LXXII. PLUMBAGINEJl. 948 



Oeder LXXII. PLUMBAGINEJE. 



Calyx tubular, often enlarged and soarious or petal-like at the top, with 

 5 prominent ribs usually ending in as many teeth. Corolla regular, of 5 petals, 

 free or more or less united, contorted-imbricate in the bud. Stamens 5, inserted 

 at the base of the corolla or petals, opposite to them, and often more or less 

 adnate to them; anthers versatile, 2-oelled, the cells opening in longitudinal 

 slits. Ovary 1-oelled, with 1 ovule suspended from a filiform' placenta erect from 

 the base. Styles 5, distinct or united at the base. Capsule 1-seeded, indehiscent 

 or opening irregularly. Seeds solitary ; testa thin ; albumen rarely abundant, 

 usually scanty or none ; embryo straight, radicle superior. — Herbs or rarely 

 undershrubs or shrubs. Leaves radical or alternate, entire or (in species not 

 Australian) lobed. Flowers in terminal heads spikes or panicles. 



The Order, although a small one, is widely disperse 1 over most parts of the globe, chiefly in 

 maritime districts. Of the 3 Australian genera, one has nearly the range of the Order ; the 

 second extends over the New as well as the Old World, but only in the warmer regions; the 

 third is further limited to the tropical seacoasts of the Old World. The Order is allied to 

 Primulacete in ihe position of the stamens and the 1-celled ovary, but differs in the compound 

 pistil with a solitary ovule, and in habit. — Benth. 



Tkibe I. Staticese. — Styles 5, distinct ; stigmas subcapitate. Stamens very shortly united 

 at the base into a tube with the corolla. 



Calyx tubular, smooth. Fruit narrow, elongated, exserted. Shrub, with petiolate 

 leaves . 1. ^gialitis. 



Calyx dilated at the top. Styles free, stigmatio in the upper part. Fruit enclosed 

 in the calyx. Herb with radical leaves . . .... 2. Statice. 



TaiBE II. Plumbagreae.— Stj/2e 1, filiform, divided into 5 stigmatose branches. 



Calyx tubular, giandu'ar-muricate. Fruit enclosed in the calyx. Erect or half- 

 climbing, leafy shrub 3. Pldmbaoo. 



1. iEGIALITIS, R. Br. 



(From its natural place of growth.) 



(iEgialinites, Presl.) 



Calyx tubular, with 5 prominent ribs ending in short teeth with induplicaie 



margins. Petals slightly cohering at the base. Stamens slightly adhering to 



the base of the petals. Styles free or scarcely cohering at the base ; stigmas 



small, terminal, capitate. Fruit narrow, elongated. Seed without albumen. 



Shrubs. Leaves broad, petiolate. Flowers nearly sessile along the branches 



of a dichotomous panicle. 



The genus is limited to a single species, extending to the seacoasts of some parts of tropical 

 Asia. 



1. JE. annulata (ringed), E. Br. Prod. 426 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. iv. 266. A 

 gkbrous shrub, sometimes tall, the branches marked with annular scars of fallen 

 leaves. Leaves on long, winged, sheathing petioles, broadly ovate or almost 

 orbicular, obtuse, entire, coriaceous, with numerous fine parrallel veins diverging 

 from the midrib, 2 to 4in. long. Panicle with few rigid branches, not much 

 exceeding the leaves. Flowers very shortly pedicellate, solitary within erect, 

 concave bracts, which enclose the calyx and are nearly as long, with two much 

 smaller bracteoles at the base of the calyx. Calyx 3 to 3J lines long, the ribs 

 smooth. Petals white, narrow, shortly exceeding the calyx. Stamens not 

 exceeding the corolla, the short adnate base of the filaments dilated and thickened. 

 Fruit linear, incurved, 5-angled, l|in. long, scarcely above 1 line broad, the 

 pericarp thinly coriaceous, Seed filling the cavity ; testa membranous ; embryo 



