1014 LXXX. ASCLEPIADE^. [Dischidia. 



spreading with recurved lobes. Follicles membranous, about lin. long, acuminate, 

 recurved at the end. Seeds very small, with a very copious silky coma.— Dene, 

 in DC. Prod. viii. 632. 



Hab.: Cape York, M'Gillivray, Darnel; Endeavour River, Bauks and Solaiider; Eockingham 

 Bay, Dallachy. 



2. B. ovata (leaves ovate), Benth. in Hook. Lond. Journ. of Bat. 1843, p. 

 226. An epiphytal plant, the stems creeping and rooting at the nodes. Leaves 

 on erect slender petioles of about 3 lines, fleshy and broadly ovate, apiculate, 

 about lin. long, fin. broad, glabrous, the 3 or 5 primary veins marked on the 

 upper surface by light- coloured lines, giving to the leaf a variegated appearance. 

 Peduncles axillary, about Jin. long with a thickened short fork at the end bearing 

 from 5 to 8 flowers. Calyx-segments minute. Corolla about 3 lines long, the 

 tube much inflated, staine^ with red ; lobes short, erect, thick, and dotted with 

 white, glabrous except for the dense ring of erect silky white hairs in the throat, 

 immediately at the base of the corolla-lobes ; segments of the corolla deeply bifid 

 and incurved. — 2nd Suppl. Syn. Ql. Fl. 41 ; D. picta, Bl. 



Hab.: Johnston Eiver and other localities in the tropical parts. 



3. a. timorensis (of Timor), Dene, in Nout. Ann. der Mus. iii. 377 (. 17. 

 An epiphytal plant, creeping and rooting into the loose bark of trees. Leaves 

 shortly petiolafce, subrotund-ovate or orbicular, fleshy, upper side convex, under 

 side somewhat concave. Ascidia nearly sessile, oblong, slightly arched, flattened, 

 pendulous at the base of the branches. 



Hab.: Recorded for Queensland by F. v. M. Cens. of Austr. PL 



4. D. Itafflesiana (after Sir Stamford Eafiles), Wall. Plant. As. Bar. ii. 35 

 t. 142. An epiphytal creeping plant, found running over and rooting into the 

 loose bark of trees. Stem and branches stout. Leaves glaucous, roundish, 

 orbicular, lin. diameter, subsessile. Ascidia pendulous, 3 or Sin. long and over 

 lin. broad, irregularly compressed, obtuse, fleshy, base gibbous. On opening 

 these pitchers or reservoirs, they will usually be found full of the roots of the 

 plant. Flowers pale-yellow, in axillary umbels. Sepals obtuse. Corolla fleshy ; 

 lobes 3-gonous, the throat thickened. Corona-lobes oblong, obtuse, incurved. 

 Follicles smooth, 2 to 3in. long, curved, 4 lines broad about the middle, tapering 

 to both ends, pericarp thin. Seeds linear-oblong, over 1 line long. 



Hab.: Islands of Torres Straits. 



17. MICROSTEMMA, K. Br. 



(Corona small.) 

 Corolla rotate, deeply divided into 5 acuminate lobes, valvate in the bud. 

 Corona an undulate ring round the gynostegium below the anthers, and more 

 prominent letween the anthers than opposite to them. Anthers without 

 terminal membranes. Pollen-masses 2 to each anther, ovoid, erect, laterally 

 attached below the middle. Stigma short, obtuse. — Herbs, with tuberous 

 rhizomes and erect stems. Leaves linear or none. Flowers in sessile umbels. 



The genus is limited to Australia. 



1. M. tuberosum (root a tuber), R. Br. Prod. 459 ; Benth. Fl, Austr. iv. 

 315. "Warabooga," Bloomfield Eiver, "Antir," Princess Charlotte Bay, 

 " Akala," Palmer Eiver, Both, Stems from a tuberous rhizome, erect, slender, 



