Avicennia.] 
XCV. VERBENACEJ3. 
1185 
erect, without integuments (the integuments of the ovule not developed) ; embryo 
with 2 very large cotyledons folded longitudinally, a very hairy radicle, and a 
prominent plumule, which germinates before the fruit drops off as in Bhizophora, 
&c . — Shrubs. Leaves opposite, undivided. Flowers in small cymes in the upper 
axils or in terminal panicles. 
The genus consists of very few species, widely distributed over the warmer maritime regions 
of the New and the Old World, and very nearly related to each other. The Australian species 
is the typical and most common form. — Benth. 
1. A. officinalis (officinal), Linn.; Schctu. in DC. Prod. xi. 700; Benth. FI. 
Austr. v. 69. White Mangrove. “ Egaie, ” Cleveland Bay, “ Tagon Tagon,” 
Rockhampton, Thozet. “ E-pumer-an,” Red Island, Both. “ Rdai-ite,” Batavia 
River, Both. “Pa.rpoon,” Cooktown, Both. “ Tchuntchee,” Stradbroke 
Island, Watkins. “Bootharoo,” Forest Hill, Macartney. A small tree, the 
branches inflorescence and under side of the leaves white or silvery with a 
very close tomentum, more silky on the flowers, the upper side of the leaves 
usually glabrous when full-grown, black and shining when dry. Leaves 
coriaceous, usually lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 2 to 3in. long, acute and con- 
tracted into a petiole, but varying to elliptical or obovate, and very obtuse. Cymes 
contracted into small heads on rigid angular peduncles, which are often 2 
together in the upper axils or several in a small terminal leafy thyrsus. Bracts 
shorter than the sepals. Sepals orbicular or broadly ovate, concave, hirsute, and 
ciliate, about 1| line long. Corolla-tube shorter than the sepals, lobes ovate, 
rather longer than the tube, the upper inner one rather larger than the others. 
Ovary very hairy. — A. tomentosa, Jacq. ; R. Br. Prod. 518 ; Schau. in DC. Prod, 
xi. 699; AVall. PI. As. Rar, t. 271 ; Wight, Ic. t. 1181 ; Rumph. Herb. Amb. 
iii. t. 76 ; Rheede Ilort. Mai. iv. t. 45. 
Ilab.: The species extends along the sea-coast all round the Australian continent, R. Brown 
and many others, and New Guinea, but not in Tasmania. It is a common sea-coast tree or 
shrub in tropical Asia, Africa, and America. 
The fruit is baked or steamed in hollows made in the ground, in which are made fires, then 
taken out and soaked and baked in the ashes— A’. Palmer. Fruit eaten after being roasted. — 
Thozet and lloth. 
Wood strong, tough, hard and durable, useful for many purposes. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. Woods, 
No. 303. 
This is the most valuable of our indigenous trees for planting along the borders of tidal rivers 
to prevent the washing away of the banks. 
Order XCV I. LABIATE. 
Flowers irregular or rarely nearly regular. Calyx persistent, 5-toothed or 2- 
lipped. Corolla with a distinct tube and 4 or 5 lobes more or less 2-lipped or 
nearly equal, imbricate in the bud, the upper lip or lobes usually and perhaps 
always outside. Stamens 2 or 4, in pairs, inserted in the tube of the corolla and 
alternating with its lower lobes. Anthers either 2-celled or 1 -celled by the 
confluence of the 2 cells or by the abortion of one of them. Ovary 4-lobed, with 
1 erect ovule in each lobe. Style single, arising from the centre of the ovary, 
terminating in 2 short stigmatic lobes. Fruit enclosed in the calyx, consisting 
of 4 small seed-like nuts. Seeds solitary in each nut, without albumen. Embryo 
straight or slightly incurved (except in Scutellaria ) ; radicle short, inferior, 
cotyledons thick. — Herbs or shrubs, very rarely arborescent, the stem and 
branches usually 4-angled. Leaves always opposite or whorled, without stipules, 
toothed or more rarely entire or divided. Flowers in opposite cymes or rarely 
solitary, forming frequently (by the extreme shortness or abortion of the common 
peduncle and branches of each cyme, the pedicels alone being developed) clusters 
called false-whorls or vcrticillasters, consisting of 3, 5, or more pedicels on each 
side of the stem ; these false whorls either in the axils of the stem-leaves or more 
