740 PHANEEOGAMIA. 



11. LORANTHITS (PSITTACANTHUS ?) CELASTROIDES, Sieber. (Tab. 100.) 



L. glaber; ramis teretibus; foliis oppositis obovato-oblongis sen ellipticis 



basi aitenvatis breviter petiolatis obtusissimis fere aveniis ; pedunculis 



axillaribus vel ramuloi) breves bifoliatos desinentibus brevibus cymuli- 



florisj floribus breviter pedicellatis pentameris unibracleolatis ; antheris 



ovali-oblongis dorso-fixis versatilibus. 



Lorantlim ctlantroides, Sieb. PI. N. Holl. Exsic. no. 244 (sine fl. & fruct V Schult 

 Sjrst. 7, p. 163; DC. Prodr. 4, p. 318. 



Hab. Woolongong, New South Wales; and near Sydney. 



The specimens bear flowers, which have not before been described. 

 The plant is glabrous, except an extremely minute pubescence on the 

 peduncles and nascent parts. Branches terete, nodose. Leaves oppo- 

 site, obovate, oblong, or elliptical, with a narrowed base, contracted into 

 a very short petiole, li to 2 inches long, very obtuse, dull, thick and 

 fleshy-coriaceous in texture, nearly veinless, even the midrib incon- 

 spicuous except towards the base. Rduncle* axillary, or more com- 

 monly terminating short and two-leaved axillary branchlets, 2 to 5 lines 

 long, cymosely several-flowered. Flowers in threes, the lateral short, 

 pedwelled, the intermediate one sessile, or sometimes all pedicelled 

 each subtended by a small ovate bractlet, recurved, pentamerous. 

 Ovary ovoid. Calyx-tube short, coroniform, truncate, puberulent on 

 the edge which is entire or obscurely denticulate, at length some- 

 timea 4-5-toothed or lobed. Corolla apparently red or purple, an 

 inch and a quarter in length, curved in the bud, and the apex cla- 

 vato-thickenedj the slender petals connivent into a tube, but sepa- 

 rating after anthesis. Filaments free down almost to the middle- 

 anthers oval, or slwrt-oblong, emarginate at both ends, fixed by the 

 middle, versatile. Style filiform, as long as the stamens: sttma 

 mmute, subcapitate. Fruit not seen. ° 



Plate 100.— Lobakthus celasteoides : a flowering branch, of the 

 natural size. Kg. 1. Details of the flower, enlarged. 2, 3 Anthers 

 more magnified. 



