BOTANY OF TERRA AUSTRALIS. 51 



south end of Van Diemen's Island, and is also found within 

 the tropic. 



A plant of a very similar habit to Xanthorrhoea, agreeing 

 with it in its caudex and leaves, having, however, a very 

 different inflorescence, was observed abundantly at King 

 George's Sound, but with fructification so decayed and im- 

 perfect that I have not been able to determine the structure 

 either of its flower or fruit. This plant is introduced by 

 Mr. Westall in the view of King George's Sound published 

 in Captain Plinders's account of his voyage. 



I had annexed Hypoxis and Ourculigo to the Asphode- 

 lese, chiefly on account of a similarity in the testa of the 

 seed ; but they differ so much from this order in other 

 parts of their structm'Cj and from Amaryllideae both in 

 this respect and in the singular umbilicus of the seed, as 

 well as in habit, that it is better to consider them as forming 

 a separate family. 



Of this family, which may be called HrpoxiDEiE,^ only five 

 species have been observed in Terra Australis, four of [577 

 these belong to Hypoxis, which is chiefly an extratropical 

 genus, the fifth is a Ourculigo very like those of India. 



PALM^. Only six species of this order have been 

 observed in New Holland, and of two of these the fructi- 

 fication is at present unknown. 



The New Holland Pailms exist chiefly within the tropic, 

 but one species is found in 34° S. lat. ; it seems, however, 

 that this is nearly the southern limit of the order in that 

 country, no species having been seen on any part of the 

 South coast. 



In New Zealand a species of Areca was observed by Sir 

 Joseph Banks, in about 38° S. lat., which is probably nearly 

 the limit of Palms, in the southern hemisphere. In the 

 northern hemisphere their extent is not materially different 

 from this : in North America, indeed, they do not appear 



' Hypoxide^. Perianthium superum: limbo sexpartito, regulari, ssstiva- 

 tione imbricata. Stamina sex, imis lacinis inserta. Ooarium 3 -loo. looulis 

 polyspermis. Capsula evalvis, nunc baccata, polysperma. Semina umbilico 

 laterali rostelliformi ; testa atra Crustacea. Embryo in axi albuminis carnosii 

 radicula vaga. 



