LI. MYRTACEiE. 
581 
Homalocalyx .] 
connective. Ovary very short and broad in the base of the calyx-tube, with 2 
ovules erect on a short basal placenta . — Thryptomene polyandra, F. v. M. Fragm. 
iv. 77. 
Hab.: Without locality, Leichhardt. 
The specimens are not good, most of the flowers injured or deformed by insects, but the best 
appear to have the calyx-lobes, petals, and stamens very deciduous, as in H. ericaus, leaving a 
truncate fruiting-calyx concealed within the persistent bracteoles. — Bentli. 
6. THRYPTOMENE, Endl. 
(Derivation obscure.) 
(Paryphanthe, Schau.; Astrsea, Schau.; Eremopyxis, Baill.) 
Calyx-tube hemispherical turbinate, ovoid or shortly cylindrical, adnate to the 
top or the free part broader ; lobes 5, persistent (unless the free part of the calyx 
falls off), petal-like or scarious, spreading, entire. Petals 5, persistent, usually 
connivent over the stamens. Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, or 10, often 
inserted within the margin of the disk ; filaments short ; anther-cells globular or 
obovoid, separately inserted on the connective and usually pendulous, either 
smooth and opening by pores or furrowed and opening by pores or short slits in the 
furrow. Ovary inferior, 1 -celled, the cavity usually small near the top of the 
calyx-tube, with 2 or rarely 4 ovules on a short basal placenta either excentrical 
or adhering to one side of the cavity, or rarely the cavity occupies the greater 
part of the tube, with several ovules in 2 rows on a lateral placenta. Style short, 
glabrous, with a small capitate stigma. Fruit, where known, formed by the 
hardened but scarcely enlarged base of the calyx crowned by the persistent calyx- 
lobes and petals ; endocarp cartilaginous or hardened, usually globular, indehis- 
cent or separating into 2 cocci open on the inner face, containing either 1 globular 
or 2 hemispherical or slightly reniform seeds ; testa very thin ; embryo folded, 
the radicular end very thick, the other fold much shorter, narrow with ovate coty- 
ledons.— Heath-like glabrous shrubs. Leaves opposite, small, entire. Flowers 
axillary, solitary, or rarely 2 or 3 in the same axil, small, nearly sessile or 
pedicellate. Bracteoles 2 under the calyx, scarious or green in the centre, usually 
small and in many species so deciduous as to be rarely found on the specimens. 
The genus is limited to Australia. With the habit of Backea, it has most of the characteristics 
of the Chamcclauciea, with peculiar anthers. The hardened endocarp appears also to be charac- 
teristic, but perfect fruits have only been seen in a very few species, and very frequently the 
seeds are abortive, although enlarged and converted into a hard granular apparently homogeneous 
mass. In some species, where the cavity of the ovary is very small and quite at the summit of 
the calyx-tube, the ovules, although really arising from the base of the cavity, appear as they 
enlarge into the lower part of the tube to be pendulous, but when examined at the time of 
flowering I have never found them to be really pendulous as in Micromyrtus. — Bentli. 
1. T. oligandra (flowers few), F. v. M. Fraym. i. 11 ; Bentli. FI. Anstr. iii. 
63. Arborescent, with numerous slender rigid branchlets. Leaves spreading, 
broadly ovate or obovate, flat with the midrib and often the primary veins 
conspicuous underneath, very obtuse, 2 to 3 lines long. Flowers almost sessile, 
solitary or 2 or 3 together in each axil along the branchlets. Bracteoles orbicular, 
small. Calyx-tube turbinate, prominently 10-ribbed ; lobes petal-like, spreading 
to about 2 lines diameter. Petals rather shorter than the calyx-lobes, connivent. 
Stamens 5, opposite the sepals ; anther-cells violet, globular, distinct, furrowed, 
opening in short slits ; connective-gland prominent. Ovules 2, on a lateral 
almost basal placenta in a small cavity near the top of the calyx-tube. 
Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, If . Brown ; Endeavour River, Banks and Solander, 
A. Cunningham ; sandstone tableland on the Suttor, F. v. Mueller ; Lizard Island, M'Gillivray. 
Var. parviflora, F. v. M. Leaves linear-oblong or cuneate, erect or spreading at the top, 
obtuse or mucronulate, 1 to 2 lines long, concave above, convex underneath, without any 
prominent midrib. Flowers very small, nearly sessile and solitary in the upper axils. Bracteoles 
