196 CHAILflE AUSTKALES ET ANTARCTTC7E. 



1. N. micrqphylla; monoica, caule tenuissimo, verticillis sterilibus paucis 

 e foliis elongatis, apice breviter furcatis ; verticillis fertilibus nume- 

 rosissimis, remotis, minutis, densis, gelatinosis, e foliis 8 abbre- 

 viatis, medio simpliciter 4-5-furcatis, segmentis mucrone imposito 

 conico breviusculo apiculatis ; seminibus solitariis, coronula brevius- 

 cula, fasciis (a latere conspicuis) 9-10. 



Swan River, Drumrnond, No. 9, in herb. Hook. 



One of the least and niost délicate species of the genus, resembling 

 in its habit a tender N. tenuissima ; but the fertile wliorls are smaller, 

 having in the diameter only about two millhn., and invested with a 

 tender pellucid jelly, being, however, not so thick as in N. glœostacliys 

 and (jelatinosa. The nut of the seed is red-brown, .30-.32 millim. long. 



2. N. glœostacliys ; dioica, caule tenui ; verticillis sterilibus e foliis 

 elongatis, apice brevissime furcatis ; verticillis fertilibus approximatis, 

 minutis, capitula elongata spiciformia gelatinosa formantibus, e foliis 

 8 infra médium simpliciter vel in uno alterove radio repetito 4-5-fur- 

 catis, segmentis mucrone conico acuminato breviusculo apiculatis ; 

 seminibus solitariis, coronula brevissima contorta, fasciis 9-10. 

 Swan River (Drummond, No. 7, in herb. Hook.). 



Approaches in its habit N. gelatinosa, (No. 9,) but the fertile whorls 

 form somewhat larger and more spicate heads of 2-2^- m. in the dia- 

 meter. Thèse little spikes are surrounded by a glossy and pellucid jelly, 

 giving to the fresh plant, according to the observation of Drummond, 

 a beautiful iridescent appearance. The seeds are somewhat less than 

 those of the former, the nut of a more yellow-brown colour, .20-.30 m. 

 long. 



3. N. subtilissima ; dioica ; caule tenuissimo ; verticillis conformibus, 

 remotis, minutis, densis, subgelatinosis, e foliis 7 in radiis pluribus 

 duplicato-furcatis, segmentis mucrone imposito elongato anguste 

 conico et acutissimo apiculatis ; seminibus solitariis oblongis, coro- 

 nula brevissima, fasciis 8-9. 



Swan River, Drummond, No. 10. in herb. Hook. 



Tins species is still smaller and more délicate than N. rnicropliylla, 

 and after the East Indian l^àyssoides, perhaps the least species of ail 

 the family. The seeds are more oblong than those of the preceding 

 species, the nut of a dark red-brown colour, .24 m. long. It produces 

 less jelly matter than the former. 



4. N. jpenicittata, monoica ?, dense caespitosa ; caule tenui; verticillis 



