Enjthraa.] LXXXII. GENTIANE^. 1027 



The species is also in New Caledonia and in the Looohoo Islands. As far as I can ascertain, 

 it only differs from i!. spicata (a species common in the Mediteranean region, and eastward at 

 least as far jis Afghanistan) in the flowers, usually but not constantly 4-merous. I find, how- 

 ever, occasionally 5-merous flowers in Australian specimens {e.g., in Mitchell's and in some of 

 Gunn's), and, on the other hand, 4-merous flowers have been observed in some East Mediter- 

 ranean specimens. Indeed, A', babylonica, Griseb., distinguished by that character, is probably 

 a variety only of E. spicata, to whioh E. australis may be eventually referred.— £cnf ft. 



Baron von Mueller, in Ceus. Austr. PI., places it under E. spicata, Pers. I consider it well, 

 however, to retain Brown's name as better known in Australia, the plant being largely used 

 in domestic medicine. 



3. CANSCORA, Lam. 

 (A Malabar name.) 



(Orthostemon, R. Br.) 



Calyx narrow, shortly 4-toofche(l. Corolla-tube cylindrical; lobes 4, slightly 

 unequal, imbricate in the bud. Stamens inserted in the tube, usually unequal ; 

 anthers opening in longitudinal slits. Ovary 1-oelled, with 2 parietal placentas ; 

 style deciduous ; stigmatic lobes broad. Capsule 2-valved, the margins of the 

 valves involute and bearing the placentas. Seeds nuaierous, small. — Annuals. 

 Leaves opposite. Flowers pink, on filiform pedicels, terminal or in the upper 

 parts of the branches. 



The genus consists of very few tropical Asiatic species, the commonest of which is the same 

 as the Australian one. 



1. C. diffusa (diffuse), R. Br.; Griseb. in DC. Prod. ix. 64 ; Bmth. Fl. 

 Austr. iv. 372. A glabrous, erect, dichotomous annual of 6in. to 1ft., with very 

 numerous divaricate almost filiform, branches, slightly 4-angled. Leaves ovate, 

 acute, 3-nerved, the lower ones sometimes contracted into a petiole and ^ to 

 lin. long, the upper ones sessile iwith a broad base and under ^in.' Flowers 

 small, pink, on filiform pedicels, terminal or in the upper forks. Calyx 2 to 

 nearly 3 lines long. Corolla-tube shorter than the calyx ; lobes small, the 2 

 inner ones rather smaller and less deeply separated than the outer ones, with the 

 filament of the intervening stamen rather shorter than the three others. Capsule 

 rather shorter than the calyx. — Pladera virgata, Eoxb.; Hook. Bot. Misc. iii. t. 

 suppl. 26, and other synonyms given by Griseb. I.e.; Canscora tenella, Wight. Ic. 

 t. 1827 ; Orthostemon ^rectus, R. Br. Prod. 451 ; Griseb. in. DC. Prod. ix. 63. 



Hab.: Endeavour Biver, Banks and Solander, A. Cunningham; many other tropical localities. 



The species is common in tropical Asia, extending on the one hand to tropical Africa, on the 

 other to the Archipelago and New Caledonia. 'J'he irregularity of the corolla is very slight, but 

 quite as much in the Australian specimens as in many of the Indian ones. — Benth. 



4. VILLARSIA, Vent. 



(After Dominique Villars.) 



Calyx 5-cleft nearly to the base. Corolla broadly campanulate, almost rotate, 

 the tube short and broad ; lobes 5, with broad entire or fringed margins, 

 induplicate in the bud. Ovary surrounded by 5 minute hypogynous glands, 

 1-celled, 'with 2 parietal placentas ; stigmatic lobes usually broad. Capsule 

 1-celled, opening at the top in 4 valves. Seeds few or numerous, with a 

 crustaceous testa. — Herbs, usually growing in marshes. Ea,dicle leaves on long 

 petioles. Flowering stems erect, paniculate and leafless besides small bracts, or 

 branching with few alternate leaves (rarely, in a species not Australian and 

 perhaps not a congener, reduced to a 1-flowered scape). Flowers yellow or white. 



1. v. reniformis (leaves kidney-shaped), R. Br. Prod. 457 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Arntr. iv. 876. An erect plant, varying in stature from Bin. to Bft. Leaves 

 usually all radical, in a dense tuft, on long petioles from ovate to orbicular 



PiBt III. u 



