Franheniaceai.] 
THE COLONY OE VICTORIA. 
81 
finely veined, 1-3 inclies long-, generally from 2-8 lines exceptionally 1| inch broad, entire, paler and opaque 
beneath. Cymes lateral and terminal solitary or several united into a panicle, sessile or pedunculate. 
Bracts very soon dropping, 3 lines or less long, linear- or lanceolate-subidate. Pedicels 11—8 lines long, as 
well as the calyx silver-silky or smooth. Bracteoles at the base of the pedicels, l. nceolate-suhulate, 1-11 
line long, ciliated, fugaceous. Flowers fragrant. Sepals variable in size, commonly about 2 lines long, in 
some instances, however, reduced to the length of 1 line, in other cases fully 3 lines long, always ciliated. 
Petals spathulate, most inconstant as regards their color, either greenish- or pale-yellow, or frequently yellow 
mixed with shades of purple, pink, green and violet, or prevailingly purplish and violet, spathulate, 6-10 
lines long, with the exception of the very apex glabrous, lined with three longitudinal veins; their claws 
broad-linear, soon separating, about as long as the lamina. Filaments setaceous, glabrous. Anthers yellow, 
cordate-ovate, about I line long, not recurved. Pollen-grains ellipsoid, bursting- longitudinally. Style 1 line 
or less long, glabrous or silky towards the base, jointed. Ovary silky or glabrous. Berry sessile, oblong- 
ovate, turgid, slightly quadrangular, glabrous or somewhat downy, 1-1 inch long, of sweetish taste, yet not 
without a slight aridity, seemingly harmless, from purplish hiding to a livid color. Seeds numerous, brown, 
imbedded in pulp, about 1 line long, slightly wrinkled, either considerably compressed or rather turgid, 
roundish or broad-ovate. The leaves of seedlings aTe generally deeply incised. 
If in comparing this plant with B. scandens the inflorescence is disregarded, it becomes difficult to 
distinguish some of their varieties from each other. In the disposition of the flowers and in most other- 
characters B. cymosa approaches B. eleg-ans; the sepals of that plant are, however, in proportion to the 
petals larger, the latter are smaller and more lanceolate, and the anthers revolute, not straight. 
In flower almost the whole year. 
Order FRANKENIACEAb 
. St. Hilaire, in Mem. Mus. ii. 122. 
Flowers symmetrical. Sepals 4-7, united into a furrowed tube, persistent. Petals 
free, alternate with the sepals, liypogynous, Iong-unguiculate, often appendicnlate, 
imbricate-twisted in praellorescence. Stamens 3-10, rarely numerous, free or cohe¬ 
rent. Anthers extrorse, two-celled, versatile, bursting lengthwise. Style 2-5-cleft, 
with stigmatose lobes or capitate stigmas. Ovules anatropal. Capsule one-celled, 
2-5-valved, many- or few-seeded. Placentae parietal. Embryo straight, erect, in the 
axis of the albumen. Radicle short, inferior. 
SufFruticose or herbaceous plants, scattered in a few species over Southern Eu¬ 
rope, Northern and Southern Africa, Middle Asia, temperate South-Western America, 
California and the greater part of Australia. Stems and branches articulated. Leaves 
opposite, verticillate or fasciculate, rarely alternate, without stipules, vaginate. Flowers 
generally sessile and pink. — Cand. Prodr. i. 349; Midi. Gen. 913; Lindl. Veg. 
Kiiigd. 340. 
Frankenise are amongst those orders of plants, represented in Australia, nearest 
allied to Yiolacese; otherwise their relationship is stiR closer with Fouquiraceae. 
Some of the characteristics of the order point to an affinity with Caryophylleae. Lucid 
remarks on their systematic relation are offered by Lindley. If the Indian genus 
L 
