Page:Flora Australiensis Volume 3.djvu/152

 3 4.0 XLViii. MVRTACEiK. [Melaleuca. Leaves mostly opposite or neaily so, from broadly ovate-cordate to ovate-lan- ceolate, 5 or 7-uerved, rigid, aciite, ahnost piin2;pnt, mostly 3 to 4 liues and rarelv - in. long. Flowers yellowish-white, scssile in oblong or cylindrical spikcs of aboiit"l to 2 in., at first terminal, but the axis oftcn growing out before thc tiowcring is over, or the flowers from the first mncli below the ends of the branchcs, the floral-leaves or bracts sometimes almost like the stem- leaves, but usnally shortcr, broader and sometinies reduced to sniall coloured bracts. Calx-tube ovoid, above 1 line loug; lobes very short, herbaccous, obtuse, Pctals scarcely 1 line long. Stamens rarely above 3 lines long, very shortly unitcd in bundles of 8 to 1 2 or abnost free; authcrs obloug. Ovulcs uot vcry numcrous in each cell, ercct on a short 2-lobed phicenta. Fruiting- spikes rather dense, but not closelv corapact as in the CapitatfS. — DC. Prod. iii. 215; Labill. Pl. Nov. Holl. ii." 28. t. 169; Bot. Mag. t. 1935; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. 129; Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 1130; M. myrtifoUa, Vent. Jard. Mahu. t. 47. N. S. Wales. Port Jacksoa to the Blue Mountains, Franer, R. Cunningham, and oIIhts; Ulawarra, SJieplierd. Victoria. JNlarshus of the Yarra, F. Maeller; nioist hcaths on the Glenelg, Robertson; riirtl:nul, J/litf. Tasmania. Port Dah-ymple, R. Brown; abundant in moist sandy soil, /. Z). Hooker. S. Australia. Katigaioo Island, R. Brown; towards Rivoli Bay, F. Mueller. . M. eleutherostachya, F. MupU. Jmgm.. iii. 117. A tall bushy shrub with virgatc branchcs, glabrous excc])t the inflorescence. Leaves oppo- site, linear or lanccohxte, mo.stly erect and recurvcd, acuminate with a sliort recurved point, fllit or concave, nerveless or 3-nerved, o  in. long. Flowcrs (wliite?) in obloug or cylindrical spikes of about 1 iu., not very dense, lateral aud sessile or shortly pedmiculate on Ihe okl wood, the axis very rarely growiug out into a lcafy branch, the rhachis woolly, Calyx-tube nearly glabrous, canipanulate, |- to f line long; lobes as long as the tube, or- bicular and much imbricate, rigid and striate, with a narrow scarious minutely ciliate bordcr. Pctals about 1 line diameter, not striate. Staminal bundles about 5 liucs long, the claws narrow, nuudi longcr than the pctals, each with 15 or more filamcuts at thc end. Ovulcs rathcr numerous, erect on a short ph)ceuta; stigma not dilated. Fruiting-spikc dense, rarcly above 1 in, long; calyxcs ncarly globular, l^ to 2 lines diameter, crowned by the per- sistcut inllcxcd lobes. Cotyledons broad, concave or slightly foldcd. W. AuBtralia. Murchison rivei, Ohlfield; Sharks' Bay, Mihie. Var. alietina. Morc rigid. Leaves spreading, short, very rigid, decussatc ou the youngcr branches. — lirnmmotid bili Coll. n. 160, /. S. Roe. . M. linariifolia, Sm. in Trons. Linn. Soc. iii. 278, and Exot. Bot. t. 56. A tall trcc, with slcnder branches, the young shoots and inflorescence us lally pubescent, the adidt foliage glabrous and often glaucous. Leaves mostly opposite, linear or linear-lanceolate, concave or keeled, rigid, acute, f to . long. Flowers in distinct pairs, in rather dense spikes of 1 to  in., at first tcrminal or in the upper axils, the axis soon growing out into a leafy branch, thc rhnchis and calyxcs more or less pubescent, Calyx-tul)e ovoid-globular, 1 to lines long; lobes shorter, broad, obtuse, with scarious or petal-like margins. Petals about twice as long as the calyx-lobes. Sta-