49 
short common peduncle." In contrast to this we find the flower-stalks of A. Spilleriann very long, and 
generally solitary. Still more marked is the position of the seeds in the pods of the respective species 
named. In A. brachybotrya they lie longitudinally iu the pod, while these of our subject take a somewhat 
more than half lateral position, as shown in fig. 7 of the Plate. 
I have figured the types of A. brachybotrya and A. Spilleriana and 
indubitable A. argyrophylla. As depicted on the same plate these typical forms 
look at first sight different enough to be distinct species, but let us examine the 
differences in detail. 
1. Phyllodes. Those of the type are " obliquely obovate or oblong," and about 
2 cm. long. See fig. A, Plate 200. All the forms come under this 
category except those of var. argyrophylla, which are bluntly lanceolate 
to obovate, and nearly twice as long, with a width of 1-3 cm. 
The silvery or golden appearance of the young foliage is not peculiar to 
argyrophylla, though it is seen in its best development in that form. I have 
observed it in all the forms. 
2. Pedicels. They are exceptionally long in A. Spilleriana, but sometimes 
nearly as long in that form sometimes called var. glaucophylla. 
3. Pods. The obliquity of the arrangement of the seeds in tbe pods is not 
constant, sometimes it is longitudinal. J. E. Brown thought this 
arrangement separated A. Spilleriana from A. brachybolrya. Tate, 
" Forest Flora of South Australia," followed him in this view, which is 
founded on imperfect information. 
Acacia dictyocarpa means an Acacia with a netted pod (Greek dictyon, a 
net). This form, in my view, is hardly to be distinguished from normal brachybotrya, 
and is in allusion to the netted appearance of the external veins of the valves ; 
similar veins are seen in the confluent state where the seed-impression is. See O, 
Plate 200. This roughness is seen in all forms of brachybotrya, so it is not a 
peculiarity of argyrophylla as might be supposed from the plate. 
4. Flowers. The greatest difference amongst the forms appears to be in the 
flowers. There are, of course, local differences in all the flowers, such as 
width of calyx, amount of hairiness of parts, &c. The flowers of A. 
brachybotrya and A. argyrophylla very closely resemble each other. The 
sepals of the latter (fig. P) would appear to be narrower than that of the 
normal form (fig. T), but perhaps this -difference is not constant. Those 
of A. Spilleriana are less hairy than those of other forms, so far as the 
material at my experience shows. At the same time the main species 
(brachybotrya} varies in the amount of hairiness in all its parts, and I 
have tried to state the case fairly while following Bentham and Mueller 
in looking upon argyrophylla, as a form of brachybolrya, and the latter in 
looking upon Spilleriana as a form also. 
