1026 LXXXII. GENTIANEiE. 



1. SEBiEA, R. Br. 



(After Albert Seba.) 

 Calyx deeply 5 rarely 4-eleft. Corolla tube cylindrical ; lobes 5, rarely 4, ' 

 spreading, contorted in the bud. Stamens inserted in the throat ; anthers 

 opening in longitudinal slits, at length recurved at the tips. Ovary completely 

 2-oelled ; style deciduous ; stigma clavate or capitate, often shortly 2-lobed. 

 Capsule septicidally 2-valved, the margins introflexed, separating from the central 

 placenta, which remains entire or splits. Seeds small and numerous. — Annuals. 

 Leaves opposite. Flowers yellow or white, in terminal dichotomous cymes. 

 Bracts usually small. 



The genus, as now limited, extends over southern Africa, and U also in New Zealand, but 

 ought perhaps to include the South American Schuebleria. 



1. S. ovata (leaves ovate), R. Br. Prod. 452; Benth. Fl. Austr. iv. 371. 

 A glabrous, erect, simple or slightly branched annual, rarely exceeding 6 to 

 8in. and sometimes not above half that height. Leaves in distant pairs, sessile, 

 ovate or orbicular-cordate, rarely above fin. long. Flowers small, pale yellow, 

 in a rather loose terminal dichotomous cyme, those in the forks very shortly 

 pedicellate. Bracts narrow, acute. Calyx-segmentsabout2 lines long, lanceolate, 

 acute, prominently keeled or almost wingied. Corolla as long as the calyx, the 

 lobes much shorter than the tube. Anthers linear, tipped with a gland, recurved 

 after fading. Style usually short. Capsule oblong. — Griseb. in DC. Prod. ix. 

 53 ; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. 270 ; Examm ovatum, Labill. PI. Nov. Holl. i. 88. t. 

 52 ; Erythraa chlorafolia, Lehm. PI. Preiss. ii. 239. 



Hab.: Ipswich, Dr. Chas. Prentice. 



2. ERYTHR^A, Pers. 



(From erythros, red ; colour of flowers.) 



Calyx more or less 5 or 4-lobed. Corolla-tube cylindrical ; lobes 5 or 4, 

 spreading, contorted in the bud. Stamens inserted in the tube ; anthers opening 

 in longitudinal slits, at length spirally twisted. Ovary 1-celled, with 2 parietal 

 placentas ; style deciduous ; stigma capitate or 2-lobed. Capsule 2-valved, the 

 margins of the valves involute and bearing the placentas. Seeds numerous, 

 small. — Annuals. Leaves opposite. Flowers red pink white or yellow, in 

 dichotomous terminal cymes, either corymbose with small bracts, or with few 

 elongated leafy branches. 



The genus is widely spread over the temperate regions of the globe, and occurs also within 

 the tropics. The only Australian species is also in some of the Pacific Islands, and is scarcely 

 distinct from a common Mediterranean one. 



2. E. australiS (southern), B. Br. Prod. 451; Benth. Fl. Austr. iv. 371. 

 An erect glabrous annual, from under Gin. to Ifft. high, the branches few and 

 not very spreading. Leaves sessile, ovate-oblong eliptical or lanceolate, mostly 

 obtuse, the lower ones stem-clasping, rarely lin. long. Flowers nearly sessile 

 along the more or less elongated branches of the once-forked or dichotomous 

 cyme, with a leafy bract under each flower, thus forming onQ,-sided interrupted 

 leafy spikes. Calyx narrow, 8 to 4 lines long, with 4 rarely 5 angles and 

 acute teeth or lobes. Corolla-tube usually exceeding the calyx, but sometimes 

 shorter ; lobes ovate or oblong, much shorter than the tube. Capsule oblong, 

 shorter than the calyx. Seeds small, reticulate-striate.— Griseb. in DC Prod 

 ix. 60 ; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. 271. 



Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria and common on the coast, R. Broton ; Eockinsrham 

 Bay, DaUachy; Rickhampton, Thozet; on the M^ranoa, mtchell ; throughout the colony. 



