32 A USTRALIAN BOTANY. 



Fig. 19. Lanceolate leaf of oleander or rose-hay. — Narrowly 

 elliptic, tapering to each end. Valerian, some Hakeas. 



Fig. 20. Falcate or sickle-shaped. — Most of the gum-trees, some 

 wattles. 



Fig. 21. Spathulate or battledore-shaped. — Having a linear form, 

 enlarging into a rounded extremity. Pot marigold, treasure-flower, 

 native sundew. 



Fig. 22. Apiculate. — Having a soft terminal point, springing 

 abruptly. Alpine gum-tree, corn-leaf. 



Fig. 23. Cuneate or Cuneiform. — Shaped like a wedge placed 

 on its point. Native hop-tree (wedge-leaved variety), native scar-bush. 



Fig. 24. Apiculate. Flattened leaf-like branch of butcher's 

 broom, given to show the curious manner in which the flower grows 

 upon it. _ This plant is said to be the only hard-wooded monocotyledon 

 found in Great Britain. Epiphyllum and many other genera of the 

 cactus tribe are remarkable for the manner in which the flowers are 

 produced upon the flattened branches. 



Fig. 25. Linear. — A narrow leaf, the length many times exceeding 

 the breadth. Grass tree (Xanthorrhsea). Found in most grasses. 1 



There are other forms of leaf; amongst them the 

 pinnatifid, which is a simple leaf cut into lateral segments 

 to about the middle, as in the dandelion, Cape-weed, and 

 native daisy. 



[The diagrams and explanations should be carefully 

 studied; and specimens for comparison procured where 

 practicable, to show that shape, and not size, determines 

 the character of the leaf.] 



1 Mr. Bentham, at paragraph 44 in the introduction to his useful 

 work, The Flora Australiensis, points out: 'The number of leaves 

 or their parts is expressed adjectively by the following numerals 

 derived from the Latin : — 



uni bi tri quadri quinque sex septem octo novem decern multi 

 1234 567 89 10 many 



prefixed to a termination, showing the particular kind of part referred 

 to. Thus — unidentate, bidentate, multidentate, mean one-toothed, 

 two-toothed, many-toothed, etc. Bifid, trifid, multifid, mean two- 

 lobed, three-lobed, many-lobed,' etc. 



