1422 CXVII. EUPHORBIACEiE. [Phyllanthm. 



2 or 3 together, the females solitary, on pedicels of \ to 1 line. Male perianth- 

 segments 6, rarely 5, f to nearly ] line long, obtuse or the inner ones mucronu- 

 late. Glands large. Stamens 3, the filaments free ; anther-cells parallel. Female 

 perianth larger than the male ; with ovate herbaceous segments. Ovary more or 

 less hirsute. Styles 3, deeply divided into 2 branches. Capsule depressed-globular, 

 2 to 2J lines diameter. Seeds smooth or minutely-tuberculate.— Muell. Arg. in 

 DC. Prod. XV. ii. 372 ; P. hirtdlus, P. v. M. Herb. ; Muell. Arg. in Linnnsea 

 xxxii. 22 ; P. ledifoUus, A. Cunn. Herb. 

 Hab.: Logan Biver, Btv. B. Scortecliini. 



21. P. simplex (simple), Retz.; Muell. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. ii. 391 ; Benth 

 Fl. Austr. vi. 111. A glabrous annual or perennial, with decumbent accending 

 or erect stems, rarely above 1ft. high, flattened when young. Leaves distichous, 

 almost sessile, lanceolate or almost linear and acute or the lower ones oblong and 

 more obtuse, rarely above ^in. long. Stipules very small, brown or white. 

 Flowers monoecious or almost dioecious, the males in clusters of 3 to 6, on fili- 

 form pedicels oi ^ to ^ line, with occasionally a single female on a filiform 

 pedicel of 3 to 4 lines, the females when without males often 2 or even 3 from 

 the same axil, all turned to one side. Male perianth-segments G, spreading, 

 coloured, not ^ line long. Glands prominent. Stamens 3, the filaments free, 

 anther-cells globular, opening obliquely or transversely. Female perianth-seg- 

 ments longer and narrower than in the males, attaining f line under the fruit. 

 Styles 3, more or less deeply 2-branohed. Capsules depressed, glabrous, smooth, 

 scarcely 1^ line diameter. Seeds usually punctate or tuberculate when quite 

 ripe, but sometimes paler coloured and smooth, although apparently full-grown. 



Hab. : Endeavour Biver, A. Gimningham ; Bockiugham Bay, Dallachy ; Islands of Torres Strait, 

 Bailey ; Eoekhampton, Bowman, Shanesy ; Bosewood Creek, Laidley. 



Var. leiospermus. Steins 1 to lift, high, and evidently annual. Pedicels shorter tban 

 nsual. Seeds almost or quite smooth. — Narran Biver, Mitchell. 



22. P. filicaulis (stems thread-like"), Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 111. A small 

 glabrous plant, with a perennial woody base and numerous filiform stems, from 1 

 to Bin. long, Leaves obovate or the lower ones orbicular, under Jin. long. 

 Stipules minute. Flowers monoecious, minute, on filiform pedicels of ^ to 

 1 line, lengthening to near 2 lines under the fruit. Male perianth-segments 

 ovate, coloured, under a J line long. Glands small. Stamens 3, the filaments 

 free ; anther-cells globular, divergent. Female perianth-segments narrower 

 and rather longer than in the males. Disk truncate and lobed. Styles 3, 

 bifid. Capsule glabrous and smooth, under 1 line diameter. 



Hab.: Near the border of N. S. Wales. 



23. P. minutiflorus (flowers small), F. v. M. Herb. ; Muell. Arrf. in 

 lAniKBa xxxiv. 75 and in DC. Prod. xv. ii. 398 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 112. A 

 glabrous annual, with filiform procumbent or ascending stems from a few inches 

 to above 1ft. long. Lo.wer leaves broadly ovate or almost orbicular, 2 to 3 lines 

 long, the upper ones oblong-lanceolate or almost linear, J to Jin. long. Flowers 

 exceedingly minute, the females on filifoim pedicels of J to 1| line, the males 

 on shorter pedicels, the female perianth not J line long and the male still smaller. 

 Glands apparently distinct in both sexes. Stamens 3, the filaments free ; anthers 

 nbt seen perfect. Styles short, deeply 2-lobed. Capsules depressed, under 1 line 

 diameter. Seeds smooth. 



Hab.: Tropical inland localities. 



Vax.: gracillimus. Filiform branches very slender, 1ft. long. Leaves all narrow, 2 to 4 lines 

 long.— Moreton Bay, F. v. M. ; common.— P. gracilUnmt, F. v. M. in Herb. Hook. 



The above are probably all forms of one species, but with the minuteness of the flowers 

 it is difficult to establish definite characters from the imperfect specimens in our herbaria. 



