1476 CXIX. UETICACE^. [Ficus 



short hairs. Leaves on short petioles, oblong-ellipfcieal, shortly acuminate, often 

 irregularly toothed above the middle, rounded often oblique and sometimes 

 emarginate at the base. 3 to 6in. long and IJ to 2^in. broad, very scabrous 

 above, pubescent or hispid underneath, the primary divergent veins distant and 

 prominent underneath as well as the transverse reticulations, the basal pair of 

 veins more oblique than the others. Eeceptacles axillary, on peduncles of 1 to 2 

 lines, solitary or in pairs, ovoid globular or urceolate, usually densely hispid, 

 about 4 to 6 lines diameter, the orifice rather broad, with very numerous 

 lanceolate bracts of -J- line, the outer rows erect forming a kind of neck to the 

 receptacle, the succeeding rows closing the oritice and the inner ones rellexed as 

 in other figs. Outer bracts subtending the receptacle near the top of the 

 peduncle small, hispid, with green tips, very deciduous. Male flowers numerous 

 intermixed with the females. Perianth stipitate, with 5 or 6 narrow concave 

 segments. Stamens 2 to 4 ; anther-cells parallel, one often abortive in 1 or 2 of 

 the stamens. Female perianths on a shorter stipes. Style glabrous with a 

 terminal truncate or slightly peltate stigma. — F. aspera. Forst. Prod. 76 ; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. vi. 174 ; Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. vii. 425 ; Seem. Fl. Vit. tt. 64 

 and 65. 



Hab.: Brisbane River, MoretonBay, A. Oumiingham, Leichhardt, F. v. Mueller and others. 

 Leaves sometimes infested with the blight-fungus, Fusarimii hypocreoideum, C. and M. 

 Wood yellow coloured, close-grained. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods, No. 392. 



29. P. orbicularis (orbicul-ar), A. Cunn. ; Miq. in Hoolc. Lond. Journ. 

 vii. 426 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 176. A shrub usually of 4 or 5ft., growing into a 

 small tree of about lOffc., glabrous or sparingly pubescent on the young shoots. 

 Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, on petioles of I to 3 lines, very broadly ovate 

 or orbicular, obtuse, more or less bordered by minute rigid teeth or callosities, 

 mostly 1| to 2in. long and 1 to 1^ broad, but larger on luxuriant barren shoots, 

 rigid and very scabrous above, nearly smooth underneath, with few distant 

 primary veins, and 3-nerved from the prominence of the basal pair, the reticulate 

 veinlets fine and little conspicuous. Stipules small and narrow. Eeceptacles 

 axillary, peduncles very short or nearly as long as the petioles, solitary or rarely 

 in pairs, globular, 8 to 4 lines diameter, usually scabrous and sometimes sparingly 

 pubescent. Subtending bracts small and scale-like, 1 or 2 usually on the peduncle 

 below the receptacle. Inner bracts and perianths white hyaline. Perianth- 

 segments usually 5, narrow, three inner ones especially in the females much 

 longer than the others. Male flowers few, often only 1 stamen with a large 

 oblong anther. Style short, glabrous, with a terminal peltate stigma. — 

 F. indecora, Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. vii. 426 (with leaves not quite so broad). 



Hab.: Batavia, Dr. W. E. Roth. 



30. P. aculeata (prickly), A. Cunn. ; Miq. in Hoolc. Lond. Journ. 

 vii. 420 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 175. A tall shrub, very closely allied to 

 F. orbicularis, and perhaps a variety, differing chiefly in the branches pubescent 

 or hirsute. Leaves usually larger, more cordate at the base, still more scabrous 

 above, and often tomentose, the margins more aculeate. Eeceptacles rather 

 larger and more densely pubescent or hirsute, on exceedingly short peduncles. 



Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, B. Brown, Henne, Gulliver. 



Var. micracantha. Leaves all or nearly all opposite. F. micracantlia, Miq. in Ann. Mus. 

 Lugd. Bat. iii. 221. 



31. P. SUbglabra (almost glabrous), F. v. 21. Fragm. ix. 152. A small 

 tree with spreading head, almost glabrous. Leaves sometimes opposite, ovate, 

 acuminate. Petioles somewhat short, margins entire, slightly repand. Eecep- 

 tacles unisexual, the male cylindrical-ovate ; females spirical or urceolate^ 



