676 
LIII. LYTHRARIE^E. 
[. Lythrum . 
threes, sessile and stem-clasping, lanceolate, entire, 2 to 3in. long. Flowers 
reddish-purple or pink, 8 to 5 together, nearly sessile in the axils, forming hand- 
some terminal spikes, more or less leafy at the base, the upper floral leaves 
reduced to bracts scarcely longer or even shorter than the flowers. Calyx about 
8 lines long, with 6 (rarely 5) short triangular primary lobes or teeth, the sinuses 
produced into as many subulate erect outer lobes much longer than the primary 
ones. Stamens usually 12, 6 longer than the calyx and 6 shorter. Capsule 
oblong, rather hard, enclosed in the calyx, splitting septicidally into 2 carpels 
opening in their inner face. — Hook. f. FI. Tasm. i. 126. 
Hab.: Along watercourses, Brisbane River, Moreton Bay, Fitzalan, Leichhardt ; Darling 
Downs ; and many other localities. 
The species is common in northern and subtropical Asia, in Europe, and N. America. For 
curious details on the fertilisation of three different sexual forms, see Darwin in Journ. Linn. 
Soc. viii. 169. — Benth. 
2. L. hyssopifolium (Hyssop-leaved), Linn.-, DC. Prod. iii. 81 ; Benth. FI. 
Austr. iii. 299. A glabrous annual, rarely more than 6 or 8in. high, the stems 
slightly branched and decumbent at the base, or, in starved specimens, erect and 
simple. Leaves sessile, narrow, entire, scarcely Ain. long, the lower ones 
opposite, the upper ones alternate. Flowers small, solitary in the upper axils, 
sessile or nearly so. Calyx 1 to 2 lines long, very slender, the inner primary 
lobes or teeth very minute and membranous, the outer ones longer, erect, 
lanceolate-triangular and green. Petals 4 to 6, from rather shorter than the 
calyx-tube to rather longer. Stamens about as many as petals. Capsule included 
in the calyx, rather hard, opening septicidally at the top. — Hook. f. FI. Tasm. i. 
126; L. thymifolium, Linn.; DC. Prod. iii. 81. 
Hab.: Nut uncommon north and south. 
The species is found in most parts of the world, especially in maritime districts. 
4. NES./EA, Commers. 
(A sea-nymph.) 
Calyx campanulate or urceolate, persistent, with 4 to 8 lobes and as many 
cornua or at least callous points not acrescent. Petals obovate, as many as 
calyx-lobes and corrugated in bud, longer than the calyx except in some of the 
capitate species, coloured, usually caducous. Stamens usually twice as many as 
the calyx-lobes, occasionally the same number, or even three times the number, 
usually all or at least half of them exserted ; filaments filiform. Ovary sessile, 
ovoid ; included in the calyx-tube, 2 to 5-celled, many-ovuled ; style exserted ; 
stigma capitate. Capsule dehiscing by valves or by slits at the apex, included in 
the calyx, membranous ; placenta thick, usually lobed ; seeds numerous. — Herbs 
or scarcely undershrubs, growing in wet places, especially by river sides. Leaves 
opposite, or occasionally alternate and sometimes verticillate. Flowers axillary, 
in stalked cymes or capitate, sometimes dimorphous. Bracteoles on the pedicels, 
not at the base of the calyx. 
Besides Queensland, the species are found in America and Africa. 
1. N. Robertsii (after J. F. Roberts), F. v. M. Fracpn. vii. 145 ; Austr. 
Syst. Cens. of PI. A scabrous shrub, the branches at first quadrangular, soon 
nearly terete, cano-fulvescent. Leaves all opposite, lanceolate or oblong-oval, 
light-green, A to lin. long, 2 to 4 lines broad, sessile, slightly decurrent, entire ; 
apex somewhat acute, uninerved. Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered, 3 to 7 lines 
long, rigid, filiform. Bracteoles at base of calyx 2, appressed-ovate or renato- 
rhomboid. Calyx campanulate, almost nerveless ; tube 2 or 3 lines long ; teeth 
about 1 line long, and callously thickened between them into minute accessory 
teeth. Petals 6, ovate-orbicular, very thin, purple, 1^ to 2 lines diameter, 
