16 
ALYXIA SPICATA. 
P. Br. Prodr. 470; All. Cunn. in Bot. Mag. *3313 ; A. de Cand . Prodr. viii. 346. 
Port Denison. 
A shrub 10-12 feet high. Leaves when dry slightly recurved at the margin. Peduncles 
ternately verticillate, about \ inch long, slightly downy. Spikes less than 1 inch long, with 
many crowded flowers. Corolla white, only about 2 lines long. Anthers inserted near below 
the faux of the corolla. Berries unknown. 
This plant bears considerable resemblance to A. stellata. The inflorescence of both is, 
however, totally at variance. 
A. ruscifolia ranges from Illawarra to the Burdekin ; A. buxifolia (A. capitellata, Benth. 
in Hueg. Enum. 81) occurs from near Sharks Bay along the whole south-western, southern and 
south-eastern coast. The fruit of both is orange-colored. The latter species is the only plant 
of this order as yet found within the limits of the South Australian settlements, and besides a 
Lyonsia or Parsonsia also the only one as yet found in South-Western Australia. Briefly 
reviewing some of the Australian Apocyneje on this occasion, it may be appropriate to notice 
that Lyonsia is generically on no other distinctions to be separated from 1 arson sia, than in 
showing a truly two-celled capsule ; the dissepiment is formed by two membranous plates, of 
which only the margin is unconnected. To the narrow channel formed by the free margins of 
these placental plates the indexed edges of the valves are immersed. Parsonsia, on the contrary, 
exhibits a fruit, consisting of two connate follicles ; the edges of the valves are fully bent 
inward and meeting each other form a spurious septum by being connate with those of the 
opposite follicle. The placental membrane is separately retained in each follicle. 
Guided by the excellent figure in Labillardiere’s Sertum Austo-Caledonicum, tab. 31, I 
have no hesitation in referring Echites scabra from Lyonsia to 1 arsonsia. 1 . heteiophylla has 
the genuine fruit of the genus. Lyonsia numbers, as far as my observations extend, only a 
second species, which may be recognized by the following diagnosis. 
LYONSIA RETICULATA. 
Leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, rounded at the base, gradually tapei ing to the 
apex, short-stalked, with distant lateral nerves , strongly net-veined ; lobes of the corolla clothed 
inside entirely with retroversed hair. 
Moreton Bay, F. M. ; Hastings and Clarence River, Dr. Beckler. 
L. straminea differs in often narrower leaves, which are usually less blunt at the base, in 
more closely approximated lateral nerves and less copious and prominent veins of the leaves, in 
smaller flowers bearded only distinctly at the faux and perhaps in considerably smaller fruit. 
The other characters of the plants accord. Both form huge climbers. 
ASCLEPIADEiE. 
HOYA DALRYMPLIANA. 
Leaves broad-ovate, short-acuminate or slightly acute, twice or less than twice as long 
as the petiole, veinless, of very thick consistence, covered above scantily beneath more densely 
with short crisp downs ; branchlets as well as petioles, peduncles, pedicels and calyces almost 
velvet-downy ; pedicels several times longer than the flowers ; segments of the calyx lanceolate- 
ovate ; lobes of the white corolla ovate-rhomboid, outside sparingly short-hairy , inside almost 
glabrous, at the apex reflexed ; lobes of the corona rhomboid-ovate, blunt, concave, with a 
broad beneath hollow keel. 
On Granite Hills at Cape Cleveland. 
Leaves about 2 inches long, flat, paler beneath, not much shining above. Peduncles 
about 1 inch long. Pedicels rather numerous, umbellate, not much more than 1 inch m length. 
Lobes of calyx measuring about 1 line. Corolla white, about J inch long, slit to two-thirds of 
its length. Corona, according to Mr. Fitzalan, marked with clear carmine stripes towards the 
centre's the lobes hardly longer than 1 line. 
H. carnosa, a common South- Asiatic, but a doubtful Australian plant, cannot be con- 
founded with H. Dalrympliana ; its leaves being comparatively narrower and smooth, its corolla 
rather larger, more densely papillose-velvety above, smooth beneath, reflexed at the margin and 
most particularly at the apex, whilst the lobes of the corona are longer and rather pointed. 
A second Hoya, probably the undescribed Hoya Australis of garden-catalogues, and 
nerhaps R. Brown’s Australian Hoya carnosa, was noticed during the expedition, and found also 
previously at Moreton Bay and during Mr. Gregory’s expedition on some of the isles and on the 
main of Eastern Australia, but on all localities without flowers. Both Australian Iloyoe, to 
which future researches are likely to add others, require yet a very careful comparison with the 
Asiatic and pacific species. The interest evinced during the expedition by Mi. Dalrymple in 
the botanical investigations of Mr. Fitzalan has prompted me to name this new plant in lionoi 
of that gentleman, and his great taste for sciences holds out a hope that during his commissioner- 
ship in the newly proclaimed district of Kennedy we shall enjoy his aid in the further develop- 
ment of its phytological treasures. The diagnosis of Hoya Dalrympliana is drawn up from very 
scanty materials. 
