1. Eriocaulon. ERIOCAULACEAE. 103 



1. ERIOCAULON, L. 



(Greek erion, wool; kaulos, stem: alluding to the scapes of some species.) 

 1. E. SUbmersum, Tate. Scapes 2-5 cm. high ; leaves lanceolate, in radical tufts, 

 shorter ; heads small, globular, glabrous ; bracts ovoid, scarious, shining ; female flowers 

 of 2 concave keeled scarious outer segments and 4 flat oblong inner ones, 2-celled ovary 

 and 2 -branched style ; male flowers of 2 concave hyaline outer segments and 3 smaller 

 concave inner ones higher up on the stalk which supports the 6 anthers. 

 In water at Publichouse Springs, between Lakes Blanche and Frome. 



Family 27.— COMMELINACEAE. 



Flowers bisexual, axillary, enclosed in a complicate leafy bract or spathe ; sepals 3, 

 imbricate ; petals 3, colored ; stamens 6, but some often barren ; ovary superior, 2-3- 

 celled ; ovules orthotropous, attached to axile placentas ; style simple ; fruit a capsule. 



1. COMMELINA (Plum.), L. 

 (After Jan arid Kaspar Commelin, Dutch botanists of the 17th and 18th centuries.) 

 1. C. ensifolia, R. Br. Weak, almost glabrous herb ; leaves lanceolate, channelled, 

 4-10 cm. long, with stem-clasping base ; spathe usually on a short stalk rising from the 

 side of the stem opposite to the leaf, broad, oblique, leafy, closed at the base and con- 

 taining a peduncle bearing 1-6 flowers on exserted pedicels ; 2 outer sepals larger than the 

 3rd ; petals blue, about twice as long, 2 clawed, the 3rd almost sessile ; ovary 2-3-celled 

 with 1 ovule in each cell ; seeds smooth. 

 Near Oodnadatta. Spring. 



Family 28.— JUNCACEAE. 



Flowers small, bisexual, with bracteoles at base and usually arranged in clusters ; 

 perianth glume-like persistant, of 6 lobes or segments in 2 rows, spreading when in 

 flower; stamens 6 or 3 attached at the base of the perianth; anthers 2-celled; ovary 

 superior, 1- or 3-celled, each cell with 1 or several ovules attached to parietal or basal 

 placentas ; stjde 3-branched, capsule opening loculicidally by 3 valves ; embryo small, 

 straight, within the albumen ; leaves narrow ; mostly radical, sometimes reduced to 

 sheathing bracts. 



Leaves glabrous, cylindrical or channelled ; capsule 3- 



celled, with numerous seeds Juncus 1. 



Leaves hairy, flat ; capsule with 1 cell containing 3 seeds . . Luztjla 2. 



1. JUNCUS, L. 



(Latin name for a rush.) 



Stamens 6 or 3 ; ovary with 3 parietal placentas often meeting in the centre and dividing 

 the ovary more or less perfectly into 3 cells ; seeds minute, numerous, with a membranous 

 testa often loose and transparent at the ends. Plants mostly growing near water and 

 the perennial species usually with strong creeping rootstocks. Rushes. 

 A. Small annuals. 



Stem -leaves absent ; flowers in a terminal cluster . . J. capitatus 1. 

 Stem -leaves present ; flowers solitary or in small 



clusters J. bufonius 2. 



A. Perennials. 



B. Leaves flat or broadly channeled. 



Stamens 3 J. planifolius 3. 



Stamens 6 J. caespiticius 4. 



B. Leaves linear, channeled ; flowers divaricate J. plebeius 5. 



B. Leaves cylindrical, stem-like. 



C. Leaves and floral bract jointed, flaccid. 



Flowers numerous in the clusters J. holoschoenus 6. 



Flowers few in the clusters J. lamprocarpus 7. 



C. Leaves not jointed, rigid J. maritimus 8. 



B. Leaves reduced to sheathing bracts ; floral bract erect 



and continuing the stem. 



D. Stems stout ; stamens 6 J. pallidus 9. 



D. Stems slender. 



E. Panicle -branches almost straight. 



Flowers numerous J. polyanthemus 10. 



Flowers few J. pauciflorus 11. 



E. Panicle-branches curved like a sickle J. radula 12. 



