Hemiajclia.] GXVIl. EUPHOKBIACEiE. 1429 



Filaments exserted, much longer than the small ovoid anthers 1. K. sepiaria. 



Filaments very short : anthers twice as long, oblong, not exceeding the 



perianth. Ovary glabrous . . . 2. iT. australasica. 



1. H. sepiaria (hedge-plant), W. it Am. ; Miiell. Arg. in DC. Prod. 

 XV. ii. 487, var. ? oblongifoUa ; Bcnth. Fl. Austr. vi. 117. A shrub of 6 to 9ft., 

 the young -shoots minutely pubescent, the adult foliage glabrous. Leaves 

 petiolate, ovate-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, coriaceous and shining when 

 iull-grown, but most of those on the flowering specimens still young and 

 membranous, finely veined underneath, 1| to 2Jin. long. Male flowers several 

 together in axillary clusters sometimes g;rowing out into short racemes, the 

 filiform pedicels, about 2 lines long. Perianth-segments 4, broad, abouj; 1 line 

 long. Stamens 6 to 8, inserted round a hollow disk, with the margin undu- 

 late as in H. australasica. No female specimens seen of the Australian 

 variety. 



Hab.: M&ckay, H. L. Griffith. 



The species is common in Ceylon from the sea-coast to an elevation of 1500ft., and appears 

 ■■also, to have ah extended range in. the Peninsula. The Australian variety differs slightly in 

 its narrower leaves as well as in the disk, but probably a variety only ; the stamens are entirely 

 "those of H. sepiaria, a,nS. not of the following species. 



Wood greyish, hardj heavy, and close in the grain. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods, No. 364. 



2. H. australasica (Australian), Muell. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. ii. 487 ; 

 Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 118. A spreading tree attaining 40ft., rarely reduced to a 

 shrub, the young shoots slightly pubescent, but soon becoming glabrous, some- 

 times rather glaucous. Leaves petiolate, from broadly ovate to ovate-oblong, 

 ■obtuse, coriaceous, often shining above, finely veined underneath, «1^ to Sin. 

 long. Flowers solitary or few together in axillary clusters, or the males some- 

 times forming short racemes with a rhachis from under 1 line to 8 or 4 lines, the 

 pedicels 1 to 2 lines long in the males, rather longer in the females. Male 

 perianth-segments broad and concave, especially the inner ones, IJ to 1^ line 

 long. Stamens varying from 5 to 10 on the same specimen ; anthers oblong, 

 longer than the very short filaments, and not exopeding the perianth. Margin of 

 the disk usually undulate. Female perianth rather larger than the male. Fruit 

 ovoid-globular, 5 to 6 lines long, very smooth, red and succulent, with a bony 

 «ndocarp. — H. sepiaria var. australasica, F. v. M. Fragm, iv. 119. 



Hab.: Islands of Torres Straits, Henne; Edgecombe and Eookingham Bays, BMlacliy ; 

 Burdekin Eiver, F. v. Mueller; Cleveland Bay, Bowman; Kennedy District, Daintree ; 

 Kockhampton, O'Shanesy; Cape Sidmouth, Brasier ; Brisbane Biver. 



Wood yellow when fresh, changing to a greyish-yellow when dry, tough and hard, grain close. 

 —Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods, Wo. 365. 



21. DISSILIARIA, F. V. M. 



(Referring to the complete bursting of the capsule.) 



Flowers monoecious (or dioecious ?) in axillary clusters or solitary (appearing 

 terminal when the terminal bud is not developed). Male flower : Perianth of 4 

 to 6 segments, imbricate in the bud, the inner ones rather larger and more petal- 

 like. Glands none. Stamens, few or many, inserted on a central receptacle 

 without any rudimentary ovary; filaments very short. Anthers- dorsally 

 ^attached, the cells parallel, opening longitudinally in 2 valves. Female flovsrer: 

 Peiriantli of 3 or 4 segments. Disk shortly cup-shaped or annular. Ovary 3- 

 •celled, with 2 ovules in each cell. Styles^ linear, spreading, undivided, free or 

 -very shortly connate at the base. Capsule more or less tridymous, dividing into 

 •2-Yalved cocci, the pericarp thick and hard, the epicarp usually separating from 

 the endocarp in each valve. Seeds without any caruneulus. Albumen copious. 



