398 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
lip, while the three others are narrow and compose a trifid anterior 
lip. The androceum is irregular; it is formed of four dissimilar 
stamens, superposed to the lobes of the perianth and inserted about 
‘its throat. The posterior stamen is the most perfect; it consists of a 
short bifurcated filament, on either branch of which is inserted a free 
cell of the same size as its fellow. The anterior stamen has also a 
filament and a two-celled anther; but the cells are sterile and reduced 
to very small scales. The lateral stamens are symmetrical with regard 
to each other, the anterior cell being sterile like that of its neighbour 
of the anterior stamen, and similarly the posterior cell is fertile. 
This last is inclined in the bud towards the corresponding cell of the 
posterior stamen. ach is concave on the surface which looks towards 
its neighbour, and by their application edge 
Conospermum sphacelatum. +. edoe a cavity is formed which contains the 
pollen. This is freed when the two half-cells be- 
longing to different stamens separate, a little 
before anthesis. Hence there is a sort of synge- 
nesious arrangement which may fairly be 
compared with what is found in most Com- 
posite. The gynzceum is free; it consists of 
a one-celled ovary covered with hairs, which 
are especially abundant round the edges of its 
horizontally flattened top. From the centre of 
the platform thus formed rises a style, very 
oe Mee cae si slender at the base, and swelling slowly 
as ‘ “towards its apex, which ends in an oblique 
stigmatiferous head, and which is more or less folded on itself 
in the bud. The stigmatiferous head often remains sticking to 
the glandular base of the sterile anther on anthesis. In the ovary 
is a single descending orthotropous ovule. The dry indehiscent 
one-seeded fruit bears a crest formed by the accrescence of the hairs 
which crowned the ovary. The embryo is fleshy exalbuminous, and 
its radicle looks downwards. Conospermum consists of some forty 
species of Australian shrubs.’ They have alternate simple entire leaves 
1 Gran, in Edinb. Phil. Journ. (1826),171. Hook. Jowrn, (1852), 184; (1855), 71.—Kiep., 
—Envu., Nov. Stirp. Dec. 58.—Hoox., in in Hook. Journ. (1855), 70.—F. MUBLL., Fragm., 
Mitch. Exp. Trop. Austral, 342—Linvu., i. 157; vi, 228.—Bents. & F, MUveELL., Fl. 
Swan Riv. 30.—ScuHLtL., in Linnea, xx. 578. Austral, v. 362. 
—Muissn., in Pl. Preiss., i. 518; ii, 248; in 
