Pisonia.] 
XCVIII. NYCTAGINE^E. 
1215 
3. P. Brunoniana (after Dr. R. Brown), Endl. Prod. FI. Norf. 43, but not 
of Chois. ; Benth. FI. Austr. v. 280. A tree attaining sometimes a great height, 
quite glabrous or the inflorescence minutely pubescent, but never so much so as in 
P. incnnis. Leaves mostly opposite, the upper ones sometimes irregularly 
alternate or approximate so as to appear verticillate, petiolate, from broadly ovate 
to obovate elliptical or almost oblong, obtuse, contracted or rarely rounded at the 
base, often 8in. long or even more but sometimes not half that size, somewhat 
coriaceous when old. Flowers mostly hermaphrodite, although the ovary in some 
individuals and stamens in others may be imperfect or less perfect, all shortly 
pedicellate in small cymes collected into terminal leafless panicles. Perianth when 
fully out usually about 3 lines long, funnel-shaped, the tube distinctly contracted 
above the ovary when that is perfect, scarcely so when it is more or less abortive, 
expanded and obscurely lobed at the top. Stamens usually shortly exserted. 
Fruiting perianth narrow and above lin. long, more or less 5-angled, glabrous 
and smooth or the angles slightly papillose or tubercular, contracted upwards into 
a narrow neck crowned by the withered border of the perianth. — Hook. f. Handb. 
N. Zeal. FI. 229 ; P. Sinclairii, Hook. f. FI. N. Zeal. i. 209, t. 50 ; P. Mooriana, 
F. v. M. Fragm. i. 20. 
Hab.: Rockingham Bay, Dallaclnj, and many other tropical localities. The species is also in 
Norfolk Islands and New Zealand. 
Wood soft and light, also of light colour. — Bailey’s Cat. Ql. JFoods, No. 304. 
Order XCIX. ILLECEBRACEjE. 
Sepals 4 to 5, persistent, closing over the fruit. Petals minute or none. 
Stamens hypogynous or perigynous ; filaments short ; anthers didymous. Ovary 
free, 1-celled, style 2 to 3-fid, stigmas decurrent ; ovule 1, erect or pendulous 
from a basal funicle. Utricle enclosed in the perianth. Seed globose lenticular 
or reniform, testa smooth, albumen floury ; embryo straight curved or annular. 
— Herbs, usually small and tufted. Leaves opposite or alternate. Stipules 
scarious. Flowers cymose, minute. 
Plants inhabiting warm dry regions. 
Tribe I. Pollichiese. — Flowers all similar, bracts scarious involucrate atthcbase. Ovary 
1 to 4-ovulate. Embryo dorsal, straight or slightly curved, radicle inferior. 
Perianth segments to to 3 unguiculate, corky, gibbose thick on the back . . . 1 . Dysphania. 
Tribe II. Scleranthece. — Flowers all similar. Ovary 1 to 2-ovulate. Embryo annular. 
Leaves opposite, connate at the base. Stipules none. 
Perianth 4 to 5 -fid. Stamens perigynous. Ovary 1-ovulate 2. Scleranthus. 
1. DYSPHANIA, R. Br. 
(Referring to the minute flowers). 
Flowers polygamous. Perianth of 1 to 3 minute segments, which when in fruit 
are clavate, concave or hood-shaped, white and almost transparent. Stamens 1 
to 3. Ovary ovoid; styles 1 or 2, very finely filiform. Fruit ovoid, the pericarp 
inseparable from the seed. Seed erect, testa crustaceous with a very thin mem- 
branous inner integument. Embryo circular enclosing a mealy albumen ; 
radicle inferior. — Small annuals. Leaves alternate, flat, entire. Flowers minute, 
in clusters either all axillary or in terminal spikes, the females numerous, the 
hermaphrodite ones few in each cluster. 
The genus is limited to Australia. It is nearly allied to the section Orthosporum of 
Chenopodium, but readily distinguished by the remarkable perianth. 
Fruiting perianth of 3 (rarely 2) segments falling off with the fruit. Style 1. 
Plant of 1 to 3in. 
Flower-clusters closely contiguous but axillary, forming a leafy spike . 1. D. littoralis. 
Fruiting perianth usually of a single segment. Styles 2. Plant of 3 to 
6in. Flower clusters all axillary and distinct 2. D. myriocephala. 
