ducing 36 flowering scapes, whereas in the following year he 
could get only 6 or 8 specimens in flower on the same spot. 
From this he assumes that the Xanthorrhceas do not flower 
every year. The copiously flowering one may be that alluded 
to by Mueller (Fragmenta, iv. 112), as possibly distinguishable 
from X. minor , and if so to be called X . polystachya. 
X . minor was sent to Kew some years ago by Baron von 
Muller from the rich collections of the Melbourne Botanic 
Gardens, of which he was the director, and it flowered in 
February of this year ; its flowering season in Australia being 
December and J anuary . 
Descr. Stemless, densely tufted, glabrous. Leaves 8 to 10 
inches long, suberect, very slender, filiform from a slightly 
dilated base, triangular, flat, slightly concave or convex above, 
acutely keeled beneath, margins minutely erose. Spike very 
variable in length and robustness; in the Kew specimen 
always shorter than the leaves ; scape slender ; bracts nar- 
rowly boat-shaped, equalling the perianth. Perianth green, 
with brown pubescent tips to the sepals, which are hard, 
linear, dilated upwards, obtuse, very concave. Petals longer, 
more membranous, flatter, with broader rather spreading 
tips. Stamens horizontally bent from beyond the middle. 
Ovary ovoid narrowed into the straight style. — J. D. H. 
Fig. 1, Reduced view of tuft of plants; 2, leaf; 3, transverse section of ditto; 
4, scape and spike ; 5, spike with expanded flowers ; 6, bracts and flowers ; 
7, ovary unexpanded ; all but 2, 4, and 5 much enlarged. 
