1646 CXXXVII. PHILYDEACE^. [Phihjdrion. 



1. P. lanuginosum (woollen), Banks in Gmrtn. Fnict. i. 62 ; Bentli. Fl. 

 Austr. vii. 74. Boots fibrous. Stem erect, simple or scarcely branched, about 2 

 to 6£t. high, with more or less of white wool, especially on the inflorescence, 

 wearing away with age. Leaves from under 1 ft. to l^ft. long, distichous 

 sheathing and eqitant at the base of the stem, the upper ones shorter and passing 

 into short lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate sheathing bracts, all however longer 

 than the perianth, the inflorescence forming a long terminal interrupted spike, 

 more woolly than the rest of the plant. Flowers closely sessile, solitary or rarely 

 two together within each bract. Perianth-segments yellow, hairy, about |in. 

 long and nearly as broad. Capsule about Jin. long, the pericarp thin, opening 

 tardily in 3 valves.— R. Br. Prod. 265 ; Kunth, Enum. iii. 380 ; Guillem. le. PL 

 Austral, t. 5 ; Bot. Mag. t. 783. 



Hab.: Biiabane Eiver and Moreton Bay, Sandy Cape, Keppel Bay, Broadsound, R. Brown; 

 Bockhampton and neighbourhood, Bowman, O'Shanesy and others ; Bockingham Bay, Dallachy ; 

 tovt Gmtis, M-Gillivray; Cape York, Z)a«mei ; Stanthorpe, 



The same species ranges over the Malayan Peninsula and Archipelago and South China. 



2. HELMHOLTZIA, F. v. M. 



(After Professor Herman Helmholtz.) 



Perianth-segments faintly several-nerved, ovate-lanceolate, membranous, 

 almost petal-like, the posterior ones with 2 prominent nerves near the margin. 

 Stamen almost hypogynous at the base of the anterior segment ; filament very 

 short and flat, anther-erect, ovate-oblong, much longer than the filament, the 

 cells parallel, not twisted, opening inwardly in longitudinal slits ; staminodia 

 petal-like, short and broad, very shortly connate with the anther-bearing 

 filament. Ovary perfectly 3-celled ; style subulate with a minute terminal 

 stigma. Capsule nearly globular, 3-furrowed, the pericarp rather thick but 

 probably at length 3-valved. Seeds numerous, small, dark-brown, smooth. — 

 Tall erect perennial, with long almost radical flag-like leaves and numerous 

 rather small flowers in a terminal pyramidal panicle. 



Plants especially the inflorescence more or less woolly 1. li. acorifolia. 



Plant quite glabrous 2, H. glaberrima. 



1. H. acorifolia (Aeorus-leaved), F. v. M. B'rafjm. v. 203 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 vii. 75. " Kuranda," Barron River, E. Cowley. Stems erect, simple except the 

 inflorescence, 2 to 5ft. high, with a more or less woolly inflorescence. Leaves 

 nearly radical, flag-like, erect, 3 to 5ft. long and 1 to l^in. broad; the midrib 

 rather prominent ; the longitudinal nerves on either side several and quite faint 

 and are crossed by faint parallel ones obliquely from the midrib to the margin ; 

 the short sheathing bases distichous and imbricated. Flowers in a dense 

 terminal pyrimidal panicle of 1ft.' or more long, sessile along its branches, 

 within lanceolate acuminate bracts, spreading under the flower and scarcely 

 exceeding it. Perianth-segments white, with inflexed margins, 3 or scarcely 6 

 lines long. Capsule globose, 2 to 3 lines diameter, wooUy-villous, 3-sulcate. 

 Seeds oblong, about 1 line long, many of them truncate or almost hooked at the 

 apex, and sometimes narrowly winged. 



Hab.: Bockingham Bay, Dallachy ; top of Bellenden Ker, F. M. B. ; Johnstone Eiver, W. R. 

 Kefford ; Kuranda, E. Cowley. 



2. H. glaberrima (quite glabrous), Theo. Caniel, in A. and C. DC. Monog. 

 Phainc. iii. 6. Plant tufted, about 3ft., altogether glabrous. Leaves equilant, 

 ensiform, acuminate, about 2ft. long and lin. broad, coriaceous, margins entire, 

 midrib prominent, the nerves very oblique, few, with transverse veinlets the 

 sheaths scarious at the edges. Flowering stem exceeding the leaves, terete leafy. 

 Panicle erect, the branches erecto-patent 1ft. long. Upper bracts white' lower 

 ones green, ensiform. Flowers sessile, 9 lines broad. Outer perianth-segments 



