288 
On the Conferee of Tasmania. 
especially in its ovate, generally larger, but very variable cones, 
and the harder, narrower, and unwinged seeds. 
2. Athrotaxis, Lon. 
Mr. Don’s excellent description of this genus is published in 
the 18th volume of the Linncean Society's Transactions; the 
character is not, however, complete, owing to the absence of 
perfect specimens. The embryo, which was wanting, I have found 
to be enclosed in a rather thin coat of albumen; it is stout and 
cylindrical, occupying nearly the whole length of the seed, and 
furnished with two cotyledons, which Mr. Don rightly presumed 
it would possess. The A. laxifolia, Hook., is the only other 
known species, A. tetrayona proving, on examination of its fruit, 
to belong to a different and new genus, Microcachrys (nobis). 
The pollen of Athrotaxis is, like that of Callitris, formed of 
transparent spheres, generally, if not invariably, depressed, with a 
central, more opaque nucleus; in the young plant it is larger, 
much more depressed, and hence discoid. 
1. A. selaginoides, Don, in Linn. Trans, v. 18, p. 172, t. 14; 
Hook. leones Plant, t. 574. 
Hab. Tasmania, Falls of the Meander River, Gunn. n. 368. 
The seeds represented in the “ leones Plantarum" probably 
belong to the following species, in this that organ is nearly orbi¬ 
cular, deeply notched at the apex and base, the wings broad and 
membranous. 
2v A. cupressoides, Don, l. c. p. 173, t. 13 ,fiy. 2; Hook. l.c. t.559 
Hab. Tasmania, Pine River, Lake St. Clair, Gunn. n. 365. 
The seed of this species is smaller than that of the last, broadly 
ovate, or somewhat deltoid, with thick spongy wings, formed of 
two membranes, inclosing the seed in their centre; the latter is 
also smaller than, but quite similar to, that of A. selaginoides. 
The only native living specimen of this tree, which I have seen 
was in the bed of the Pine River, down the course of which it 
had been washed, and, grounding, had formed the nucleus of a 
small island; it was about 15 feet long, and though prostrate, 
quite alive, having shot up several erect branches, to the height 
of 8 or 10 feet, covered with a lively green foliage, and bearing 
