peltata, the involucre of 4 or 5 bracts, the central female flowers sessile, the two lateral male ones on short pedicels articulate below the middle. Involucel of 2 distinct broad concave bracts enclosing the perianth-tube or ovary. Perianth-segments usually 8 in the males, 10 in the females, about 3 lines long, in 2 rows (one of the inner rows deficient in one flower examined). Stamens 4, the filaments slender, with 2 glands. Style slender, glabrous, with a broad crenate stigma. Involucel enclosing the fruit nearly 2 in. long, very broad, cordate at the base, much inflated, of an almost membranous texture when dry and reticulate, but drying black, divided nearly to the base into 2 valves. Fruit about 10-ribbed, with a very small terminal umbo. Seed as in H. peltata
Queensland. Brisbane river, Fraser; Wide Bay, Bidwill; Moreton Bay, Herb. F. Mueller.
Order CIV. PROTEACEÆ.
Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely partially unisexual. Perianth regular or irregular, deciduous, consisting of 4 segments valvately united in the bud, the claws forming a tube cylindrical or dilated towards the base, the laminæ short, forming a globular ovoid or rarely elongated limb; the segments at length separating either from the base upwards or revolute from the laminæ downwards, leaving a portion of the tube entire or open on one side, the laminæ sometimes cohering long after the segments have separated lower down. Stamens 4, opposite the perianth-segments and usually inserted on them, either with the filaments wholly adnate leaving the anthers sessile at the base of the laminæ, or the filaments shortly free below the laminæ, or very rarely the stamens, entirely free from the perianth; anthers various, all perfect or rarely partially abortive, most frequently with 2 parallel cells adnate to a connectivum continuous with the filament. Hypogynous or perigynous glands or scales in many genera 4, alternating with the stamens, but in some genera variously united or reduced in number or wholly deficient. Ovary 1-celled, sessile or stipitate, more or less excentrical, with a single terminal undivided style, variously shaped at the end, with a small terminal oblique or lateral stigma. Ovules either solitary, or 2 collaterally attached or slightly superposed, or several imbricate in 2 contiguous rows, either pendulous and orthotropous, or more frequently laterally attached and more or less amphitropous, rarely erect and anatropous, the micropyle always inferior and frequently prominent from the incomplete development of the primine. Fruit either an indehiscent nut or drupe, or a more or less dehiscent coriaceous or woody follicle, very rarely a completely 2-valved capsule; either 1-celled and 1-seeded, or when 2 seeds are ripened in a drupe sometimes really 2-celled from the growth of the endocarp between as well as round the seeds, or when 2 or more seeds ripen in a follicle, apparently 2- or more-celled by the consolidation of the external coating of the 2 adjoining seeds into a membranous or woody plate detaching itself from the remainder of the seed. Seeds without albumen, the testa usually
