Tremandrece. J 
THE COLONY OP VICTORIA. 
181 
blance is also manifest between certain species of Tetratkeca and the Saxifrageons 
genus Bauera, one species of which, Bauera sessiliflora, having also the stamens usually 
double to the number of the petals, the anthers imperfectly dehiscent and geminate 
pendulous ovules, whilst the disposition of the leaves in Platytheca and some Tetra- 
tkecse is identical with that of Bauera. The similarity to some Boronke is also 
evident. The genus Platytheca seems to comprise but a solitary species, nor can 
there be much doubt, that the two hitherto distinguished Tremandrae are to be com¬ 
bined. 
TETRATHECA. 
Smith , Specim. of the Bot. of New Holland , i. t. 2. 
Sepals 4-5, much shorter than the corolla. Petals 4-5, during prseflorescence clasping around 
pair of stamens. Stamens 8-10, geminate in front of the petals, nearly equal, uniseriate. Anthers 
continuous with the filaments , 2-celled or biseriate 4-celled, confluent into a terminal cylinder. 
Ovary two-celled. Ovules in each cell 1; or 2 of which one above the other ; or rarely 3 of which 
the two upper collateral. Style straight or above the base tortuose, formed by the concrescence of two. 
Stigma minute. Capsule chartaceous, compressed, bivalved. Seeds ellipsoid. Chalaza extended into 
a fungous spiral or contorted or uncinate appendage, remotest from the hilum. 
Slender shrubby or suffruticose plants, scattered over extratropical Australia, ascending to the 
Alps, more frequent towards the south-eastern and south-western extremities of the Continent, one 
species only occurring from the Murray River to the Great Bight, none towards Central Australia. 
Branches terete or angular, rarely leafy-compressed and then minutely leaved or provided with minute 
scattered bracteole-like scales. Leaves short-stalked or sessile, alternate, scattered or verticillate, rarely 
some opposite, sometimes wanting. Pedicels filiform or capillary, minutely bibracteolate at the base. 
Calyx already in bud considerably shorter than the corolla. Filaments very short. Anthers usually 
purplish-black, suddenly or gradually contracted into a long or short tubular rostrum. Style setaceous 
or capillary, rather short. Capsule small, usually obovate or roundish.— Endl. Gen. 1077 ; Steetz, die 
Familie der Tremandreen , 30. 
Tetratheca stands in habit nearer to Platytheca than to Tremandra. The former differs, as 
pointed out by Dr. Steetz, in a long calyx, in stamens which are not by pairs surrounded by the 
petals whilst in bud, but are unequal and disposed in two rows, by four uniseriate anther-cells, and by 
the absence of the chalazal appendage. Tremandra differs essentially in habit, in anthers articulated 
with the filaments and not contracted into a distinct tubular rostrum, and possibly in fruit. 
Tetratheca ciliata, Lindl. in Mitch. East Austr . ii. 206 3 Hook. Icon. Plant. 268; Schuchh. 
Synops. Tremandr. 32; J. Hooh. FI. Tasm. i. 34. 
Branches terete; leaves scattered or ternate- or quaternate-verticillate, obovate - or orbicular-rhomboid, 
rarely some narrow-lanceolate, flat or at the margin slightly recurved; sepals soon refiexed, almost rhomboid, 
as well as the petals usually 4 ; stamens usually 8 ; anthers smooth, four-celled, black-purple, tapering into 
a compressed short filament and into a short tubular apex; cells of the ovary generally biovulate; capsule 
orbicular or obovate-orbicular. 
Frequent in many parts of the Colony of Victoria in heath ground and in barren forest-ridges; 
extending into the south-eastern regions of the Colony of South Australia and to the northern parts of 
Tasmania, seemingly neither reaching East Australia nor ascending to the Alps. 
