1428 CXVII. EUPHOEBIACE^. [Petalostujma. 



ovary, the filaments shortly free ; anthers adnate, with parallel cells opening 

 longitudinally in 2 valves. Female flower : Perianth as in the males, but the 

 segments narrower and very deciduous. Ovary 4-celled or sometimes 8-celled, 

 with 2 ovules in each cell. Styles 4 or 3, expanded into large flat almost 

 petal-like stigmatic branches. Fruit globular or almost ovoid, with a fleshy 

 exocarp and a hard endoearp, separating into 4 or 3 2-valved and spuriously 

 2-celled cocci. Seeds oblong, slightly compressed, with a small caruneulus 

 (sometimes wanting). — A tree. Leaves alternate, entire. Stipules minute or 

 none. Inflorescence of P/iJ/MonJ/afs, but the flowers larger than is usual in that 

 genus. 



The genus consists of a single species, endemic in Australia. 



1. P. quadriloculare (4-celled), F. v. M. in Hook. Kew Journ. ix. 17; 

 Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 92. " Ungwe," Bundaberg, Keys. "Muntenpin," Strad- 

 broke Island, Watkins. " Oolgar," St. George, Wedd. A small or moderate- 

 sized tree, the branches and underside of the leaves closely-silky or more loosely 

 tomentose. Leaves shortly petiolate, in the typical form ovate or sometimes 

 almost orbicular, very obtuse or almost acute, \ to IJin. long,, becormng glabrous 

 above when old. Male flowers several together, on very short peSieels. Perianth- 

 segments orbicular or broadly obovate, silky-pubescent or villous, varying from 

 scarcely more than 1 line to nearly 2 lines long. Staminal column villous with 

 long hairs, the free part of the filaments glabrous. Anthers somewhat incurved, 

 the glabrous or hairy connective shortly projected beyond the cells. Branches 

 of the styles cuneate, more or less undulate and crenate. Fruit orange-coloured, 

 often Jin. diameter. Seeds slightly compressed, smooth. — Muell. Arg. in DC. 

 Prod. XV. ii. 273 ; Hijlococciis suriceus, K. Br. in Bauer Ic. ined. ; Mitch. Trop. 

 Austr. 889 ; Petalostujma triloculare, Muell. Arg. I.e. 274 ; P. Australianmn, 

 Baill. Adans. vii. 856, t. 2. 



Hab : Islands of the Gulf of Caupentaria. Henne ; Broadsound, JR. Brown ; Endeavour Biver 

 and Moreton Bay, A. Cunningham ; Moore Eiver, ilitcliell; Eockhampton, Port Denison, Edge-, 

 combe Bay, Dallachy and others ", Albany Island, W. Hill ; Somerset, Cape York, growing close 

 on to the beach and flowering and fruiting as a shrub of 3 to 4ft. 



Wood dark-brown, hard and close-grained, shrinks much in drying ; somewhat resembles the 

 English Laburnum. — Bailey's Cat. Ql' Woods, ivo. 363. 



Var. glabrescens. A slender tree, leaveselliptical-lanceolate, IJ to nearly Sin. long, becoming 

 nearly glabrous, and the ovary and fruit much less villous than in the typical form or only 

 shortly tomentose or sometimes quite glabrous. — Moreton Bay, IF. Hill ; Cape Sidmouth, Ourdie. 



20. HEMICYCLIA, Wight et Arn. 

 (Referring to the semi-orbicular stigma.) 



Flowers dioecious, axillary. Male flower : Perianth of 4 or 5 much imbricate 

 segments, the inner ones usually more petal-like concave and larger than the 

 outer. Stamens indefinite (4 to 23) inserted round a broad central concave 

 entire or undulate-lobed disk ; filaments free ; anthers with 2 parallel cells, 

 opening longitudinally in 2 valves. Female flower: Perianth of the males, or 

 rather larger. Disk flat, with a free margin. Ovary obliquely 1-eelled, with 

 2 ovules. Style or stigma single, broadly reniform or slightly orbicular, flat or 

 recurved, entire or emarginate. Fruit an indehiscent drupe, with a succulent 

 mesocarp and a bony endoearp. Seed usually solitary, oblong, furrowed down 

 one side ; testa rather thin ; albumen copious. Embryo straight or nearly so, 

 with broad flat cotyledons and a short narrow radicle. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves 

 alternate, petiolate, entire, coriaceous when full grown. Flowers solitary or few 

 together, small, pedicellate, the male clusters sometimes apparently forming a 

 short raceme from the abortion of the leaves on the very short flowering branches. 



The genus contains but few species, dispersejl over the Bast Indian Peninsijla, Ceylon, 

 and the Eastern Archipelago. Of the two Queensland species, one appears to be the same as 

 the commonest of the Indian ones, the other is endemic. 



