Scleranthecc.} 
THE COLONY OE VICTORIA. 
215 
Densely tufted, perennial ; leaves linear-subulate; peduncles solitary , hearing at the summit a pair 
of flowers and four decussate semilanceolate-cymbiform braeteoles; lobes of the calyx 4, convergent or erect , 
shorter than the tube ; stamen 1 , about half as long* as the limb of the calyx; staminodia none. 
Abundant on the alpine and subalpine plateaus and valleys through all the chains of our snowy moun¬ 
tains, seldom, and only in the vicinity of the alps, descending to about 3000 feet, seen very rarely (for instance 
at the foot of the Nungatta Mountains) as low as 2000 feet; in the cooler climate of Tasmania descending 
from the higher ranges quite to the lowlands; found in the elevated regions of the Blue Mountains by Miss L. 
Atkinson, on Ben Lomond and Mount Mitchell in New England, and on the sources of the Clarence River 
by Dr. H. Beckler. Originally gathered by Banks and Solander and by R. and G. Eorster in New Zealand. 
A remarkable plant, forming dense moss-like patches of various sizes, often expanding into large cushion- 
like masses. Stems very numerous, procumbent, densely intricate, more or less branched, almost semicylindrical 
or nearly terete, slightly scabrous-downy or smooth, emitting rootlets from the lower nodes. Root in age 
woody, upwards ramified. Leaves opposite or by innovation fasciculate, usually between 2 and 8 lines long, 
concrete at the base into a very short vagina, slightly keeled, more or less spreading or recurved, somewhat 
scabrous at the edges or smooth, acute or short mucronulate, more or less channelled. Peduncles variable in 
length, sometimes very short and concealed between the leaves, sometimes extended to nearly one inch length, 
compressed-filiform or semicylindrical, glabrous or slightly scabrous at the edges, occasionally faintly thickened 
upwards. Braeteoles 4 at the summit of each peduncle, decussate; those of the outer pair cymbiform-con¬ 
nate and about J line long; those of the inner pair smaller. Flowers geminate, quite or almost sessile. 
Calyx ribless or indistinctly ribbed, smooth, about 1 line long, of rather thick somewhat pergamentaceous 
consistence, urceolate-ovate; the tube soon livid and turgid; the lobes 4 rarely 5 in number, semiovate or 
semilanceolate; the fruit-bearing calyx readily secedent. Filaments glabrous, linear-setaceous, J-J line long. 
Anthers yellow, about J line long, consisting of two ellipsoid cells, which dehisce at the margin. Pollen- 
grains egg-shaped, smooth, with longitudinal fissures. Styles line long, sometimes short exserted, 
capillary-setaceous, longitudinally stigmatose. Carpel broad- or globose-ovate, rostellate, pale, about J line 
long, except the apex membranous. Seed alike to those of all other Scleranthi perfectly filling the cavity, 
pale-yellowisli, smooth, apiculate, borne on a very narrow and tender funicular columella. Hilum infra¬ 
terminal. Embryo incompletely annular. Cotyledons about as long as the superior radicle. 
Sclerantlius mniaroides.—Mniarum singuliflorum, F. M. in Transact . Phil. Soc. of Victor . i. 13. 
Tufted, perennial; leaves linear-subulate; peduncles solitary , hearing at the summit a single flower and 
two orbicular-rhomboid incompletely confluent braeteoles; lobes of the calyx 5, convergent or erect , shorter 
than the tube; stamen 1 , about half as long as th§ limb of the calyx; staminodia none. 
In the glacier-regions of the Australian Alps, not descending to an elevation of less than 5000 feet. 
This species requires no detailed description, being, except in the notes pointed out, but very slightly 
different from S. biflorus. The stems are less closely tufted 5 the braeteoles, which are closely appressed, 
disunite to some extent by an interjacent sinus. The utricular carpel is lagenar-globose. 
Plate XII. 1, leaves and peduncles with and without fruit; 2, terminal portion of a leaf; 3, calyx 
during anthesis; 4, calyx past anthesis; 5, flower laid open; 6 , the same seen from above ; 7, fruit-bearing 
calyx; 8 , part of calyx with the stamen; 9 , stamen; 10 , pollen-grains; 11 , carpel, partially laid open; 12 , 
styles with part of calyx and fruit; 13, fruit, separated; 14, seed; 15, vertical section of the seed; 16, trans¬ 
verse section of a seed: all figures to various extent magnified . 
Sclerantlius diander, R. Br. Prodr . i. 412; J. Booh. FI. Tasm. i. 42. 
Perennial, erect or ascendent; leaves trigonous-subulate, mucronulate; flowers in sessile clusters, lobes 
of the calyx 5, as long as the tube or longer , acute ; stamens 2 , much shorter than the limb of the calyx; 
perigynous ring entire or slightly denticulated. 
