Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia Part 35

Since the preceding observations were written, I have seen in Sir William Hooker's Herbarium, two specimens of a Clianthus, found by Mr. Bynoe, on the North-west coast of Australia, in the voyage of the Beagle. These specimens, I have no doubt, are identical with Dampier's plant, and they agree both in the form of leaves and in their sub.u.mbellate inflorescence with the plant of the Lachlan, Darling, and the Gawler Range. From the form of the half-ripe pods of one of these specimens, I am inclined to believe that this plant, at present referred to Clianthus will, when its ripe pods are known, prove to be sufficiently different from the original New Zealand species to form a distinct genus, to which, if such should be the case, the generic name Eremocharis may be given, as it is one of the greatest ornaments of the desert regions of the interior of Australia, as well as of the sterile islands of the North west coast.

CLIDANTHERA.

CHAR. GEN.--Calyx 5-fidus. Petala longitudine subaequalia. Stamina diadelpha: antheroe uniformes; loculis apice confluentibus, valvula contraria ab apice ad basin separanti dehiscentes! Ovarium monospermum.

Stylus subulatus. Stigma obtusum. Legumen ovatum, lenticulari-compressum, echinatum.

Herba, v. Suffrutex, glabra, glandulosa; ramulis angulatis. Folia c.u.m impari pinnata; foliolis oppositis, subtus glandulosis. Stipulae parvoe, basi petioli adnatoe. Flores spicati, parvi, albicantes.

OBS. Subgenus forsan Psoraleae, cui habitu simile, foliis calycibusque pariter glandulosis; diversum dehiscentia insolita antherarum!

6. CLIDANTHERA psoralioides.

LOC. Suffrutex bipedalis in paludosis. D. Sturt.

DESC. Herba, vel suffrutex, erecta, bipedalis, glabriuscula. Ramuli angulati. Folia c.u.m impari pinnata, 4-5-juga; foliola opposita, lanceolata, subtus glandulis crebris parvis manifestis, marginibus scabris. Spicae densae, multiflorae. Calyx 5-fidus, parum inaequalis, acutus, extus glandulis dense conspersus. Corolla: Vexillum lamina oblonga subconduplicata nec explanata, basi simplici absque auriculis; ungue abbreviato. Aloe vexillo paulo breviores, carinam aequantes, laminis oblongis, auriculo baseos brevi. Carinoe petala alis conformes.

Stamina diadelpha, simplex et novemfidum; antherae subrotundae v.

reniformes, valvula ventrali anthera dimidio minore subrotunda. Ovarium hispidum ovulo reniformi. Legumen basi calyce subemarcido cinctum, echinatum. s.e.m.e.n reniforme, absque strophiola; integumento duplici.

Embryo viridis; cotyledones obovatae, acc.u.mbentes.

OBS. This plant, which in some respects resembles certain species of Glycyrrhiza, appears to be not unfrequent in the southern interior. It was found in one of the early expeditions of Sir Thomas Mitch.e.l.l, and Mrs. (Capt.) Grey, observed it on the flats of the Murray.

7. SWAINSONA (grandiflora) suffruticosa p.u.b.escens, foliis 8-10-jugis inexpansis incano-tomentosis; foliolis oblongis obtusis retusisve: adultis semiglabratis: rachi subincana, racemo multifloro folium superante, bracteolis lanceato-linearibus acutis aequantibus tub.u.m calycis albo lanati quinque fidi: laciniis acutissimis longitudine fere tubi, vexillo bicalloso.

LOC. "Common on the rich alluvial flats of the Murray and Darling." D.

Sturt.

OBS. This plant is, perhaps, not specifically distinct from S. Greyana Lindl. Bot. Regist. 1846, tab. 66, of which the figure is a good representation of S. grandiflora in every respect, except in the form and proportions of the teeth of the calyx and lateral bracteae. In these points it exactly agrees with complete specimens, for which I am indebted to Mrs. Grey, from the banks of the Murray, and Mr. Eyre's station (Moorundi), about 98 miles from Adelaide, where it was first found in November, 1841. The following characters, if constant, will sufficiently distinguish it from S. grandiflora.

SWAINSONA (Greyana) suffruticosa p.u.b.escens, foliis 5-9-jugis inexpansis incano-tomentosis; foliolis oblongis obtusis retusisve: adultis semiglabratis: rachi subincana, racemis multifloris folio longioribus, bracteis lateralibus lanceato-linearibus brevioribus tubo calycis albo-lanati quinque-dentati: dentibus obtusiusculis tubo dimidio brevioribus, vexillo bicalloso.

In the second edition of Hortus Kewensis, (vol. 4. p. 326), I excluded from the generic character of Swainsona the calli of the vexillum, having observed two Australian species where they were wanting, but which in every other respect appeared to me referable to this genus; for the same reason I continue to introduce the calli, where they exist, into the specific characters, as was done in Hortus Kewensis, 1. c. In the generic character of Swainsona, given in De Candolle's Prodromus, (vol. 2. p.

271), the calli of vexillum are transferred to the calyx; this can only be regarded as an oversight, which perhaps has been corrected by the author himself, and which, so far as I know, has never been adopted in any more recent work in which the generic character of Swainsona is given.

8. SWAINSONA? (laxa) glabra, caule ramoso, foliis 6-7-jugis; foliolis oblongo-ovalibus obtusis, racemis elongatis laxis, pedicellis calyce glabro quinquedentato brevioribus, bracteolis subulatis, vexillo ecalloso.

LOC. Statio nulla indicata, in Herb. D. Sturt.

OBS. There is something in the aspect of this plant not entirely agreeing with the other species of the genus; and as the fruit is unknown, and the flowers yellow, I refer it with a doubt to Swainsona.

PENTADYNAMIS.

CHAR. GEN.--Calyx 5-fidus subaequalis. Vexillum explanatum, callo baseos laminae in unguem decurrenti. Carina obtusa, basin versus gibba, longitudine alarum. Stamina diadelpha; antheris 5 majoribus linearibus, reliquis ovatis. Ovarium polyspermum. Stylus e basi arcuata porrectus, postice barbatus. Legumen compressum.

Herba (Suffrutex sec. D. Sturt), bipedalis sericeo-incana; caule angulato erecto. Folia ternata; foliolis sessilibus, linearibus, obtusis. Flores racemosi, flavi.

9. PENTADYNAMIS incana.

LOC. "On sand-hills with Crotalaria Sturtii." D. Sturt.

DESC. Herba erecta, ramosa, sericeo-incana. Folia alterna, ternata; petiolo elongato, teretiusculo, foliolo terminali longiore vix unciali.

Racemi multiflori, erecti; pedicelli subaequantes calycem. Bracteolae subulatae, infra apicem pedicelli, basin calycis attingentes. Calyx 5-fidus; laciniis acutis tub.u.m aequantibus. Corolla flava, calyce plus duplo longior. Vexillum explanatum, basi absque auriculis sed callo in unguem decurrenti ibique barbato auctum. Carina infra medium gibba pro receptione baseos styli. Staminum antherae majores lineares, basi vel juxta basin affixae; 5 minores ovatae, inc.u.mbentes. Ovarium lineare, p.u.b.escens. Stigma terminale, obtusum. Legumen immaturum incanum, stylo e basi arcuata porrecto terminatum, calyce subemarcido subtensum.

OBS. In the collection of the plants of his last expedition, presented to the British Museum by Sir Thomas Mitch.e.l.l, there is a plant which seems to belong to the genus Pentadynamis, which is probably, therefore, one of the species of Vigna, described by Mr. Bentham.

10. Ca.s.sIA (Sturtii), tomentoso-incana, foliis 4-jugis foliolis lanceolato-linearibus planis: glandula depressa inter par infimum, racemo corymboso paucifloro c.u.m pedunculo suo folium paulo superante v.

aequante, calyce tomentoso.

LOC. "In sandy brushes of the Western interior." D. Sturt.

OBS. Species proxima C. artemisiaefoliae De Cand. Prodr. quae Ca.s.sia glaucescens Cunningh. MSS. 1817, cui foliola teretiuscula, et racemus corymbosus c.u.m pedunculo suo folio brevior.

11. Ca.s.sIA (ca.n.a.liculata), cinerascens p.u.b.e tenuissima, foliis 2-jugis (raro 1-jugis) foliolis angustato-linearibus ca.n.a.liculatis: glandula inter par inferius et dum unijuga inter terminale, calycibus glabriusculis, racemis corymbosis paucifloris folio brevioribus.

LOC. "In the bed of the creeks of the Barrier Range, about thirty-six miles from the Darling, in lat. 32 degrees S." D. Sturt.

OBS. Proxima C. eremophilae Cunningh. MSS. quae sequentibus notis a Ca.s.sia phyllodinea et C. zygophylla, Benth. facile distinguenda.

Ca.s.sIA (eremophila), glabra, foliis unijugis raro pa.s.sim bijugis; foliolis linearibus ca.n.a.liculatis lat.i.tudine racheos linearis aversae, corymbis paucifloris folio brevioribus.

LOC. In desertis prope fluvium Lachlan, anno 1817, detexit. D.

Cunningham.

Ca.s.sIA (zygophylla), glabra foliis unijugis; foliolis linearibus planis rachi duplo latioribus, corymbis paucifloris folio brevioribus.

Ca.s.sia zygophylla, Benth. in Mitch. trop. Austr. p. 288.

Another species nearly related to C. zygophylla is readily distinguished by the following character.

Ca.s.sIA (platypoda), glabra, foliis unijugis; foliolis linearibus apiculo recurvo duplo angustioribus rachi aversa lanceolato-lineari.

LOC. Juxta fluvium Murray, anno 1841, detexit Domina Grey.

12. Ca.s.sIA (phyllodinea), canescens p.u.b.e arctissime adpressa, phyllodiis aphyllis linearibus planis falcatis aversis, calycibus glabris, legumine plano-compresso.

LOC. In Herbario D. Sturt specimen exstat nulla stationis aut loci indicatione, sed eandem speciem ad fundum sinus Spencer's gulf dicti in sterilibus apricis anno 1802 legi.

DESC. Frutex quadripedalis, ramosissimus. Phyllodia semper aphylla, aversa, linearia, acuta, basi attenuata, plus minusve falcato-incurva, biuncialia, 1/16 circiter unciae lata, exstipulata, paginis p.u.b.e arctissime adpressa canescentibus, margine superiore glandula unica depressa obsoleta. Flores flavi, in umbella axillari 2-3 flora.

OBS. Ca.s.sia phyllodinea is one of the very few species of the genus, which, like the far greater part of New Holland Acaciae lose their compound leaves, and are reduced to the footstalk, or phyllodium, as it is then called, and which generally becomes foliaceous by vertical compression and dilatation. A manifest vertical compression takes place in this species of Ca.s.sia.

A second species, Ca.s.sia circinata of Benth. in Mitch. trop. Austr. p.

384, is equally reduced to its footstalk, but which is without manifest vertical compression. To this species may perhaps be referred Ca.s.sia linearis of Cunningham MS., discovered by him in 1817, but which appears to differ in having a single prominent gland about the middle of its phyllodium: Bentham's plant being entirely eglandular.

These two, or possibly three species, belong to the desert tracts of the South Australian interior. In the same regions we have another tribe of Ca.s.siae closely allied to the aphyllous species; they have only one pair of foliola which are caducous, and whose persistent footstalk is more or less vertically compressed. Along with these, and nearly related to them, are found several species of Ca.s.sia, having from two to four or five pairs of foliola which are narrow, but their footstalks are without vertical compression, and their foliola are caducous, chiefly in those, however, which have only two pairs.

PETALOSTYLIS.