1464 OXVII. EUPHORBIACEJl. [Homalanthus. 



1. K. populifolius (Poplar-leaved), Gi-ah, in Bot. Mag. t. 2780 [Omalan- 

 thus), A tall shrub or small tree, quite glabrous. Leaves broadly ovate-triangu- 

 lar or rhomboidal, acuminate, glaucous, prominently penniveined and often turn- 

 ing red underneath, 2 to 4in. or on luxurious shoots 6in. long, and of ten as 

 broad, on petioles usually about the same length. Stipules lanceolate, \ to lin. 

 long, but so deciduous as to be rarely seen except on the very young shoots, which 

 being usually at the base of the inflorescence, these stipules have been described 

 as barren bracts. Baoemes 1 to 4in. long. Bracts small, entire or denticulate, 

 with 2 large glands at their base. Male flowers 3 to 6 together, on pedicels 

 of 1 or rarely 2 lines. Perianth when young broadly cup-shaped and entire, 

 expanding horizontally to a diameter of 1 to 1\ line, nearly flat and often 

 splitting on one side or into 2 unequal lobes, and when pressed laterally in 

 drying appearing often 2-auriculate at the base. Stamens 6, or fewer in the 

 lateral flowers. Female flowers few at the base of the raceme, on pedicels vary- 

 ing from J to lin. Perianth like that of the males, but very deciduous. Capsule 

 glaucous, didymous, 4 to 5 lines broad, opening very tardily along the margins or 

 back of the cocci. Seeds more or less enveloped in a fleshy arillus or earunculus. 

 — Carumbium populifoliiim, Reinw. ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bot. i. part ii. 414 ; Bentli. Fl. 

 Austr. vi. 150. C. populneuw., Muell. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. ii, 1144, with the 

 synonyms adduced ; C. Sieberi, Muell Arg. in Linnsea xxxii. 85, and in DC. 

 Prod. XV. ii. 1145, Baill. Adans. vi. 826 ; C. platyneuron, Muell. Arg. in DC. I.e. ; 

 C. Pallidum, Muell. Arg. in Linntea xxxii. 86 ; Omalanthus populifolus, F. v. M. 

 Fragm. i. 82. 



Hab.: Shoalwater Bay, iJ. £raw?i ; Moreton Bay, F. i'. Mueller; Crococlile Creek, Bowman; 

 Eookhampton and Eockingbam Bay, Dallachy. A common scrub plant North and Sou:h. 



Wood 3oft, of a light colom-. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods, No. 381a. 



Considered poisonous to stock. 



The foliage is.exceedingly variable in size and consistence according to age and luxuriance, 

 and is often a prey to the fungus blight, Asteromella Homalanthi, C. and M. 



2. H. Stillingisefolius (leaves Stillingia-like), F. v. M. Fragm . i. 32 (Omal- 

 anthus). A glabrous shrub of 4 or 5ft. rarely growing out into a small tree, the 

 branches and foliage much more slender than in H. populifolius. Leaves broadly 

 ovate-triangular or almost rhomboidal, usually acute but scarcely acuminate, 

 whitish or glaucous underneath, 1 or 2in. long, on a petiole sometimes shorter 

 sometimes longer than the lamina. Stipules of H. populifolius, but, like the 

 leaves, smaller. Racemes very slender, 1 to 2in. long. Bracts ovate and acute 

 or lanceolate and acuminate, without any or with very small glands, and some- 

 times borne with the cluster on a short peduncle. Male pedicels filiform, i to 

 above 1 line long, the flowers very small. Female flowers few at the base of the 

 raceme, on pedicels of ^in. or more. Capsule about 3 lines broad, usually but 

 not always murieate with a few very short conical processes, rather more readily 

 dehiscent than that of H. populifolius. Seeds with a short fleshy earunculus.-^ 

 Carumbium stillingice folium, Baill. Adans. vi. 325 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi, 151 ; 

 Wartmannia stilling i a folia, Muell. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. ii. 1147. 



Hab.; Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, A. Cunningham, Fraser, F. v. Mueller. 



This species, so closely resembling H. populifolius in general ha'. it and characters, has been 

 generically distinguished by Mueller Arg. chiefly on account of the appendage of the seed, 

 supposed to be in one a earunculus, in the other a true arillus. Although so different in size 

 -these appendages are shown by Ballion to bo in both species of the same nature and origin. 

 — Benth. 



40. OMPHALEA, Linn. 



(Referring to the umbilicate anthers.) 



Flowers monoecious, apetalous. Disk obscure, or none. Flowers (male) : 



Segments 4 or 5, much imbricate ; stamens 2 or 8 ; filaments connate in a short 



column, hemispherical or disciform incised at the margin, bearing 2-locular small 



