99 



when 2 seeds are ripened in a drupe sometimes really 2-celled from 

 the growth of the endocarp between as well as round the seeds, or 

 when 2 or more seeds ripen ia a follicle apparently 2 or more celled 

 by the consolidation of the external coating of the two adjoining seeds 

 into a membranous or woody plate detaching itself from the remainder 

 of the seed. Seeds without albumen, the testa usually thin, rarely 

 coriaceous or hard ; embryo straight, with fleshy cotyledons- and a 

 short inferior radicle. Shrubs or trees, rarely undershrubs or even 

 perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or scattered, in a very few genera 

 strictly opposite or verticiUate, but often crowded, under the inflores- 

 cence so as to appear verticiUate, usually coriaceous, often vertical 

 with stomata on both sides, or in the same genera horizontal or narrow 

 and terete, entire, toothed, or variously divided, without stipules. 

 Flowers axillary or terminal, solitary or in racemes or spikes, often 

 condensed into umbels, heads, or cones, each flower or pair of flowers 

 subtended by a bract, very deciduous in some genera and perhaps 

 sometimes really deficient, the pedicels always with bracteoles. 



Sbeies I. NUCAMENTACE^. 



Fruit an indehiscent nut or drupe. Flowers usually solitary 

 within each bract. 



Tribe 1. Peoteeje. — Anthers all perfect, or very rarely the upper 

 one abortive, with 2 parallel cells adnate to the connectivum, inserted 

 at the base of the short spreading laminse of the perianth. Ovule 1 

 or rarely 2. Stigma terminal. Fruit a dry nut. Examples : Protea, 

 FetropMla. The first genius belongs to South Africa, and the honey 

 of the flowers is collected by the farmers, who prepare from it, by 

 inspissation, a delicious syrup, which is known as the "Syrupus 

 Proteae." These South African plants do not, as a rule, thrive well in 

 Queensland, but some may be seen growing at Bowen Park. Speci- 

 mens of the latter genus may be obtained on the islands of our coast 

 and at Stanthorpe, &c. 



Tribe 2. CotrosPEEME^ai. — Anthers : One with 2 perfect cells, two 

 with 1 perfect and 1 abortive cell, the fourth abortive, the perfect cell 

 broad, concave, erect, without any connective, the adjoining ones of 

 distinct anthers applied face to face in the bud, forming a single cell, 

 all on very short thick filaments at the base of the laminSe, or at the 

 summit of the tube of the perianth. Ovule 1. Fruit a dry nut. 

 Example: Oonospermum. Specimens of O. tox»/bK«»» may be obtained 

 usually on sandy land. 



Tribe 3. FEANKLANDiEiE. — Anthers all perfect, with parallel 

 adnate cells enclosed in and adnate to the slender perianth tube. 

 Ovule 1. Fruit a dry nut with a pappus-like cone. Example : The 

 single genus of West Australian plants, 'FranMandia. 



Tribe 4. PEESOOWiEiE. — Anthers all perfect, with parallel cells 

 adnate to the connective, the stamens inserted at or below the middle 

 of the perianth-segments. Ovules 2, or sometimes 1. Fruit a drupe, 

 or rarely a dry nut or membranous. Example : Persoonia. Several 

 species are in Queensland, and pretty generally known as " G-eebong." 

 At the Mitchell Eiver the natives call the fruit "Nanchee" and 

 " Booral," other natives call them " Koombarra." 



