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DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ACACIA. 

 By F. M. Bailey, F.L S. 



ACACIA MELALEUCOIDE.^. 



A small tree ; the bark on trunk much cracked and of a 

 dark colour, the branches drooping ; branchlets more or less 

 angular and corky ; young growth said to be of a decided 

 golden hue. Leaves slender, from fiin. to over 12in, long, of 

 from 15 to over 20 pairs of pinna? 2in. to 3in. long ; common 

 petiole 2in. to Sin. long; leaflets linear, 2 to 2^ lines long 

 and about i-line broad ; glands dark, between the three 

 upper pairs of pinna: only ; stipules none on the specimens 

 examine'! ; peduncles solitary, about I'm. long, bearing a stem- 

 clasping two-lobed bract about the middle ; spike about Hin. long ; 

 flowers numerous, but not crowded, pale coloured, bracts subtending 

 the flowers very deciduous, narrow ; calyx-tube nearly 2 lines long : 

 teeth 3, rather broad and silky ; corolla-tube about 2 lines long ; 

 teeth 5, about ^-line long, narrow, silky : stamens numerous, 

 exserted about 3 lines. Anthers minute, globular. Pod not collected. 



Hab. — South-eastern slope of Newcastle Range, between 

 Georgetown and Junction Creek. R. C. Burton. 



In general appearance this new species closely resembles 

 A. BidtriUi, Benth., from which it, however, is readily recognised 

 by its flowers being borne in spikes, not globular heads, as in that 

 species. This interesting addition to the large genus Acacia is 

 of further importance on account of its being the first of the 

 series Gummifercr, which has been met with in Australia bearing 

 its llowers in spikes. The specific name is suggested from the 

 supposed resemblance of tree and inflorescence to some of the 

 narrow leaved tea-trees. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. J. PI. Simmon ns. 



Plants of the orders Magnoliaceae, Anonaceie, Menisperuiacea^ 

 and Violarieaj. collected in the Brisbane Valley and on 

 S trad broke Island. 



