1362 
oxii. thymel^eaceie. 
1. PIMELEA, Banks and Solaud. 
(From pimele, fat ; alluding to the oily seeds.) 
(Thecanthes, Wikstr. ; Gymnococca, Fisch. et Meyer ; Heteroluena and Calyptrostegia, 
C. A. Mey ; Macrostegia, Turcz ) 
Perianth tubular, with a spreading or rarely erect 4-lobed limb, without scales 
but often slightly thickened or folded round the throat. Stamens 2, inserted in 
the throat opposite the 2 outer perianth-lobes. No hypogynous scales. Ovary 
1-celled, with 1 pendulous ovule. Style elongated, attached to one side of the 
ovary immediately below the apex. Fruit a small drupe, with a membranous 
or succulent epicarp, the endocarp nut-like, crustaceous, often hooked at the 
top. Seed pendulous with a membranous testa; albumen scanty or copious; 
cotyledons broad or narrow, rather thick, longer than the radicle. — Shrubs 
undershrubs or herbs. Leaves opposite or alternate. Inflorescence varied 
within the limits of the Order, but never umbellate. Perianth white pink or 
yellowish, often silky-villous. 
The genus is limited to Australasia. 
Several species of this genus have been considered poisonous to stock. 
Sect. 1. Thecanthes. — Involucral bracts united into a 4 -lobed cup. Perianth-tube 
glabrous, not circumsciss. — Glabrous annuals. 
Involucral lobes reaching to about the middle, with the midrib alone 
prominent. Filaments much shorter than the perianth-lobes. Flowers 
red I P. cornucopia. 
Involucral lobes reaching nearly to the base, several-nerved and longer 
than the flowers. Filaments much shorter than the perianth-lobes. 
Flowers red 2. P. sanguinea. 
Sect. 2. Calyptrostegia. — Flotcers hermaphrodite or in some specimens female by 
abortion. Perianth-tube after dowering ( except in P. leptostachya) circumsciss above the ovary, 
leaving the lower portion only persistent round the fruit. Anthers with a narrow connective, the 
cells very distinct and after they open placed back to back. 
Svbsect. 1. Calyptridium. — Flower-heads terminal, with 4-G broad persistent involucral 
bracts. — Shrubs, with opposite leaves. 
Leaves more or less concave, glabrous as icell as the stem. Cotyledons usually broad. 
Ferianth nearly glabrous at the base, hairy upwards. Hairs of the 
receptacle very long 3. P. glauca. 
Perianth hairy throughout. Hairs of the receptacle short. Leaves 
mostly oblong, obtuse. Bracts scarcely acuminate. Leaves with 1 or 
2 prominent marginal or submarginal veins underneath. Flower- 
heads erect. Involucral bracts with a prominent midrib 4. P. collina. 
Glabrous silky-hairy or tomentose. Leaves Jlat or with the margins more or less recurved. 
Cotyledons usually broad. 
Branches and leaves glabrous. 
Leaves narrow, under lin. long 5. P. linifolia. 
Leaves oblong or broad, above lin. long 0. P. lingustrina. 
Soissect 2. Choristaehys . — Flowers in clusters spikes or racemes, without involucres, 
or the bracts not broader than the leaves and very deciduous. Leaves jlat or with slightly 
recurved margins . — Eastern or tropical species. 
Leaves opposite. Flowers large, red, in a terminal dense spike . ... 7. P. hwmatostachya. 
Leaves mostly alternate, silky-villous. 
Leaves rather broad, l^-3in. long. Flowers shortly spicate. Perianth 
3-4 lines long 8. P. latifolia. 
Leaves linear. Perianth not 2 lines long. 
Fruiting spike shortly capitate 9. P. simplex. 
Fruiting spike long and interrupted. 
Perianth-hairs silky appressed 10. P. sericostachya. 
Perianth-hairs rigid and spreading 11. P. trichostaehya. 
Leaves alternate, glabrous or slightly silky. Fruiting spike long and 
interrupted. Perianth small, not circumsciss 12. P. leptostachya. 
