1640 CXXXV. LILIACE^. [Sowerbaia. 



in the centre of the albumen.— Tufted perennials with fibrous roots. Leaves at 

 the base of the stem linear-filiform. Stems or scapes leafless, Simple or rarely 

 branched at the base, with a single terminal globular umbel of pink flowers, and 

 small scarious imbricate bracts at the base of the pedicels. 

 The genus is limited to Australia. 



1. S. juncea (Rush-like), Sm. in Trans. Linn. Soc. v. 160, *• 6 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Austi: vii. 61. Stems simple, slender, 1 to 2ft. high. Leaves at the base 

 of the stem somewhat distichous, linear-filiform, terete, all short or some 

 nearly as long as the stem, bordered at the base and sometimes up to nearly 2in. 

 with scarious transparent sheathing margins. Umbel many-flowered, the imbri- 

 cate bracts either all very short and scarious or 2 or 3 of the outer ones of a 

 firmer consistence, rather larger and acute. Pedicels at first scarcely exceeding 

 the bracts, lengthening as the flower expands, but rarely longer than the 

 perianth. Perianth pink, the segments oval-oblong, 3 lines long or rather more, 

 all affixed at about the same level. Anther-bearing filaments very short and 

 flattened, alternating with as many nearly similar but without anthers ; anthers 

 usually attaining to about half the perianth, divided almost to their cordate base. 

 Seeds usually about 8 in the capsule.— R. Br. Prod. 285 ; Andr. Bot. Eep. t. 

 81 ; Bot. Mag. t. 1104 ; Red. Lil. t. 341. 



Hab.: On sandy land ; very common on the coast. 



22. BURCHARDIA, R. Br. 

 (After Dr. Henry Burchard.) 



Perianth of 6 distinct deciduous segments, all nearly equal and similar, 

 jnduplicate or convolute round the corresponding stamens in the bud, spreading 

 and flat when in flower. Stamens 6, attached to the base of the perianth- 

 segments and shorter than them ; filaments fiattened towards the base ; 

 anthers linear-oblong, attached near the base, the cells opening outwards in 

 longitudinal slits. Ovary sessile but tapering at the base, prominently 3-angled, 

 3-celled, with numerous ovules superposed in 2 rows in each cell ; style short, 

 with 3 recurved stigmatic lobes. Capsule oblong or ovoid, deeply 8-furrowed 

 and obtusely B-angled, opening septicidally in 3 valves, with marginal placentae. 

 Seeds angular, with a brown thin adnate testa. Embryo small, in a fleshy 

 albumen, not far from the hilum. — Herb with a fibrous root, and simple or 

 slightly branched stem, with few narrow leaves not distichous. Flowers in a 

 terminal umbel, a few outer bracts forming a small involucre. 



The genus is limited to the single Australian species. 



1. B. umbellata (flowers in umbels), B. Br. Prod. 273 ; Benth. Fl. Austr' 

 vii. 38. Stem enclosed at the base in a few brown sheaths of old leaves but not 

 bulbous, 1 to 2ft. high, usually simple but occasionally with 1 or 2 erect branches. 

 Leaves 1 to 3 at the base of the stem, narrow-linear, concave, 3 to 6in. long, 

 with a sheathing base, the upper leaves few, much shorter or reduced to sheathing 

 bracts. Flowers several often numerous in the umbel, irregular sometimes 

 partially centrifugally developed, varying however in number as well as size, each 

 one in the axil of a small bract, 2 or 3 of the outer bracts often larger forming 

 an involucre but always much [shorter than the pedicels, which vary in length 

 ■from a few lines to 2in. Perianth-segments white, oblong or elliptical, usually 

 about 4 lines, but varyinglfrom 3 to 6 lines long. Capsule when full grown 

 attaining about iin. — Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 46; Endl. in PI. Preiss. ii. 44; 

 B. multiflora and B. congesta, Lindl. Swan Riv. App. 58; Endl. I.e. 



Hab.: Common on sandy coastal land". 



