Magnoliacece .] 
THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. 
19 
On sand-ridges, heath-ground, dry barren plains, and stony and hills, throughout this colony; common 
in the southern and south-eastern portion of South Australia, as far west as Spencer’s Gulf, also in Tasmania. 
A dwarf, sometimes diminutive shrub, occasionally a few feet high. Leaves 2 lines to 1 inch long, J-l \ 
line broad, often by strong marginal inflexion assuming a terete form, generally crowded, either erect or more 
or less spreading, the floral ones often membranous at the base, forming a kind of involucre. Bracts ciliate, 
in one variety conspicuous, 1J-2J lines long, passing gradually into the form of sepals, in another variety 
diminutive. Flowers of disagreeable scent. Sepals 2-4 lines long. Petals measuring 3-5 lines. Filaments 
hardly or not much longer than the anthers; the latter i-§ line long, opening by marginal not distinctly 
introrse dehiscence from the summit to about the middle, or at last to the base, often remarkably broad 
towards the apex. Pollen-grains ellipsoid, very blunt on both extremities, with a longitudinal fissure. Styles 
about § line long. Carpels free, 1-1J line long. Seeds ovate or nearly globose, brown, §-l line long. 
Arillus generally of more than half the length of the seeds. 
There exist three forms of this species; the first a prostrate and smooth one, with polyandrous flowers, 
which represents the typical H. angustifolia, and occurs in Tasmania and Gipps Land; the second is of 
more robust and generally erect growth, produces broader leaves and broad scarious bracts to each flower, 
thus representing the II. virgata, which seems restricted to the northern part of Tasmania, and to the western 
and north-western portion of Victoria, being known in Gipps Land only on the sand-ridges near the La Trobe 
River, but occurs abundantly westward as far as Spencer’s Gulf. The third variety, characterized by short 
and narrow leaves and minute narrow bracts, exhibits the normal H. fasciculata, which frequents Australia 
felLx and Tasmania, but occurs hardly in South Australia. These varieties have at first sight the appearance 
of well-marked species, yet the analysis demonstrates no valid characters which would render their specific 
separation possible. Dr. Hooker combines (in FI. Tasm. i. p. 13) with H. angustifolia, as synonym, the 
H. obtusifolia, Can cl. A series of numerous specimens from localities between Botany Bay and the Dawson 
River proves, however, that plant, as already suspected by De Candolle, to be a variety of H. linearis, JR. Br., 
which may be distinguished by leaves more or less recurved at their margin, whilst in H. angustifolia a 
tendency is manifest of turning the margin of its leaves inward. The H. canescens mentioned in Sir Th. 
Mitchell’s Tropical Australia, p. 339, and probably also Sieber’s plant of that name, are identical with 
H. linearis. Our collection contains no seeds of the normal Hibbertia angustifolia, but except in proportionate 
length those of H. virgata and fasciculata frilly accord with Dr. Hooker’s description of the former. Labil- 
lardiere’s account of them originated probably from immature specimens. 
This plant is in flower during the spring* and summer. 
Order MAGNOLIACEJ3. 
Juss. Gen, 280. 
Mowers hermaphrodite, rarely polygamous or dioecious. Sepals 2-6, almost 
always deciduous, rarely wanting. Petals 2 or several, sometimes numerous, imbri¬ 
cate in aestivation, rarely missing. Stamens hypogynous, free, indefinite in number. 
Anthers introrse or extrorse, two-celled; cells bursting lengthwise, partially or wholly 
adnate. Ovaries arranged upon a torus either in a cone or in a whorl, rarely solitary, 
one-celled, with one or more anatropal ovules. Style short or wanting. Stigma 
simple. Carpels distinct or partially connate. Seeds solitary or several, attached to 
the inner edge of the carpels, with or without an arillus. Embryo minute, at the 
base of a fleslry solid albumen. 
* 
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