236 
Racemes, 7-11 inches long (I have seen them 18 inches long. J.H.M.) ; their racliis somewhat silky, 
Pedicels, 1-2 lines long. Petals (generally regarded as sepals) soon reflexed, outside slightly silky, 
about half an inch long. Style not really longer, though soon exsertcd, only towards the base as well as 
the ovary velvet-downy. Fruit measuring about 1 inch in length. 
Then follows this supplementary information by Mueller, taken from the 
Melbourne Chemist and Druggist for April, 1883 : 
NOTES ON A NEW PROTEACEOU8 TREE. 
Quite recently I received, through the zealous circunispectness of Charles Fawcett, Esq., F.L.S., 
while that gentleman was acting as resident magistrate on the Tweed, from forest country on the 
Ixiundary line of New South Wales and Queensland, branchlets of a tree, which proved the existence 
there of an hitherto unrecorded genus or subgenus of Proteaceso. Although this order is a very large one 
in Australia, coming next as regards the number of its species to Leguminosie and Myrtacea 1 , and surpassing 
even Composite, it contains only a very limited number of arboreous members, so that any additions to the 
trees of this ordinal group is of unusual interest. Moreover, Mr. Fawcett sends this species as a second 
"nut-tree," the only other nut-bearing Australian plant of the order known to us being Macadamia 
ternifolia roonotypic in a genus singular for its thick, very hard, and perfectly free endocarp, thus far reminding 
of some species of Santalum. The material at first received was fairly complete for elucidation, with the 
exception of the fruit, which at the time of the discovery of the tree was found only in remnants of the 
exocarp, belonging to last year's growth. From specimens thus obtained the genus Hicksbeachia was 
establishe'l in the February number of Wing's Southern Science Record of the present year, in which 
publication the species also was defined already as H. pinnatifolia. Since then Mr. Fawcett 's further 
searches were rewarded in getting perfect fruits ; of these, the needful account for completing the generic 
diagnosis is offered now. 
Hicksbeachia. Fruit-rachis undivided, attaiuing a length of 13 inches, sometimes two or three 
arising from the same point. Fruit spherical, remarkably variable in size, thus measuring fiom two thirds to 
1J inches in length and width, not or but very slightly compressor], a little oblique, at the base and summit 
i:ii pressed, and there remaining somewhat down} 1 , outside bright orange-coloured, along the anterior side 
furrowed by a narrow impression ; stalklets and style retained for a long time ; only one in each pair of 
stalklets ripening a fruit. Pericarp slighty succulent, insipid, forming all around an almost equal layer 
of from one-quarter to one-third of an inch thickness ; emlocarp bony, livid, much thinner than the 
spreadingly fibrous pale mesocarp and firmly adnate to it. Seed in all the fruits hitherto examined 
solitary, well developed only in good-sized fruits, measuring about half an inch, ovate-globular, filling 
completely the cavity, affixed near the summit, faintly raised on the anterior side by a narrow prominence.. 
T'-sta membranous, veined, brownish, suddenly in the lower portion of the seed evanescent. Embryo 
whitish, somewhat hard, even when fresh ; cotyledons equal except at the faintly flexuous summit ; radicle 
semiovate, basal, extremely short, not protruding beyond the cotyledons. 
To the brief descriptive account of Ilickibeachia, issued already, might be added, that the leaflets 
arc of almost equal green on both sides, though rather more shining above, and of tcner alternating than 
opposite, and that the leaf-stalks are about 2 inches long. Maximum height, bark and wood of the tree 
as yet unknown. In the first notice of this new acquisition to Proteaceic it was already stated, thnt 
perhaps the plant might l>e considered a species of the South American genus Enplassn, under the name 
of /,'. Ilickileichii : access to the ripe fruit now confirms to some extent this view, as very possibly also 
in our plant occasionally both ovules may develop into perfect seeds. In Euplassa, however, the flowers 
arc not quite symmetrical, the stigma is not perfectly erect, and the seeds seem always much compressed- 
On geographic considerations, no objection could be taken to extending Enplassa as a genus to Australia, 
because the occurrence of Lomalia,Embothrium,tad Orite,n,i well in South America as in East Australia, 
was shown by II. Brown, Bentham, and myself respectively. The kernels of JlicMeachia are edible, but 
like those of the South African J}rabejwn might need roasting for any extensive table use. Its grand 
evergreen filiage, and bright fruits will, anyhow, render this new tree very acceptable to our ornamental 
shrubberies and to n.nservatories in eoimtrics with a colder clime, while now to the few links of singular 
connection between the Australian and South American flora a new one is added by the discovery of this 
ivmarkabV pmteaccous plant. 
