Cabombece.] 
THE COLONY OE VICTORIA. 
11 
appendages turn inward, either horizontally towards the centre of the plant, or assume a more or less erect 
position, or are perfectly accumhent to the lamina, frequently lying across each other, sometimes almost 
equal in length to the lamina, whilst in other specimens they are more or less shorter, or become even, in 
rare instances, perfectly obliterated. The structure of the appendages is quite leafy; their form varies from 
a dimidiate-hastate one to that of a dimidiate-cordate or semi-sagittate. Peduncles furrowed, hut little or 
hardly protruding beyond the vaginae of the leaves. Flowers | to nearly 1 inch in diameter, only seen in a 
nearly decayed state, but evidently white, and certainly not merely bleached in age. Stamens unknown. 
Carpels compressed, rhombeo-deltoid, about 1J line long, terminated by a comparatively straight style of half 
or less than half their length, arranged in a single circle on the torus. Seeds ellipsoid-ovate, affixed to the 
ventral side of the carpel, some distance from the sutural margin. 
This species differs from Caltha Novae Zelandiae, which, as the author of the Flor. of New Zealand justly 
observes (v. i. p. 12, t. vi.), is almost intermediate between the Fuegian C. sagittata and C. appendiculata, 
in white, not yellow, flowers, in generally longer appendages of the leaves and a straighter style. Yet since 
Dr. Hooker saw the New Zealand species only in a dried state, it is very possible that his description of the 
flowers, as regards their color, requires alteration, and that the Australian and New Zealand species may 
prove identical, since moreover they are accompanied on some localities by other alpine species common to 
both countries; viz., Veronica tetragona, Drosera Arcturi, Pentachondra pumila, &c. 
The tendency of this singular plant and its allies to turn the lower lobes or appendages of its leaves 
upwards in so singular a manner, is an admirable provision of nature by which the whole leaf of the plant 
is preserved against the current of icy water into which the lower part of the plant is immersed, and which 
would annihilate the healthy function of the former. Whilst the direct contact of the water with the leaves 
would destroy them, the lower and exposed part of the plant is protected by the slimy envelope which the 
decay of the old leaf-stalks forms around them. 
It flowers, notwithstanding the high elevation of its localities, already early in the spring.— Conf, 
F. M. in Hooli. Kem Miscell. vii. p. 234. 
Besides those mentioned in the preceding pages no other clearly limited species of this order seems to 
exist in any part of Australia hitherto botanically examined. 
Order, CABOMBEiE. 
Rich. Anal. Fr. 68; Hydropeltideas, Schleid. in Wiegm. Archiv. v. 230. 
Sepals 2-4, distinct, hypogynous, persistent, imbricate in prseflorescence, petaloid 
or inside colored. Petals persistent, 2-4, alternate with the sepals, hypogynous, free, 
with imbricate sestivation. Stamens free, definite or indefinite, hypogynous, alternate 
with and opposite to the petals. Anthers extrorse (in Cabomba), introrse (in Brasenia), 
bursting lengthwise. Torus inconspicuous. Pistils 2-18, free, verticillate. Ovules 
orthotropous, pendulous, 2-3, affixed along the ventral suture. Carpels indehiscent, 
1-2- rarely 3-seeded. Arillus wanting. Seeds ovate or globose. Embryo minute, 
external, at the base of an abundant albumen, inclosed in a vitellus. Eadicle pointing 
from the hilum. 
Perennial aquatic herbs. Petioles not distinctly vaginate. Stipules wanting. 
Eloating leaves centrally peltate, undivided or with a single sinus; submersed leaves, 
when present, dissected into numerous hair-like segments, at least partially opposite 
B 2 
