff-like at the base, intermixed with a few small 

 setaceous ones. — Low rigid herb. Leaves alternate, entire or toothed. Flower- 

 heads small, often densely clustered in the axils of the leaves and at the base of 

 the stem. 



The genus consists of a single species endemic in Australia. It is closely allied to Pterigeron, 

 differing chiefly in habit and in the almost scale-like pappus. — Benth, 



1. T. basiflorum (flowers at base of stem), F. v. M. Herb.; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. iii. 584. A densely-tufted hirsute perennial, with numerous diffuse or 

 ascending stems all under 2ft. long, crowded on the stock with clusters of flower- 

 heads like some species of Lepidagathis. Leaves linear or lanceolate, acute, 

 entire or with a few acute teeth, rarely much above lin. long. Flower-heads 

 sessile, solitary or more frequently clustered in the axils and very densely so 

 at the base of the stem. Involucre narrow, about 8 lines long. Female florets 

 rather numerous, those of the disk few or sometimes only one. Achenes of the 

 ray and of the disk slightly contracted at the . top and again expanded into the 

 pappus. — Pluchea basiflora, F. v. M. Rep; Babb. Exped. 12 ; Hook. lo^ PI t. 

 1148. 



Hab.; Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown; Upper Gilbert Biver, F. v. Mueller. 



