BOTANICAL NOTICES OP NEW PLANTS. 



n 



EPACRIDEiE. 



Lissanthe stellata. Star-flowered Lissanthe. (sp. nov.) Caule minute 

 pubescenti ; foliis sparsis oblongis breviter petiolatis glaucis mucrohatis ; floribus 

 albis axillaribus solitariis breviter pedunculitis unibracteatis, limbo 5-partito 

 apice fusco. 



Descb. Shrub. Stem about 18 inches high, of a rigid habit, of a bright brown 

 colour, and minutely clothed with soft downy hairs. Leaves scattered, shortly 

 petiolate, oblong lanceolate, and covered with a glaucous hue, beautifully striated on 

 the under surface, and mucronate, the mucro and the upper margin of the young 

 leaves are of a bright brown colour, resembling the colour of the stem, but in the 

 older leaves this becomes less conspicuous, and it assumes a more dull appearance. 

 Bract, one ovate of a bright brown colour, and very deciduous, falling off before, 

 the limb of the corolla is expanded. Calyx 5-parted, greenish at the base, minutely 

 ciliate, and arranged at the base in an imbricate manner. Corolla pedicellate, 

 whitish, about four lines long ; limb divided into 5 parts, which are extended and 

 a little refiexed, and having each division at the end tipped with brown, which, 

 from its arrangement, colour, and centre, with the stamens, give it a starry 

 appearance : in the throat also, between the anthers, are arranged tufts of hairs, 

 which are deflexed, and about the length of the anthers. Anthers five, sessile, 

 brown, dehiscing longitudinally. Pollen smooth, spherical, or angular, having in 

 the centre pellucid dots. Style smooth, shorter than the tube of the corolla. 

 Stigma entire, tipped with brown. Ovarium covered with a mealy down, its 

 form, when in a young state, oval, and divided into five cells: disc cup-shaped, 

 obscurely divided into five parts.' 



The genus Lissanthe and Leucopogon come so near to each other according to 

 Dr. Brown's generic character given in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandke, 

 that it is doubtful in our opinion whether they should be kept distinct as genera. 

 The distinction we can observe, is, that in Leucopogon the leaves are not striated, 

 and the divisions of the limb are bearded lengthwise, for the limb of the corolla in 

 both Lissanthe and Leucopogon is patent, as may be seen in the Leucopogon 

 Juniperina and Lissanthe Daplmoides, although this fact is not noticed by Dr. 

 Brown in the genus Lissanthe, but only in Leucopogon. The only difference there- 

 fore which we can perceive between Lissanthe and Leucopogon' is, that Lissanthe has 

 striated leaves, and that in the throat of the corolla between the anthers are found 

 hairy appendages which are deflexed ; the other parts of the character, in our 

 opinion, will suit either genus. 



This species, like those of both genera, is more singular and neat than handsome ; 

 the flowers are of a. white colour, and of a tough nature, and when removed 

 from the stem, in the course of a very short period, become withered and brown, 

 similar in colour to the stem. It is in the collection of the Birmingham Horticul- 

 tural Society, and was raised from seeds which were collected in New Holland, 

 and presented to that establishment in the year 1836. 



