Crucifer ce.] 
THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. 
37 
vet not auriculate. Radical leaves numerous, on long stalks, pinnatisected; their lateral segments in single or 
a few pairs, either very minute or attaining the length of h inch, often entire or repand, sometimes toothed, 
occasionally confluent. Terminal segment sometimes fully 1 inch long. Stem-leaves on longer or shorter 
stalks, consisting either of a few pinnately-disposed segments or a single lobe, entire or toothed and stalked 
or sessile. The leaves of the large alpine variety not unfrequently succulent and shining. Flowers in each 
raceme in most cases not very numerous, although occasionally so, sometimes very few, and rarely even but 
a single one produced. Pedicels when flower-bearing 1-3 lines long, when fruit-bearing 3-6 lines long, 
rarelv longer or shorter, by shortened inflorescence rarely corymbose or even fasciculate, or by division of the 
raceme paniculate. Sepals oblong, elliptical or ovate, in the general small-flowered variety about 1 line 
long, in the large flowered form 2 lines long, blunt, with narrow white membranous margin. Petals white, 
rarely in alpine regions pink or lilac, in the ordinary state of the plant rather small, oblong-obovate or oblong- 
cuneate, unguiculate, twice or thrice longer than the calyx, rarely in the large variety 4-5 times longer than 
the sepals. Stamens in all specimens from very numerous and dissite Australian localities 6 in number. 
Filaments filiform- or subulate-linear, white. Anthers cordate-ovate, line long. Silique erect or 
moderately spreading, J—1 inch long, |— f line broad, terminated by a style of 1 line or less rarely 2 lines 
length or by a sessile stigma. Replum somewhat variable in breadth. Valves with an exceedingly faint or 
an obliterated midnerve. Septem nerveless. Funicles very short, tooth-like or filiform. Seeds ovate or 
oblong-ovate, £-§ line, in the large variety 1 line long, as broad as the septum, therefore regularly uniseriate, 
rather opaque, distinctly compressed, with a very narrow edge, sometimes very indistinctly wrinkled. 
The preceding description of this widely-diffused and consequently polymorphous plant is drawn up 
entirely from Australian specimens ; many of them agree in every point with European plants of Cardamine 
parviflora, whilst others are not to be distinguished from those of Cardamine hirsute, unless by the number 
of stamens, whilst again other specimens seem to pass by gradations into Cardamine pratensis. Preference 
is given to the name C. parviflora, because it expresses well the ordinary variety, the larger-flowering ones 
being comparatively scarce, whilst the notes of hairiness and tetrandous flowers of C. hirsuta belong to the 
exceptions in Australian specimens. Cardamine pratensis is by many author! particularly distinguished from 
C. hirsuta and C. parviflora by a perennial root, a character which I hardly feel justified to admit for 
discrimination; for our European herbarium appears to demonstrate that the roots of Cardamine hirsuta 
and C. pratensis are only different from each other according to the proportionate sizes of the plants. The 
characters derived from the leaves of C. resedifolia are certainly also not offering a criterion, as may be 
proved by any extensive botanical collection, and a considerable number of congeners are either referable to 
this species, or are to be separated on other characters than those previously pointed out. To the synonymy 
of C. parviflora might have been greatly added on this occasion, but it may suffice to quote those supposed 
species of which illustrations are extant, or which have special reference to the Australian vegetation. To 
Dr. J. Hooker the credit is due of having first of all established this as a cosmopolitan species. 
Specimens from Hong Kong, collected by Dr. Hance, show tetradynamous stamens, and accord fully 
with some from Australia. C. resedifolia, £., seems merely an alpine state of this species. C. pratensis, 
according to Sir James Smith, is always provided with a tooth at the claw of the petals. The subject of the 
specific limitation of the Cardamines is yet open for further inquiry, and deserves careful attention, being 
replete with pliytogegraphical interest. C. depressa and C. stellata (J. Hook. FI. Antarctica, pp. 6, 7, t. iii. 
and iv.) may possibly be extreme forms of C. parviflora, the width of the replum, as may be observed in 
Australian specimens, being subject to considerable variation. 
Cardamine eustylis, F, M. in Transact . Victor. Inst. i. 114. 
Glabrous; leaves all pinnatisected and stalked; their lobes generally sessile, ovate, oblong or rhomboid, 
few-toothed; jloivers small , tetrandrous; petioles of stem-leaves auriculate at the base ) sepals longer than 
the petals , narrow-oblong, about as long as the stamens; anthers yellow, very minute ,* pedicels slightly 
