Pimelea.~\ 
CXII. THYMEL^EACEflE. 
13G5 
back. Fruiting base of the perianth not acuminate; epicarp membranous. 
Seed oblong ; albumen scanty ; cotyledons ovate-oblong, flat but rather thick. — 
It. Br. Prod. 359 ; Meissn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 497 ; Hook. f. FI. Tasm. i. 334 ; 
Bonpl. Jard. Malm. t. 31 ; Bot. Mag. t. 891 ; Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 1668 ; P. 
jilamentosa, Rudge in Trans. Linn. Soc. x. 287, t. 14 ; P. involucrata, Herb. 
Banks ; Passerina involucrata, Thumb. Cat. Mus. Nat. Acad. Ups. xiii. 106 ; 
Cali/ptrostcf/ia lini folia, C. A. Mey. in Bull. Acad. Petrop. iv. (1845) 74; P. 
paluilma, K. Br. Prod. 360, Meissn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 499 ; P. collina, A. Cunn. 
Herb, (partly) ; P. rigida, Meissn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 502 ; P. linoiden, A. Cunn. 
in Field, N. S. Wales, 326 ; Calyptroster/ia linoides, Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. part 2, 
61 ; P. Lindleyana, Meissn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 499 (partly). 
ITsib.: Brisbane Biver, Moreton Bay, A. Cunningham and many others; Itoekingham Bay, 
D illuchy. 
6. P. ligustrina (Ligustrum-like), Labill. PI. Nov. Holl. i. 9, t. 3 ; Benth. 
FI. Austr. vi. 18. An erect shrub, attaining in the ordinary form 5 or 6ft., 
glabrous except the inflorescence or the young shoots slightly silky-hairy. Leaves 
opposite, from ovate to oblong or elliptical, rather thin, 1-nerved and more or 
less distinctly penniveined, 1 to l^in. long or on luxuriant shoots twice that size. 
Flower heads rather large, globular ; involucral bracts in the typical form 4 or 
rarely 5 or 6, very broad, as long as the perianth-tubes, glabrous or nearly so. 
Flowers hermaphrodite or in some specimens female with shorter perianths, but 
in both cases apparently fertile. Perianth-tube fully 5 lines long in the her- 
maphrodite flowers, shorter in the females, in both more or less silky-hairy and 
cireumsciss above the ovary after flowering, the lobes about lines long. Fila- 
ments in the hermaphrodite flowers nearly as long as the lobes, the anthers 
oblong, with a narrow connective ; iii the females tbe anthers small empty on 
.short filaments and the style longer. Fruit acuminate, the beak longer in the 
hermaphrodite than in the female specimens. Epicarp membranous. Seed and 
embryo as in P. linifolia. — R. Br. Prod. 360 ; Meissn. in DC. Prod. xif. 505 ; 
Hook. f. FI. Tasm. i. 333 ; Cab/ptrostei/ia lir/ustrina, C. A. Mey. in Bull. Acad. 
fPetrop. iv. (1845) 74 ; P. data, F. v. M. First Gen. Rep. 17 ; Meissn. in Linntea, 
xxvi. 349, and in DC. Prod. xiv. 505. 
Hab.: Mount Mistake. 
7. P. haematostachya (spikes blood-red), V. v. M. Fragm. i. 84 ; Benth. 
. FI. Atwtr. vi. 22. An erect perennial of 1 to 2ft., perfectly glabrous except 
■the inflorescence, somewhat glaucous, not much branched. Leaves opposite, 
sessile or nearly so, oblong or lanceolate, obtuse, mostly 1 to 2in. long. 
Flower-heads pedunculate above the last stem-leaves, large and hirsute, at first 
globular, but soon lengthening into a dense spike of 2 to 4in. Involucral bracts 
4 to 8, very deciduous so as to be seen only on the very young head, linear to 
oval-oblong, membranous and hairy. Flowers of a blood-red colour, numerous 
and crowded. Perianth slightly silky-hairy, the slender tube above Ain. long, 
■cireumsciss above the ovary after flowering, the lobes about 2 lines long. Fila- 
ments at least as long as the lobes ; anthers oblong, with a narrow connective, 
the cells when open placed back to back. Fruit not succulent, the persistent 
base of the perianth very hairy, the epicarp membranous. Seeds with scanty 
albumen and broad cotyledons. 
Hab.: Burdekin Biver and Peak Downs, F. v. Mueller ; Dawson River, Leichhardt ; 
Rockingham and Edgecombe Bays, Daltachy ; Port Denison, Fitzalan ; Nerkool Creek amt 
Bowen Biver, Bowman) Suttor River, Sutherland; Rockhampton, O’ Shane sy, Thozet ; and 
many other inland localities. 
By some this species is considered the worst of the genus for poisoning sheep. It is, 
however, stated that if the ears of the sheep effected are slit soon after the poison has taken 
■effect the animal’s life may in most cases be saved. 
