NUYTSIA Volume 3 Number 2 1980 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERBARIUM— DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Lit i. J- fciJBI Cover A representation of Nuytsia flonbimda (Labill.) R.Br. ex Fenzl — the Western Australian Christmas Tree. The journal is named after the plant, which in turn commemorates Pieter Nuijts, an ambassador of the Dutch East India Company, who in 1627 accompanied the “Guide Zeepard” on one of the first explorations along the south coast of Australia. ISSN 0085-4417 NUYTSIA VOLUME 3 NUMBER 2 1980 (1 >—96592 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERBARIUM, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SOUTH PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA CONTENTS Five new taxa of Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae) from Western Australia. By G. Beni 157 A new species of Eucalyptus from the margins of salt lakes in Western Australia. By S. G. M. and D. J. Carr 173 A new species and a new combination in Darwinia (Myrtaceae) from Western Aus- tralia. By N. G. Marchant and G. .1. Keighery 179 Thryptomene and Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) in Central Australia — new species and notes. By J. W. Green 183 A new species of Urocarpus (Rutaceae) from Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 21 1 Reinstatement of the genus Kippistia F. Muell. (Asteraceae, Astereae). By N. S. Lander and R. Barry 215 A review of the genus Minuria DC. (Asteraceae, Astereae). By N. S. Lander and R. Barry 221 Publication date of Volume 3 Number 1 237 Editor A. S. George Western Australian Herbarium, George St., South Perth, Western Australia 6151. Nuytsia Vol, 3 (2) 1980 157 Five new taxa of Ptilotiis (Amaranthaceae) from Western Australia By G. BenB Abstract Beni, G. Five new taxa of Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae) from Western Australia. Nuytsia 3, 2: 157-172 (1980). Three species and two varieties arc described as new, viz P. marduguru sp. nov.. P. aphyllus sp. nov., P. sripitatnx sp. nov., P. divavicalus var. nibescens var. nov., P. drununondii var. idongatus var. nov. Their relationships are discussed. The new species are illustrated by analytical drawings of the flowers: photos of all type specimens are provided. In addition a key to the P. dnimniondii complex is given. 1. Ptilotus marduguru Beni sp. nov. (Figures 1 to 3) Diagnosis: Planta perennis robusta ex fissuris rupis oriens, caulibus ramosis ad 70cm altis per totam longi- tudinem foliatis. Folia carnosa ad 12 cm et ultra longa. tomento albo-lanuginoso permanente vestita, pilis ut in caulibus ramisque crispis. Spicae amplae solitariae, elongati-cylindraccae ad 30 cm longae et 2 cm diametro, caules ramosque terminantes (Fig. lA). Bractea bracleolaeque chartaceae, acuminatae, persistentes. Tepala straminca cum areola mediana viridula, venosi-nervosa, extus dense pilosa, interiora intus lana barbata indula. 5 stamina fertilia, Hlamenta indurescentia albe,scentia; cupula anulo libero. Gynoecium glaberrimum breviter stipilatum; stylo centrali tenui. Species nova ad P. rottindifoliiim (F. Muell.) F. Muell. appropinquans, sed ob staturam coloremque spicarum, ob structurani androccci unica. Perennial herb to 70 cm tall and 50 cm across, several upright branches forming open bushes (Figure I B). Shoots, foliage and outer floral organs woolly-pubescent throughout. Bract and bracteoles chartaceous, acuminate, persistent. Tepals straw-yellow with a greenish centre and obscurely anastomosing veins, externally densely hairy; the inner ones woolly inside. Stamens all fertile: the filaments becoming hard and white (Figure 3A); staminal cup with a free ring. Pistil glabrous, shortly stipitate; style central, slender. The greenish-white spikes up to about 30 x 2 cm and the different androecium render the new plant quite distinct from P. rotuudifoUus to which it bears some resemblance. Type: Godfreys Tank, Southesk Tablelands, 20 I5'S, 126 34'E, W.Aust.; coll. A. S. George 15451, 29 April 1979 (holotype: PERTH; isotypes; AD, CANB, K, M, MEL, NT, PERTH). Description: Rootstock woody, producing several radical leaves and an erect rigid central shoot (Figure 2B), the latter dividing near base into arcuate-ascending main branches. Main branches usually simple, 15-40 cm long, 3-4-5 mm thick, leafy, rarely with one or two side branches to 10 cm long (Figure 2A), each terminating in a pedunculate spike. Shoots brownish-green, striate with ribs concealed by a continuous white tomentum of curled, jointed interwoven hairs ca 2-5 mm long. Leaves up to 40 or more (Figure 2B), lamina often undulate or obscurely crenate, apex obtuse, shortly mucronate with a dark pungent mucro ca 2 mm long, base attenuate into a slightly winged petiole or | decurrent; indumentum flannel-textured on both Botanische Staatssammiung MQnchen, W. Germany. 158 Nuytsia Vol. 5 (2) 1980 surfaces, the hairs regularly curled, loosely appressed, venation evident below, pale grey (Figure 2B). Radical leaves crowded, spathulate, up to about 8 cm long and 3 cm wide, petiolate, soon withering without becoming glabrous, finally brown and recurved. Lower cauline leaves crowded, upper 2-5 cm apart, patent to erect-spreading, hoary when young, later pale green; lower ones spathulate, long-petioled, up to 12 cm or more long (a slightly winged decurrent petiole of ca 4 cm included), to 6 cm w'ide, upper ones gradually smaller (to 1-5x1 cm), broadly subspathulate to ovate or elliptical. Flower spikes candle-like, dense, greenish-white to creamy-green, narrow-cylindrical, 5 to 30 cm long, I • 8 to 2 - 2 cm wide, conical at the apex before fully grown, erect or slightly curved at times, lower perianths deciduous as spikes elongate. Rachis brown, densely vvhite-tomentose, the crisped hairlets mixed with substraight, obscurely septate ones of ca 2-5 mm long, passing into pubescence of pedicels and bracts. Pedicels 0-6-0-8 x 0-4-0-5 mm, jointed above bracteoles, less crowded towards the base of the spike, lowest up to 5 mm apart. Bracts and bracteoles scarious, very inconspicuous in flowering stage but visible after falling of perianth, pubcrulous on back with straight nodose hairs r-8-2-2 mm long, slightly keeled, acuminate; unequal. Bract narrowly ovate, (4-0-) 4-3-5-0 (-5-5) x (1-0-) I -3-1 -6 (-1-8) mm. subentire, a brownish median area with three, five or more basal stripes (Figure 3B), only the central one reaching apex, densely villous throughout except usually at apex. Bracteoles subcordate, concave. (3-7-) 4-2-4-5 (-4-8) x (2-1-) 2-5-2-8 (-3-0) mm, appressed to perianth, transparent, shining, entire. 0-8 I -2 mm long (Figure 3C); hirsute along midrib with hairs hardly reaching apex and finally evanescent. Perianth rigid, erect, later subcampanulately diverging, 9 mm long, the base constricted and connected to a short hardened cup scarcely 0-8 mm high, pubescent outside with bristle-likc weakly septate hairs I mm long, Tepals pale straw-coloured with a light green median areole, later fading, 3-nerved inside (Figure 3D), only the midnerve reaching apex; outside hirsute throughout except glabrous apex with fine erect to spreading hairs, the lower ones indistinctly septate, the upper longer ones short-jointed. Two outer tepals lanceolate-oblong, broadest at or below middle, (7-4-) 7- 7-8 -3 (-9-0) mm long, up to (I -2-) I -4 (-1 8) mm wide, faintly keeled in lower half, glabrous within; margins dilated upwards, then more or less abruptly contracted (Figure 3D) ca 0-8 mm below the mucronatc or serrulate apex. Inner tepals lanceolate-linear. (6-7-) 7- 1-7-8 (-8-5) mm long. (0-8-) 1-0 (-1-2) mm broad, apex more or less acuminate, glabrous, ca 0-6-0 -8 mm long, mostly obscured by hairs inserted below, margins hardly inrolled; woolly inside, with noliose hairs 4-5 mm long, mostly along low'er margins (usually the outer of the three segments sparsely w-oolly on one side only) at and up to 2-5 nim above the edge of the perianth cup. Stamens 5. all perfect. Filaments (2-8-) 3-6-4 3 mm long, dilated to 0-7 (-0-9) mm at base, tapering upwards, diaphanous and flat when very young, soon becoming thick, hard, opaquely and chalky white except for apical and basal parts (Figure 3E), later con- trasting with the black fruit (Figure 3A); upper halves sometimes breaking off, the lower portions persisting for some time, united with acute to broad sinuses in a membranous staminal cup I -0 I -4 mm high, browmish. attached to perianth cup at base, with a free ring (0-5-0-7 mm) irregularly pubescent outside with crisped nodose hairs I -5-2 mm long; pseudostaminodial lobes absent. Anthers oblong ellipsoid, to 0-9 x 0-4 mm. Pistil glabrous. Ovary subclavate 2-2-3 x l-O-l-l mm including the 0-6-0-8 mm long stipe, becoming sub-globose (ca 2-4 x 2-0 mm) when mature. Style central, straight or slightly bent in upper part (Figure 3A), slender almost to base, 3 -2-3 -8 mm long'by 0-06-0-08 mm wide in middle, ca 0-12 mm at base. Stigma inconspicuous. Specimens examined: Western Australia: Godfreys Tank, Southesk Tablelands, 20 i5'S, 1 26 34'E A S George 1545I (typus), 29 April I979 (AO, CANB. K, M, MEL, NT, PERTH). Ci. Beni, rive new Btilotus 159 Figure I. Ptilotus mardiigiirii Beni, Photographs showing the habitat of George 15451 in the Southesk Tablelands, Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia. A- -Young plant growing from rock fissure. B - On softer slopes the plants form large clumps, (phot. .A. S. George). 160 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Figure 2. Ptihliis mardugimi Beni. A^holotype specimen (PERTH). B— An isotype (PERTH) with the crowded foliage of a young plant (phot. K. LiedI). G. Beni, Five new Ptilotus 161 The above description is based on eleven specimens of the type material comprising complete young plants of 25 cm and 30 cm tall (Figure 2B), as well as parts of main stems and main branches up to 55 cm long including the spike. Distrihiilion and ecology: Mr. A. S. George reported the plant as ‘common on rocky slopes of sandstone gorge'. ‘Like P. royceanus the species grows only on steep rock faces'. There is no other collection of this interesting novelty. Discussion: There is a number of Piilotus species remarkable for their candle-like in- tforescences, i.e. P. exaitutus Nees var. exaltalus (largest spikes recorded 30 x 5 cm), P. nobilis (Lindley cx Mitch.) F. Muell. var. nohilis (22 x 5 cm), P. nutcrocephalus (R.Br.) Poiret (27 x 6 cm), P. polvstaclivus (Gaud.) F. Muell. emend. Beni var. polvstachyus (25 X 1-5-4 cm), P. pullenii Beni (29 x 2-3 cm), P. mmiulifolius (F. Muell.) F.' Muell. (20 x 4 cm). The closest relative to the new species is P. rotinulifoliiis. yet in this species the soft and thick leaves arc nearly orbicular (up to 7 x 6 cm) and shortly petiolate, never spathulate (up to 12 x 6 cm) as in P. nianlnguru, which is readily recognizable even in vegetative condition. The purple-pink to rose-pink spikes of P. rotiiiuUfolhis are some- times divided basally into one or two (rarely more) lateral subsessile inllorescences, and the bracts are considerably shorter than the bracteoles. Moreover in P. rotundifolius, which appears to be confined to the north-west of Western Australia, the perianth is up to 20 mm long, compared to 9 mm for P. inardiigiirii, including a tube of 2 mm, 0-8 mm for P. inardu- gtirii, and there is no trace of hardened, incrusted lilaments. Consequently the specific status of the new Piilotus is beyond any doubt although a close relationship to P. rotiindi- folius must be assumed. Name: The specific epithet refers to the aboriginal name for the plant ‘marduguru mardu- guru', which means ‘down’ in the sense of fine short hairs as on the feathers of young birds (A. S. George, personal communication, 20 June 1979). 2 Ptilotus aphyllus Beni sp. nov. (Figures 4 and 5) Diagnosis: Herba perennis frulescens ad I m alia, eaulibus tenuibus sti'ictis glabcrrimis niultiramosis; juvenilis int'erne paueitblia, ecterum visa aphylla, foliis superne ad squanuilas minutas reductis. Cupula staminalis cum lobulis bssis ut in P. dnimnioiuiii (Moq.) F. Muell. et P. sclisianzii F. Muell. ex Tate; species nova adulta aulem ramis pseudodichotomis aphyllis et .structura innorescenliarum diversa manifesle recedit. Much-branched perennial to 1 m tall, bearing leaflets only when young. Stems slender, glabrous, pseudodichotomously branched, each terminating in a spike (Figure 4). Bract and bracteoles unequal. Perianth rigid, outer tepals not entirely glabrous inside, inner tepals with internal beard-like wool. Stamens all fertile; .stamina! cup with con- spicuous intervening fringed lobes reminiscent of P. drumniondii and P. sclnvartzii w'hich, however, differ markedly from the new taxon in other characters. Type: 46 mis N. of (New) Mundiwindi, W. Aust., A. S. George 3609, 5 March 1962 (holo- type: PERTH). Description: Shrubby, slender branched herb up to I m tall, spreading to more than 45 cm across. Young flowering plants ca 20 cm high (type specimen) arising from an erect woody stock 3 mm diameter. Stems greyish-green, striate to ribbed, pruinose between ribs. In larger plants the ‘stems leafless . . . rush-like' (R. D. Royce in sched.); branchlets stiff, ascending to divaricate, up to 15 cm long. Leaves obovatc to linear, 6-13 x I -5-2 mm, tapered at both ends, shortly mucronate, subsessile, decurrent, with a few tiny (up to 0-7 mm long) crisped scabrous hairlets in the axils; replaced in upper portions of stems by minute, more or less appressed scales I to 4 cm apart, up to 2 mm long, bearing some tiny hairlets inside. Spikes terminal, varying in shape and size, 7-16 mm wide, depressed hemispheric and 4-8-flowered, or elongate (up to 22 mm) with up to 15 flowers. Rachis densely woolly with crisped, weakly septate hairs about 2 mm long, obscuring the pedicels of ca I mm long and distinctly Jointed above bracteoles. 162 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 5 mm Figures. Pti/otus mardiiguru Ben], A — Expanded flower, outer face, D — Outer tepal, inner view, E — Androecium.” inner view, B — Bract, inner face, C — Bracteole, (Drawn by A. Bdhm from holotype). G. Beni, Five new Plllolus 163 Bract anti bracteoles scarious, entire, concave, acute, more or less keeled by a finally reddish-brown midrib, persistent, unequal. Bract ovate-lanceolate, 3-2-4 x 2-2-2 mm, tapering to a point about 0-3 mm long, initially densely pubescent all over (Figure 5A) with fine dorsal hairlets obscurely articulate, more or less straight, ca 1 mm long; midrib becoming crest-like towards apex. Larger bracteoles with colourless, thin, membranous, translucent, lustrous margins, broadly ovate to subcordate-orbicular, 3-8-5 x 2 -5-3 -3 mm, closely appressed to perianth, the evident midrib excurrent in a short arista of ca 0-4 mm (Figure 5B); in young flowers hirsute especially along a yellowish-tinged midrib, at length glabrous all over and golden like the bract. Perianth feathery, rigid, at first erect, afterwards divergent, not exceeding 8-2 mm long, thickened towards indurated base, concave below due to sunken attachment of pedicel; forming with lowest dark-coloured parts of segments a turbinate tube ca 0-7 mm long densely enveloped by a long-haired dorsal vestiture. Tepals purple when fresh, fading to pink and pale orange, finally straw-coloured (the red tinge kept longest at margins and apex), narrowly elliptical to lanceolate-linear, internally opaque almost throughout and conspicuously 3-nerved in lower half, the scarious margins of varying width obvious in young flowers; apices of tepal glabrous, not or slightly exceeding the copious dorsal vestiture consisting of long (up to 5-6 mm), stiffly erect trichomes covering the back, and of shorter (ca 0-6-1 -5 mm), more or less patent hairs chiefly at the margins, all simple, obscurely septate. Outer tepals 6- 7-8-2 x 1 -5-1 -8 mm, widest in middle, obtuse and minutely serrate, margins scarcely or weakly inrollcd; glabrous within except for sparse more or less straight hairs (to 2 mm long, nodose) marking pilose upper edge of tube (Figure 5C). Inner tepals slightly shorter, 6-2-7-6 x 0-8-1 -2 mm. widest below middle, distinctly acute, margins infolded; inside strongly beard-like, woolly (Figure 5D), the curly entangled hairs up to 4 mm long and obscurely nodose, borne above the tube ca 3 mm along both margins (occasionally on one side only), as well as on inner surface (edge of tube). Stamens all perfect. Filaments slightly flattened. 2-3-4-8 mm long, 0-15-0-2 mm broad in middle, subulate above, scarcely widened below, fused with rounded sinuses into a turbinate cupule more or less firmly adnate to perianth base, a narrow free ring with conspicuous ligulate interstaminal lobes, 0-9-1 -8 mm long, ca 0-35 mm broad, regularly or unequally fringed (Figure 5E); more or less straight hairs (ca 3-5 mm long) developed mostly on edge of perianth tube, some also on outer face of low- staminal ring. Anthers ellipsoid 0-8-0 -9 x 0-5 mm. Ovary (Figure 5F) at first subclavate-stipitate, ca 2-6 mm long (the stipe of 0-8 mm included) and I -2-1 -4 mm wide, more or less pilose at apex (hairlets to 0-4 mm long) or completely glabrous, later subglobose. Style central, straight. 2 - 7 mm long, ca 0 - 1 2 mm across, hardly dilated to ca 0-2 mm at its very base. Stigma somewhat conspicuous to 0-2 mm diameter. Specimens examined: Western Australia: 73 -6 km N. of (New) Mundiwindi, 'in red sand on burnt spinifex plain', A. S. George 3609 (typiis), 5 Marcli 1962 (PERTH); 754 mile peg N. from Mundiwindi, ‘leafless shrub’, F. Lnilfin & A. R. Fairall L 2675. 16 Oct 1963 (PERTH); 29 km N. of Sandy Creek, ‘in red sandy soil along No. I Rabbit Proof Fence', R. D. Royee 1673, 15 May 1947 (PERTH). Distribution: The collections have been ntade in a comparatively small area along the western edge of the Little Sandy Desert. Discussion: Superficially the new taxon bears some resemblance to P. schnartzii in its common f. schwartzii which has pruinose stems often pseudodichotomously divided. Flowever, in the latter plant the branches bear linear to acicular leaves mostly up to the apices. The subglobose spikes consist of ca 20 or more flowers softer and smaller in all parts. Further manifest floral differences of P. schwartzii are; bract and bractecles sub- equal, dorsal pubescence of tepals finer, shorter and still more homogenous, outer perianth segments entirely glabrous within, staminal cup flatter, etc. 10 cm 164 Nuylsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 In contrast to the spreading F. uphyllus with its regular pseudodichotoinous branching, the infraspecific taxa of P. dnnnmondii are characterized by stems leafy almost throughout (var. dnimmomlii, var. scaposiis, var. eloiigaliis) or with leaves more or less reduced upwards in var. minor, the latter being distinguished by its dense-flowered, creamy-white, sub- globose spikes terminating the often broom-like stems. Pt'lojxsriphylliis Beni. Holotype sheet. Coll. A. S. George No. 3609, 5 March 1962, 73-6 km N. of (New) Mundiwindi, Western Australia. PERTH, (phot. K. Liedl). STATE HERBARIUM WESTERN AUSTRALIS G. Beni, Five new Ptilotus 165 Figure 5. Ptilorim aphyllii.s Beni. A — Bract, inner face, B — Bracteole, outer face, C — Outer tepal, inner view, D — Inner tepal, inner view, E— Androecium, opened. F — Gynoecium. (iJrawn by A. Bohm from holotype). The new taxon i,s quite dissimilar in general habit to P. scinvartzii and P. drunmwiulii but the flower morphology suggests a close relationship with both species. Together with P. beckeranus (F. Muell.) F. Meull.. P. caloslachyiis (F. Miiell.) F. Muell., P. dementii (Farmar) Beni, P. fraseri (A. Cunn. ex Moq.) F. Muell., P. garcineri Beni, P. helipteroides (F. Muell.) F. Muell. these species form a series with tongue-like, ciliate or fringed pseudo- staminodia. Yet, ‘as a sectional character . . . the presence or absence of teeth is valueless as it brings together species totally dissimilar in other respects' (L. Farmar, Bull. Flerb. Boiss. 5: 1086; 1905). 3. Ptilotus stipitatus Beni sp. nov. (Figures 6 and 7) Diagnosis: Fruticulus caulibus (curvati-)erectis ramosis, 20-30 cm et ultra longis, glabris. per lotam longi- tudinem modicc foliatis. pluristachyis (Fig. 6). Spicae pedunculati-erectae, prime hemisphaericae demum oblongae. Bractea longiUidine aristae notabilis (Fig. 7B). Perianthium purpureum dense pilosum, basi indurata tubum cylindraccum longuni extus hirsutum formans; pili pubescentiae dorsalis apices truncates tepalorum paulo superantes; tepala interiora pilis crispis marginalibus, plus minusve copiosis, introflexis munita. Stamina in floribus examinatis 2 fertilia, 3 minora abortiva; filamenta late taeniata (Fig. 7E). Ovarium apice biserialiter pilosiusculum, longe stipitatum. A Piilnlo kenneallyano Beni imprimis ob habitum et pubescentiam deficientem, ab aliis speciebus fruticLilosis praeterea structura florum distinctus. 166 Nuytsla Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Erectly branched subshrub up to 30 cm or more tall, almost glabrous in the vegetative parts when mature, moderately leafy throughout; stems becoming rigid; floriferous branches and branchlets (peduncles) forming loose corymb-like panicles (Figure 6). Spikes initially semiglobose later elongated. Bract aristate (Figure 7B). Perianth purple, enveloped in plumose hairs, long-tubular in basal portion, surrounded by short hairs; dorsal vestiture of tepals more or less exceeding the truncate apices; inner tepals inside with crisped mar- ginal hairs. Two stamens fertile; filaments and staminodes broadly ribbon-like in lower half, fused into a high cupula (Figure 7E). Pistil on long stipe, slightly pilose in two rows toward apex of ovary. Sharply separated from P. kenneallyainis Beni by a different habit and the lack of pubescence, and from other frutescent members of the genus in many floral features. Type; 5 miles N. of Jigalong Depot, W. Aust.; coll. R. D. Royce 1592, 13 May 1947 (holo- type; PERTH). Description: Small to medium-sized shrub, branched almost to base, stems and branches spreading, up to 3 mm thick, more or less pruinose when young, practically glabrous, with small tufts of more or less straight denticulate-nodose hairlets only in older leaf axils bearing young shoots. Feaves alternate, 1 to 2 cm apart along stems, branches, and branchlets, erect-spread- ing, thickly-coriaceous, soon glabrous, mostly narrow-lanceolate, up to ca 25 mm long and 4 mm wide at or above middle, with pointed pale mucro of ca 0-8 mm. tapering to an undefined petiole; midrib sunken above. Spikes solitary, terminal (Figure 6), appearing greyish-purple, sub-hemispheric when young, 1-2-1 -8 x 2-2-2 cm, elongating to 2-7 cm long, with about 40 loosely ar- ranged flowers. Rachis villous with tufted straight or geniculate patent hairs (Figure 7A) ca 1-5 mm loiig, mostly dendroid at base, sharply verticillate upwards and subdenticulate near apices; pedicels 0-7 mm long, villous. Floral bract and bracteoles well-developed, scarious; midrib keel-like. Bract brown- ish semirigid ovate-lanceolate, 6-3-7 x 2-7-3-2 mm. aristate (Figure 7B), gradually tapering into a setaceous awn up to 2-7 mm long, rather fragile; at first hirsute all over the surface. Bracteoles light amber, shortly acuminate, (4-5-') 4-8 (-5-3) x 3 -3-3 -8 mm, broadly subovate with membranaceous hyaline shining wings, concave, appressed to perianth, more or less abruptly acuminate, the rigid point (0^5-) 0-8 (-1-2) mm lone; midrib villous, hairs exceeding apex (Figure 1C), evanescent with age. Perianth purple but with a dense, fine plumose dorsal indumentum, thickened at base to a cylindrical tube 1-7 to 2-3 mm long w'ith hairs obscurely denticulate-nodose, up to 1-5 mm long, intermingled with obviously dendroid to verticillate ones. Tepals sublanceolate-linear, unequally marginate, 3-ribbed. the median vein engraved in a ridge-like keel above tube, the fainter lateral ones somewhat raised externally near the narrow thinner margins; outside unevenly pubescent all over, chiefly with copious patent denticulate-nodose or subverticillate trichomes, the hairs longer towards base up to 8 mm (Figure 7D); also with underlying hairlets up to 0-8 mm Iona, dendroid at their base, especially visible near margins (not shown in Figure 7D). Outer tepals about 9-5-11 mm long, ca 1-0 mm broad near the middle, glabrous inside throughout. Inner tepals about 9-10-3 mm long, ca 0-8 mm broad in middle, woolly in.side above the tube mainly near the margins or on one margin only, the hairs incurved, crispy, more or less entangled, to 3 mm long, indistinctly nodose. Stamens 5, only two adjacent ones consistently fertile in the flowers examined. Free filaments 4 -8-5 -8 mm long, subulate, gradually widened downwards to ca 0-5-0 -7 mm (Figure 7E); staminodes of varying length. 2-2-4- 5 mm long, 0-4-0-6 mm wide the longer ones bearing a minute button-like rudimentary anther. Filaments of stamens and G. Beni, Five new Ptilotus 167 staminodes united with acute sinuses in a cupule up to 2-7 mm tall, strongly adnate to perianth tube, with a narrow, somewhat oblique free ring ca 0-3-0 -4 mm high, almost glabrous; occasionally some small fascicles of curved hairs (ca 5 mm long) between fil- aments, rising chiefly outside at edge of perianth tube; pseudostaminodes absent. Anthers (oblong-)ellipsoid ca 0-8 x 0-4 mm. Figure 6. Prilotus stipitaliis Beni. Holotype sheet. Coll. R. O. Royce No. 1592, 13 May 1947, 8 km N, of Jigalong Depot, Western Australia. PERTH, (phot. K. Liedl). 168 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Figure 7. Pti/olus stipitatus Beni. A— Hairs of rachis, B— Bract, outer face, C— Bracteole outer face p— Outer tepal, outer view, hairs partly removed above the tube, E— Androecium spread ’open outer face, F — Gynoecium, (Drawn by A. Bbhm from holotype). G. Beni, Five new Ptiloliis 169 Pistil remarkably long-stipitate (Figure 7F). Ovary clavate 3-0-4-7 mm long in- cluding stipe of 1-7 to 3-0 mm, 0-8-1 -3 mm wide, very sparsely pilose towards apex on opposite sides, with rigid subverticillate bairlets rarely up to 0-8 mm long. Style eccentric, more or less filiform, 2 -7-3 -4 mm long, ca 0-07 mm diam. in middle and 0-13 mm at tbe thickened base. Stigma level with the anthers, inconspicuous, often dark red. Specimens examinee/: Western Australia: 8 km N. of .ligalong Depot, 'in sandy soil among Triodia and Acacia along No. I Rabbit Proof Fence". /?. D. Royce 1592 (typus), 13 May 1947 (PERTH); ca 64 km S. of Mt Archie ( 32 km N. of NMK-21), 'in sandhills", M. de Graa/AS 200, 30 .Ian, 1969— (PERTH). The very scanty material of de Graaf's collection has not been fully respected in tbe above description. In this the apices of the outer tepals are more mucronate than serrate and not exceeded by dorsal vestiture; the inner tepals are acute by more infolded margins, de Graaf's plant may represent a distinct infraspecific taxon, but clarification must await further gatherings. Discussion: Basally widely dilated filaments as well as constantly two fertile stamens also occur in P. urislatiis Beni. P. cliippciulalci Beni, and P. kcnnccillyanus, only the last species being shrubby. The others are herbaceous with numerous tufted more or less rod-like shoots {P. arislalus) or with prostrate stems from a rosette (P. chippciulalei). The very bushy P. kenneal/yaiiiis, how'cver, has a well-developed though evane.scent pubescence on stems and foliage, subrhombic to spathulate leaves, copious axillary and terminal flower heads which are more compact, bracts w'ith markedly shorter awns, a difTerent kind of perianth indumentum, a pistil with decidedly shorter stipe and style, etc. The new species is clearly distinct from this, presumably its closest relative. 4. Ptilotus divaricatus (Gaud.) F, Muell. var. rubescens Beni, var. nov. (Figure 8) Differ! a varietatc typicu spicis rubcsccntibus, primo eonoideis demum ovoideis vel subglobosis. Diverging from the type variety of P. divaricatus in having red flow'er heads, initially cone-shaped (Figure 8), turning ovoid or subspherical. Type: • I km NE. of Bore Camp, Dirk Flartog Island, W. Aust. ( | 25 37'S, I12°57'E); coll. A. S. George I 1578, 6 Sept. 1972 (holotypc: PERTFI; isotype: CANB). ‘Straggling perennial herb; flowers pink. In sand, in low open-heath.' Except at the short glabrous tips, the purplish-red colour of the tepals is brightened to pink or mauve by a white silky pubescence and obscured by the comparatively large bracteoles in young spikes. In this stage the inflorescences (in the type material) are acutely coniform, their length and breadth averaging in the ratio of 1 to 0-8; spikes of about the same stage in var. divaricatus are usually subhemispherical with a ratio of 1 to 1 -3. Specimens examined: Western Australia: ± I km NE. of Bore Camp. Dirk Hartog Is.. ± 25 37'S, I 12 57'E, A. S. Georee 11578 (typus). 6 Sept. 1972 (CANB, PERTH); between Tamala and Carrarang in heath, J. S. Beard 6S0S, II Oct. 1973 (NSW, PERTH). "Scandent semi-woody plant, llowcrs mauve." Discussion: This taxon is not merely a red flowering 'forma' of the typical white-flowered plant, as is found in Ptilotus polystachyiis (Gaud.) F. Muell. f. riihriflorus (J. M. Black) Beni, which often occurs together with the typical form. There are no known collections of red-tlowcring specimens of P. divaricatus earlier than in 1972. The pink-flowered specimens gathered by A. S. George w'ere not mingled with normal plants: ‘As far as I recall P. divaricatus was not common on Dirk Flartog Island, and those plants I saw- had the pink flow'ers. Had there been the normal white-llow'ered plants as well I would have collected them also', the collector in a letter dated 3 .Inly. 1979. UJ3 Al 170 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 WKSI'hRN IA% lU KHAR 11 M, W RIB ^ N^c-iero Xusimisa* ^ A-t > ( if t / 4^ ^ -^syrs ^'3 e^, A-Av Ia>c a, A< ^ ^ ^ i'oii ^ A'i Figure 8. Pti/otns divaricafi/s (Gaud.) F. Mueil. var. rubescens Beni. (J. S. Beard 6808) (phot. K. Liedl). G. Beni, Five new Ptilotus 171 5. Ptilotus drummondii (Moq.) F. Muell. var. elongatus Beni, var. nov. (Figure 9) A varietate drummondii ob habitum humiliorem caespitosum atque caules partim decumbentes (Fig, 9), a var. minore (Nees) Beni ob bracteam bracteolis minorem et perianthium pilis dorsalibus paucioribus apices tepalorum baud superantibus obsessum, a var. scaposo Beni ob caules conspicue ramosos et ob folia basalia distincta deficientia, a formis omnibus speciei ob spicas 1 -6-2 cm latas ad 4-5 cm elongatas distinguitur. Type: Fitzgerald River just above Twertup Creek, Fitzgerald River National Park, W. Aust. ; coll. A. S. George 1 1266, 16 March 1972 (holotype: PERTH). ‘Herb with peren- nial stock; flowers pink. In loam, in mallee-scrub close to river.’ Low bushy herb ca 18 cm across with numerous very slender stems from a weakly divided stock, up to about 15 cm tall. Ca 40 erect, ascending or prostrate stems and branches with terminal spikes, those of horizontal stems vertical (Figure 9). Spikes resembling those of P. drummondii var. drummondii in colour, but finally elongating up to 4-5x1 -6-2 cm. Bracts and bracteoles strongly keeled, the smaller bracts at first pubes- cent. Gynoecium quite glabrous, densely enveloped by woolly hairs arising from inner tepals, outer face of staminal ring and fimbriate pseudostaminodes. Discussion: Usually P. drummondii var. drummondii has ‘erect simple rigid . . . stems' (Bentham 5: 235; 1870) rarely branched; ‘Caules semper strict! nunc non nisi basi parce ramosi nunc (praesertim ramis primariis pecore destructis) ramosissimi virgati caespitosi’ (Diels & Pritzel, Bot. Jb. 35: 191; 1904). In large-headed forms of var. drummondii the inflorescences may also reach a length of 4-5 cm, but then the spikes are ca 3-6 cm across, thus having a broadly ovoid, not narrow-cylindrical, aspect. The principal points of distinction within the P. drummondii complex may be sum- marized as follows; la. Basal leaves persistent, narrowly spathulate, long-petiolate, markedly different from cauline ones. Stems up to ca 15 cm tall, unbranched or divided at ground- [gyel scaposus b. No conspicuous basal leaves in mature plants; all leaves (sub)linear-lanceolate to filiform, mostly sessile or nearly so 2 2a. Spikes subglobose up to 2 cm long, soon becoming (yellowish-) white. Bract larger than bracteoles. Apices of tepals obscured by copious dorsal hairs var. minor b. Spikes up to 4-5 cm long, dull purple fading to light pinkish, finally becoming dirty whitish-green to stramineous. Bracts not larger than bracteoles. Apices of outer tepals glabrous, exceeding pubescence 3 3a. Stems to ca 15 cm long, partly decumbent, conspicuously branched. Spikes 1-6-2 cm across, ovoid to narrow-cylindrical. Bract smaller than bracteoles var. elongatus b. Stems to 80 cm tall, usually stiffly erect and simple. Spikes subglobose to (broadly) ovoid up to 3-6 cm across. Bract more or less equalling bracteoles var. drummondii (There may be some justification for separating the large-headed and the small- headed variants of this taxon at the level of ‘formae’, although there are intermediates between plants with subglobose inflorescences of less than 2 cm diameter and those with broadly ovoid ones of up to 3-6 x 4-5 cm; on the other hand in large-spiked specimens the tepals have a more copious pubescence.) ( 2)— 96592 lOcm 172 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Fiilotus drum^ontiti . ll . var. eloKgatue Holotyyua Ufi rev -C. KllNl , 19?^ W|-;ST| RN ACSIRAiJAN HI HBARH/M, RiRIH I U>i;> WcNjein Aij.KmfisVnA - Figure 9. Ptilotus drummondii (Moq.) F. Muell. var. elongatus Beni. (A. S. George 1 1 266) (phot. K. Liedl). S. G. M. & D. J. Carr, A new species of Eucalyptus 173 A new species of Eucalyptus from the margins of salt lakes in Western Australia By S. G. M. and D. J. Carri Abstract Carr, S. G. M. and D. .1. A new species of Eucalyptus from the margins of sait lakes in Western Australia. Nuytsia 3, 2: 173-178(1980), A new species {Eucalyptus halopliila) is described. It is included in the informal series “Bisectae” but appears to have no close alfinity with any other species. It is characterized by persistent spiral phyllotaxis and stomata with anterior chambers occluded by cutinised polar wail ingrowths. Eucalyptus halophila D. J. Carr et S. G. M. Carr sp. nov. Frutex parvus alTinitatis incertae qui ab speciebus Eucalypti omnibus ut sequente differt: cotyledones bisectae; medulla sine glandibus oieosis; cubiculum anticum stomatale incementis intrusis cutinalibus parietis poIaris ornatum; phyllotaxis semper (2, 3) spiralis; staminodia externa; valvarum apices in fructu nulla; testa brunnea, favosa, ordinatione cellularum indistincta. Type: 12-5 km NNW of Dalyup, Western Australia, near small salt pan (i3r32'E, 34°37'S), 25 February 1966 A. S. George and S. G. M. Carr 7661. (holotype: PERTH). A small .shrub of uncertain affinity which differs from all other known species in the possession of the following constellation of characters viz; bisected cotyledons; pith without oil glands: anterior stomatal chamber ornamented with cutinised polar wall in- growths; phyllotaxis persistently (2, 3) spiral; external staminodes; tips of valves lacking in fruit; testa brown, honeycombed, cell pattern indistinct. Description A lignotuberous shrub up to 2 m tall; bark deciduous, pale-grey or brown, both it and the pith without oil glands. Leaves green, concolorotis, held more-or-less erect, triplinerved, the lateral nerves distant from the margin, minor veins obscure; seedling and juvenile leaves narrow-linear to narrow-obovate, blunt, phyllotaxis (2, 3) spiral (Fig. 2F); intermediate (Fig. IB) and adult leaves (Fig. 1.A) (2, 3) spiral or sub-decussate (Fig. 2F), narrowly elliptical, symmetrical or slightly falcate. Unit inflorescences axillary (3-) 7-flowered, the upper ones subtended by leaves, the lower by prophylls, peduncle slightly flattened with acute margins. Flower buds obpyriform, stalked, pedicel slender, shorter than the hypanthium. Sepaline opercnlnin shed early, petaline operculum conical or rounded, much wider than long, usually with a small umbo. Staniinophore projecting over the Vibe of the flower; outer filaments anantherous or with abortive anthers, not all indexed, zig-zag before anthesis: filaments of fertile stamens very short, intlexed. Anthers broader' than long, lobes globular, dehiscence by inlrorse oblique slits, filament inserted at the mid-point or below it. Nectary lining the tube of the flower; upper surface of ovary 1 Department of Developmental Biology. Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, P.O. Box 475, Canberra City, ACT, 2601. 174 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 slightly domed and with small ridges indicating the mid-lines of the loculi. Style straight, slightly tapered, as long as the cone of stamens in bud; stigma inconspicuous, domed, as wide as the style. Fruit (Fig. 2C) sharply contracted into the pedicel, globular-truncate or ovate-truncate, 5-8 mm diameter, contracted at the orifice; valves truncate, projecting Figure 1 . Eucalyptus halophita sp. nov. Scale marker 1 cm. A— Fragment of S G M Carr 646 adult foliage. B— Fragment of A. S. George and S. G. M. Carr 7661; intermediate foliage. S. G. M. & D. J. Carr, A new species of Eucalyptus 175 only a short distance beyond the base of the nectary. Seeds hemitropous, testa brown, honey-combed, cell pattern not distinct (Fig. 2D) hilum more or less central. Cotyledons bisected. Specimens examined: 12-5 km NNW of Dalyup, 25 February 1966, A. S. George and S. G. M. Carr 7660, 7662, 7663; W of Norseman-Esperance Rd, 6 km NNW of Scaddan, 1 April 1968, on sand at edge of salt lake, S. G. M. Carr 646 (PERTH). Habitat: near the margins of salt lakes. The species is known only from the localities cited above, both of which are in the catchment of the Dalyup River. It should be looked for in similar environments in the area. It is inconspicuous in the field and at first glance could be passed over as a species of Acacia. It appears to be very tolerant of wind-pruning and in Canberra has survived prolonged frosts down to — 5°C without damage. Affinities It appears to have no close affinities with any other species in the informal group ‘Bisectae’ to which it belongs. The ornamentation of the anterior stomatal chamber (Fig. 3) is unique. On the other hand, E. halopbila has features shown individually (but not in combination) by other species of ‘Bisectae’. Its seeds match those of E. salubris F. Muell. and allied species, but E. halopbila differs from the members of this group in so many other features that a relationship to it is unlikely. E. angustissima F. Muell. is a species similar in habit which has been collected at the edge of salt lakes, but it differs in having internal staminodes, inflexed filaments and the tips of the valves persisting in fruit. E. gracilis F. Muell., E. calycogoiia Turcz. and £. cekistroides Turcz. have external staminodes arranged as in £. halopbila but in those species the tips of the valves persist in fruit and the pattern of the testa is distinct and of low relief. Notes on morphological characters 1. Fruit The seeds mature within twelve months of flowering. Dehiscence of the fruit may follow or it may be postponed for at least a further year during which time the fruit in- creases in size. This means that mature fruit of two sizes (diameter 5 mm and 8 mm) may be present on the same plant (Fig. 2C). The surface of first year fruits is smooth, that of second year fruits wrinkled. Dehiscence of the capsule may involve a single process or require two stages for its completion. In the first an irregular disc of ovary tissue crowned by the base of the style is shed (Fig. 2A, B). The truncate valves then separate loculicidally. In the second case dehiscence begins at the midlines of the loculi and extends into the base of the style. Initially, each valve is then tipped by a segment of the style base. The fragility of the valves, for which no definite structural reason can be advanced, is indicated by the fact that if their tips are still present in an open fruit even a light touch with a needle detaches them. 2. Venation The venation is extremely obscure in living material but the triplinerved pattern becomes clearer on drying. 3. Intermediate and adult foliage Flowering and fruiting occurs on shoots with either intermediate or adult foliage. Some apparently fully-grown plants in the natural habitat appear to lack adult foliage. Other plants of the same size in the same area possess it. A specimen raised from seed and grown for 12 years in Canberra has not yet produced adult foliage although it has flowered and set fruit. However, it occasionally produces a shoot with sub-decussate leaves. 176 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Figure 2. Eucalyptus hulophiiii sp. nov. A and B. mature fruits, showing dehiscence of valves (v); st, base of style; t. tip of valve. Scale marker. I mm. C— two sizes of mature fruits of S. G. M. Carr 646! Scale mat kei , I cm. D seed of A. S. George and S. G. M. Carr 7661. Scanning electron micrograph. Scale marker 0- 1 mm. E and F— transverse sections of vegetative buds. E, from plant grown in Canberra with intermediate foliage and (2. 3) spiral phyllotaxis. F. from herbarium material of S. G. M. Carr 646 with adult sub-decussate foliage. Note: other buds of the same material with adult foliage are l2 3) spiral. Scale markers. 0- 1 mm. S. G. M. & D. J. Carr, A new species of Eucalyptus 177 4. Stomata Paradermal sections (Fig. 3D) or scanning electron micrographs of the leaf surfaces (Fig. 3A) show the stomata to be occluded, leaving only a narrow H-shaped passage. Occlusion is by grooved tongues of cutinized wall material which descend into the anterior chamber from its walls above the poles of the guard cells (Fig. 3 B, C). These tongues are developed in relation to the unusual upturned poles of the guard cells (Carr and Carr, 1980) in both intermediate and adult foliage. The stomata of intermediate (Fig. 3B) and of adult leaves lack stomatal bars (Carr and Carr, 1979). Figure 3. Stomata of E. hcihphila. Scale marker, 0 01 mm. A— .scanning electron micrograph of prepared leaf cuticle from ty'pc material. P. polar flap. B and C thin sections ot leaf ft om plant grown in Canberra embedded in glycol methacrylate and stained according to Carr and Carr, 1978. Gc, guard cell: p, polar wall ingrowth. B, t.s. stoma, C. l.s. stoma, D -paradermal section through a stoma at the level indicated by dotted lines in Fig, 3B, 178 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Acknowledgements We thank Mr A. S. George for the Latin diagnosis and for assistance with field collec- tions over many years. References Carr, D. J. and Carr, S. G. M. (1978) Origin and development of stomatal microanatomy in two species of Eucalyptus. Protoplasma 96, 127-148. Carr, D. J. and Carr, S. G. M, (1980). Eucalyptus stomata with occluded anterior chambers. Proto- plasma 104 (in press). Carr, S. G. M. and Carr, D. J. (1979). An unusual feature of stomatal microanatomy in certain taxon- omically related Eucalyptus spp. Ann. Hot., 44, 239-243. N. G. Marchant & G. J. Keighery, Darwinia 179 A new species and a new combination in Darwinia (Myrtaceae) from Western Australia By N. G. Marchant^ and G. J. Keighery^ Abstract Marchant, N. G. and Keighery, G. J. A new species and a new combination in Darwinia (Myrtaceae) from Western Australia. Nuytsia 3, 2: 179-182 (1980). Darwinia wittwerornm sp. nov. is described and illustrated and a new combination, Darwinia oxylepis (Turcz.) comb. nov. is made. Both species occur in the Stirling Range National Park, south western Australia. Introduction Before publishing the results of a detailed study of relationships and variation in Stirling Range species of Darwinia it is necessary to describe a new species and make a new combination. Quantitative data of the new species were obtained from measurements on a leaf, bract and flower sampled from each of forty individual plants. The term “floral tube” is used here rather than the term “calyx tube” adopted by Bentham (1867). In addition, the terms “calyx lobes” and “corolla lobes” are used in preference to “sepals” and “petals”. 1. Darwinia wittwerorum Marchant et Keighery sp. nov. Frutex 30-80 cm altus. Folia linearia-triquelra, 5-10 mm longa, acuta. Capituium terminale, mag- num, nutans; bracteae exteriores involucrorum pluri-seriales; bracteae interiores elliptico-obovatae, 18-21 mm longae, 6-9 mm latae. Bracteolae lineares, ad apicem concavo-spathulatae, acutae, 6-9 mm longae. Tubus floraiis cylindricus, durus, 4-6 mm longus. Calycis lobi minuti, triangulares. Lobi coroUae ovati, cremei, 3-4 mm long!. Stamina 10. Staminodia 10, linearia, ± I mm longa. Stylus falcatus, 8-10 mm longus. Ovida 2. Type: Erect plant to 75 cm tall, on red clayey sand with shrubs of Eucalyplus cornuta, near Talyuberlup, Stirling Range National Park, N. G. Marchant 77/305, 17 October 1977 (holo: PERTH, iso: MEL). Erect, single-stemmed shrub 30-80 cm tall. Leaves scattered, linear-triquetrous, 5-10 mm long, less than 0-5 mm wide, apex acute; leaf scars persistent. Inflorescence ovoid, pendulous; outer bracts elliptic in lower half, linear above, cream; inner bracts elliptic-obovate, 18-21 mm long, 6-9 mm wide, cream in lower half, pink or rose pink in upper part. Flowers 5-9. Bracteoles 4, linear in lower half, concave spathulate in upper half, 6-9 mm long, 1-2 mm wide. Floral tube narrow, circular in cross section, with faint ribbing, 4-6 mm long. Calyx lobes minute, triangular, less than 0-25 mm long. Corolla lobes cream coloured, ovate, entire, 3-4 mm long. Stamens 10; filaments less than 1 mm long. Style falcate, bent towards centre of inflorescence, terete, 8-10 mm long. Stigma globose, minute, subtended by a 1-2 mm wide band of rigid hairs forming a cone-shaped brush. Ovules 2. 1 Western Australian Herbarium, South Perth, Western Australia 6151. ^ Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Western Australia 6000. 180 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Chromosome number n ^ 6 Rye (1979). Distribution: Restricted to low-elevation sites in the central part of the Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia. Other Collections: (all from same general locality near Taivuberkip, .Stirling Range National Park; collec- tion number and date cited only) all at PERTH: T. Hates' 5, 1 1 Sept. 1976; T. Hates I, 22 Dec. 1974; N. Marchaiit 77/.307, 17 Oct. 1977; £. iVittwer 2027, II Oct. 1977; G. Kcighery 1821, 20 Oct. 1977. Etymology: Named in honour of Magda Wittwer (28 August 1922-16 October 1977) and Ernst Wittwer, Superintendent of Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth. Darwinia wittwerorum sp. nov. is distinguished from the other so-called “Mountain Bells” by its linear-triquetrous leaves, ovoid inflorescences, small inner bracts and shorter style length. It is similar to Darwinia lejostyla (Turez.) Domin from which it is separated by the following characters. Quantitative characters are based on 80 samples of D. wittwerorum and 200 of D. lejostyla. D. lejostyla D. wittwerorum inflorescence campanulate ovoid inner bract colour pink or red cream and pale pink inner bract length 19-31 mm, 18-21 mm. mean ^ ^ 24-6 mm mean 19-8 mm number of flowers/inflorescence 7-12, 5-9, mean 9-1 mean ^^6-5 style length 15-5-22 mm. 8-10 mm. mean -= 17-7 mm mean = 9-3 mm Figure 1. Darwinia wittwerorum sp. nov. a— Inflorescence, side view, b— Leaf, side view with proximal and distal transverse sections, c — Inflorescence from below, d— Flower with bracteoles e— Flower with bracteoles removed, f— Distal part of style, g— Bract from inner part of involucre, h— Bract from outer part of involucre, i — Outermost involucral bract, j — Innermost involucral bract k— Brac- teole. 1 — Stamens and staminodia. All from N. G. Marchant 77/305. N. G. Marchant & G. J. Keighery, Darwinia 181 The two species are allopatric. Some populations of D. lejostyla are known to be only 15 km away from recorded localities of D. wittwerorum. 2. Darwinia oxylepis (Turcz.) Marchant et Keighery comb. nov. Basionym: Genely/lis oxylepis Turcz., Bull. Cl. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg. 10: 324 (1852). Type: J. Drummoml 5lh collection no. 100 (holo: KW n.v., iso: K, MEL). Genetyllis meisiieri Kipp., J. Linn, Soc. (Bot.) 1 : 49 (1856) pro parte as to Drummond 5: 100, nom. illeg. Darwinia meisneri Benth., J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 9: 179 (1865) 'ineissneri', nom. illeg. — based on G. meisneri Kipp. Drummond’s 5th collection number 100 cited by Kippist under G. meisneri is the same number as the type collection of G. oxylepis; the former name is therefore illegitimate. The additional Drummond collection cited by Kippist (5th collection no. 101) was com- mented on by him; he stated that it “. . . seems to be merely a less luxuriant state of the same plant, with more thinly scattered leaves, and paler bracts and flowers; but I have been unable to detect any difference of structure sufficiently important to justify its separ- ation as a distinct species”. (Kippist 1856). In his 1852 paper Turezaninow described Genetyllis lejostyla (the original spelling has been retained in accordance with Article 73-5, 1978 International Code of Botanical Nomenclature), based on J. Drummond’s 5th collection no. 101. This species was transferred to Darwinia by Domin in 1923 as Darwinia leiostyla (Turcz.) Domin. The present authors regard D. lejostyla and D. oxylepis as distinct species. Neither Kippist nor Bentham appears to have seen the paper published by Turezan- inow in 1852 which included descriptions of several species of Genetyllis. Even in 1865 and 1867 Bentham did not make reference to G. oxylepis or, in fact, to any other species described by Turezaninow in that paper. The distinction between D. lejostyla and D. oxylepis was recogni.sed by Drummond himself in a letter reporting his explorations in the Stirling Range area, published by Hooker, (Drummond 1849); “Along w'ith iC on Mongerup^, 1 found a species with heath-like leaves, a bright scarlet involucre inclosing dark purple flowers^. On Congineerup'* I found two large- bracted species of the genus; one with thyme-like, ciliated leaves and the bracts which form the involucre ciliated®; the other with heath-like leaves and bracts, without ciliae®; the bracts of both are rose-coloured”. Darwinia oxylepis and D. lejostyla can be distinguished on a number of characters. Darwinia oxylepis is a taller shrub with longer leaves, larger, acute-tipped, scarlet outer bracts, larger bracteoles as well as larger flowers; it is recorded only from a small area near Mondurup in the western part of the Stirling Range. D. lejostyla is more widespread in the eastern part of the range from Warrungup and Tolls Peak to Ellen Peak. References Bentham, G. (1865). Notes on the Genera Darwinia Rudge and Bartlingia Ad. Brongn. J. Linn. Soc. (Bot!) 9: 179, -1867’. Bentham, G. (1867). "Flora Australiensis", Vol. 3. (London: L. Reeve.) Domin, K. (1923). New Additions to the Flora of Western Australia. Vestn. Krai. Ceske Spolecn. Nauk. Tr. Mat,-Prir. 2: 78, '1921-1923'. ^ D. macrostegia. 2 Mondurup, which Drummond climbed from the N.W. side, where D. oxylepis is now known to occur. “ D. oxylepis (J. Drummond 5th coll., n. 100). ^ Bluff Knoll. ® D. squarrosa (presumably J. Drummond 5th coll., n. 99). ® D. lejostyla (presumably J. Drummond 5th coll., n. 101). 182 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Drummond, J. (1849). Letter to G. Leake. J. Bot. (Hooker) 1 : 248. Kippist, R. (1856). Notice of two apparently undescribed species of CenetyUis, from S.W. Australia. J. Linn. Soc.(Bot.)l ; 49, ‘1857’. Rye, B. (1979). Chromosome number variation in the Myrtaceae and its Taxonomic Implications. Austral. J. Bot. 27; 565. Turczaninow, N. ( 1852). Myrtaceae xerocarpicae, in Nova Hollandia A cl. Drumond lectae et plerumque in collectione ejus quinta distributae, determinatae et descriptae. Bull. Cl. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg 10: 323, 324. J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 183 Thryptomene and Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) in arid and semi-arid Australia By J. W. Green Western Australian Herbarium Abstract Green, J. W. Thryptomene and Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) in arid and semi-arid Australia. Nuytsiad, 2: 183-205 (1980). Seven species of Thryptomene and eight of Micromyrtus from arid and semi-arid regions of inland Australia are described and illustrated. Notes on the species and maps of their distribution are given and keys to their identity provided. Si.x are described as new (T. naviciikita, T. wittweri. T. nealensis, M. harbcita, M. fimbrisepah and M. serridata) and new combinations (M. helmsii and M. stenocalyx) are made for two others. This paper describes and illustrates all species of Thryptomene and Micromyrtus occurring within the geographic range of the forthcoming Flora of Central Australia, as well as some from nearby regions. The species dealt with here occur chiefly in the Central Bioclimatic Region (Austin and Nix 1978), except T. parviflora, T. hexandra and M. hexamera which are distributed principally in the Eastern Bioclimatic Region. Al- together fifteen species are known from the area — seven of Thryptomene (including three new species) and eight of M icromyrtus (including three new species and two new com- binations). Specimens from the following herbaria were e,xamined: AD, ADW, BRl, CANB, MEL, NSW, NT and PERTH. Descriptions were drawn up using the type specimen and a sample of other collections. The number of specimens cited was reduced where necessary to a selection of those examined based on their morphological variability, historical importance, geographic origin, representation among herbaria, and the range of habitats cited on their labels. Recourse was made to European collections only when Australian material proved inadequate to solve problems of nomenclature and typification. Thryptomene and Micromyrtus are generally distinguished from related genera by having stamens 5 or 10, regularly alternate with or opposite the sepals, quite distinct and without staminodia (Bentham 1867). Even though exceptions may be found to some of these characters in certain species, provided the majority of characters is considered these species clearly belong to Thryptomene or Micromyrtus. The recently-described genus Corynanthera (Green 1979) has many of the same characters but is distinguished by its unique androccium; it occurs outside central Australia. Thryptomene and Micromyrtus are distinguished from each other by characters of the androecium and ovary: tlie stamens of the 5-stamened species of Thryptomene are opposite the sepals while those of Micromyrtus are opposite the petals; Thryptomene has ascending or laterally-attached ovules while Micromyrtus has pendulous ovules. Again exceptions to some of these characteristics occur, making generic determination sometimes difficult without complete material. The character of ovule number, used by Bentham to distinguish between them, is not diagnostic at the generic level. 184 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 It must be emphasised that the key to genera given here is designed to apply only to the inland Australian region; complications present elsewhere have been deliberately ignored. Some indication of the variation outside the present area is given in the generic descriptions. Specialised terminology relating to the androecium and gynoecium follows Green (1979) and Green (1980). The term floral tube is preferred to caly.x-tuhe, used by Bentham (1867) for the reasons stated by Parkin (1955) and Douglas (1957). The use of stomium for a region of dehiscence in the anther is explained by Esau (1965) and illustrated by Fahn(l974). The morphology of the gland on the connective requires some explanation, as it does not appear to have been previously used as a diagnostic character in this group: it may vary from a near-globular, ■± featureless structure, as in M. helmsii (Fig. 1 12) through a series having an increasingly prominent neck, with an apparently porate, terminal orifice. In T. parviflora (Fig. 17) and T. naviculata (Fig. 30) the gland usually protrudes only shortly between the microsporangia and is termed truncate or coinpressed-urceolate', when it is ± contracted below the apex, as in T. wittweri (Fig. 37) and T. hexandra (Fig. 63), it is termed urceolate, while at the extreme, when the neck is long and curved, as in T. elliottii (Fig. 54), it is termed urceolate-falcate. The shape of the gland may also be clavate, as in T. maisonneuvei (Figs. 6-7) or compound, with smaller lateral bulges, as in M . flmhrisepala (¥ig. 100). The flower stalk is here interpreted as a peduncle as it appears homologous with the structure bearing two or three flowers with pedicels in related genera. Only for unusually variable parameters are dimensions qualified as approximate. Characters omitted from some descriptions can be assumed to be unknown. Key to the genera, based on inland Australian species 1. Stamens less than 10, usually opposite the sepals; ovules 2 or 2 -f 2 super- posed, ascending or lateral; anther connective gland prominent, often equalling or exceeding the anther, clavate or -f urceolate ... Thryptomene Endl. (p.l84) 1*. Stamens 10, or 5 opposite the petals; ovules 2 or 6-10, collateral, apical; anther connective gland less than half as large as the anther, subglobular Micromyrtus Benth. (p. 195) THRYPTOMENE Endl. Glabrous shrubs, slender or spreading, mostly 0-5-2 m high (one species outside the area arborescent); bark usually smooth, dark grey to brown, occasionally fibrous. Leaves small, entire, opposite, mostly ± flat above and convex below, with several to many immersed glands especially visible on the lower surface. Flowers sessile, subtended by a pair of complicate bracteoles, at least in the bud stage, inflorescence mostly solitary with a very short to long peduncle, borne singly in the upper leaf axils; some species with inflorescences paired in the axils. Floral tube mostly less than 3 mm long, cylindrical, turbinate, hemispherical or rarely laterally flattened, smooth, ribbed or rugose, adnate to the ovary, sometimes produced beyond it making the disc surrounding the style zb concave. Sepals and petals 5 or rarely 6, borne on the rim of the tube; sepals as long as the tube to very short, scarious, petaloid or petaloid with scarious margins, entire or denticulate; petals about as long as the tube or shorter, mostly rounded, entire, mostly pink, white or the two sulTused. Stamens usually either 5 (antesepalous) or 10 (in’a single whorl, not always regularly opposite the perianth parts), rarely 6 (antesepalous, T. hex- andra), variable between 6 and 9, or between 15 and 30 (in one species outside the area); filament filiform, usually at least twice as long as the anther at maturity; connective bearing a prominent gland which may be globular, truncate, urceolate or falcate with a porate orifice, and sometimes protruding between the two microsporangia; anther tetraspor- J. W. Green, Thryptomcne and Micromyrlus in Central Australia 185 angiate, and bilocular (sec Green 1980). Ovary unilocular, style and stigma solitary; ovary wall 3-layered, comprising outer, hard layer, middle, aerenchymatous zone and inner, fragile, sometimes fugitive membrane (see also Green 1979, p. 373); loculus either a small, spherical cavity in the upper part of the tube or appearing to occupy a larger space because of the breakdown of the middle zone and inner membrane in some older flowers. Vascular trace (here called the stylar vein) between the pedicel and the base of the style passing next to the smaller cavity where present and branching to the placenta. Placenta basal, SLibbasal or i. lateral in the ovary cavity, bearing 2, 4 or (outside the area) up to 8 ovules, collateral or in superposed pairs. Fruit an indehiscent nut, the floral tube scarcely enlarged in most species; seed usually single, ellipsoidal-reniform. rarely 2. Key to inland Australian species 1. Ovules 4 in two superposed pairs; connective gland clavate; sepals membran- ous with a fleshy, green tip; floral tube rugose. Widespread central W.A., southern N.T. and north-western S.A 1. T. maisonneuvei F. Muell. (p. 185) 1*. Ovules 2; connective gland urceolate or truncate; sepals petaline to mem- branous: floral tube ribbed 2. Sepals and petals 5. 3. Floral tube circular in transverse section; leaves linear, thin, concave above. 4. Sepals clawed. 5. Leaves thin, [ flat, narrow-obovate, mostly 3-4 mm long, margins entire. Central to south-eastern Q. 2. T. parviflora (F. Muell. ex Benth.) Domin (p. 187) 5*. Leaves broadly elliptical or obovate, thick, keeled, less than 2 mm long, margins ciliate. Near Lake Disappointment, W.A 3. T. navieulata J. W. Green (p. 188) 4*. Sepals broad-based. 6. Leaves narrow-obovate, thin, i flat, 6-8 mm long; ped- uncles up to 1-5 mm long. Mt. Augustus, W.A., Palm Valley, N.T. . . 4. T. wittweri J. W. Green (p. 190) 6*. Leaves linear-obovate, convex above, about 4 mm long; flowers subsessile. Neale Junction, W.A. 5. T. nealensis .1. W. Green (p. 190) 3*. Floral tube laterally flattened, saccate near the peduncle; leaves obovate, thick, convex above. From Port Augusta, S.A. to north of Loongana, W.A. 6. T. clliottii F. Muell. (p. 192) 2*. Sepals and petals 6; stamens 6-8. Central-western border area between Q.-N.S.W. 7. T. hexandra C, T. White (p. 193) 1. Thryptomcne maisonneuvei F. Muell., Fragm. 4: 64-5 (1864). ■■Maisonneuvii". Type: "Ad Humen Finke Australiae centralis. J. Macd. Stuart” (holo: MEL 707 12). Thrrptoitiene aiin'ciihiui F. Muell., Fragm. 10: 24. Type: "Propc stationes Youldeh et Ouldabinna, nec non montes Musgrave's Range versus; Tietkens et Young" (holo: MEL 707Lt). Erect sliruh 0-3-1 -5 m high and up to 2-4 m broad. Steins with softly fibrous or papery, reddish-brown bark. Leaves decussate, imbricate, clearly in 4 rows, sessile, 1-2 mm long, broadly elliptical or orbicular, thick, somewhat convex above, with a deep broad, flat-bottomed keel below, oil glands several. Flowers sessile, solitary in the upper axils. Bracteolcs 2. persistent, broadly lanceolate, about 1 mm long, acute, the margins scarioLis, the midrib area fleshy-tipped. Floral lube broadly turbinate, about 1-5 mm long, minutely glandular-rugose or scabrid, without longitudinal ribs. Sepals about 186 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 1 mm Figures 1-11. Thryptomene maisomteuvei: -Hab\U 2-4— Leaf abaxial, lateral and TS 5— Bracteoles and flower. 6— Flower, LS, stamens, pitted disc, superposed ovules. 7— Stamen. 8— Suoeroosed from George 15626; 6-9 from Royce 1580; 10-11 from Cleland s.n.. Between Musgrave and Everard Ranges, Sep. 1945 Figures 12-19 77i, vo tomeiK parviflora: 12— Habit. 13— Leaf. 14— Leaf, TS. 15-16— Flower, LS, external 17— Stamen Charleville, Oct. 1945; 13-17 from Johnson, R. w. 1251; 18-19 from Trapnell, Injune, Jan. 1968. J. W. Green, Tliryptomenc und Mieromyrlus in Central Australia 187 0-8 mm long, with hyaline, auriculale margins, a broadly triangular, petaloid centre and a thick, fleshy, obtuse tip. Petals orbicular, about 1-5-2 mm diameter, white or pink. Disc shallow, pitted, deep pink or red. Stamens 5, antesepalous, occasionally alternating with as many staminodia which resemble the filaments; filaments about 0-8 mm long; anthers about 0-2 mm long, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; gland on the connective clavate, prominently protruding towards the corolla. Style thin, about 0-5 mm long. Ovules 4, arising in two superposed pairs from a i lateral placenta near the base of the ovary. Fruit not enlarged. Seed not seen. Flowering recorded February, May-November. Figures I II; Map I; 2n 22 (B.L. Powell 73097 — see Rye 1979, p. 570). Selection of specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Tobin Lake. Great Sandy Itcseri (21 45'S. 125 40'E) A. S. George 15626, 5 May 1979 (PERTH); 3 miles (5 km) N of Jigalong Depot. R. D. Rovee 1580. 13 Mav 1947 (PERTH); Babbagoola Rock Hole (26 26'S. 126 ll'E), A'. B. Tindate, 26 Aug. 1935 (AD); Lorna Glen Station, B. L. Powett 73097. 10 July 1973 (PERTH); 185 miles NE of Cosmo Newberry (Mtssion), A. S. George 2887, 25 Aug. 1961 (PERTH). NORTHERN TERRITORY: 40 miles (64 km) NNW of Mever's Hill. O’. F. Hill 240, 2 May 191 1 (MEL, NT); Simpson Desert. 24 km N of Andado HS A. E. Orchard 748. II July 1968 (AD, NT); Between Musgrave Range and Everard Ranges, J. B. Cleland, Sep. 1945. (AD). SOUTH AUSTRALIA; Ca 300 miles (480 km) NW ot Woomera, h. L. Hdl 210. 13 Oct. 1953 (AD). Widely distributed through the interior of Western Australia, western South Aus- tralia and the south-west of the Northern Territory, T. maisonneuvei is often recorded on red sand dunes, being locally abundant both on the crests and between sand ridges, in association with a wide variety of genera, the following having been recorded on specimen labels; Triodia, Acacia, Grevillea. Cusuarina, Codonacarpus and Eucalyptus. Only scanty details of community structure have been recorded but photographs indicate an open shrubland having pure, sparse T. maisonneuvei as the tallest stratum, interspersed with tufts of Triodia. In the Central Australian region, T. maisonneuvei is easily distinguished by the fleshy- tipped sepals, clavate connective glands and turbinate, rugose floral tube, without ribs. The occurrence of staminodia, a hitherto unrecorded character of the genus, seems limited to the northern extreme of the range of this species (A. S. George 15626). 2. Thryptomene parviflora (F. Muell. ex Benth.) Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 449 (1928). Thrvplomene oligandra F. Muell. var. parvifiora F. Muell. ex Benth., FI. Austral. 3; 63 (1867). Type: Sandy tableland on the Suitor, Q., [cited as "Barren places. Gilbert river. Gulf of Carpentaria’’J F. Muelter (hole: MEL 70776 —bearing the incorrect label "Gilbert River erroneously exchanged with that ot MEL 70768 (the type of Thrvpfomcne oligandra F. Muell.); iso; K of which photo PERTH correctly labelled). Slender, erect shrub 0-3-2- 1 m high. Leaves decussate, dr imbricate, not obviously 4-rowed. lin'ear-obovate, thin, flat or concave above, 1-5-7 mm long, about 1 mm broad, obtuse or with a minute mucro, somewhat recurved at the apex. Flowers solitary, axillary, up to 2 mm long and broad, forming loose, subterminal racemes. Peduncle 0-4 mm long Bracteoles 2, 0 - 5 mm long, midrib fleshy and somewhat glandular, margins scarious. Floral tube broadly turbinate or obconical. 0-7 mm long, somewhat irregularly lO-ribbed. Sepals petaloid or somewhat scarious, white, clawed, 0-7 mm long, I -3 mm broad. Petals similar, sometimes slightly smaller. Disc concave, shallow. Stamens 5 or occasionally 6 0-2 mm long, antesepalous; filaments terete, O-I mm long; anthers 0-15 mm broad, purplish-black, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; connective gland prominent, ob- scurely Lirceolate-truncate. Style 0-8 mm long, stout; stigma level with the anthers of the incurved stamens. Placentation subbasal. Ovules 2. Fruit scarcely enlarged. 5'm/ solitary, 0-8 mm diameter. Flowering recorded all months. Figures 12-19; Map 2. Selection of specimens examined: QUEENSLAND; W of Pentland, 5. T. Bkike 9927, 19 Oct. 1935 (BRI) 5 miles (8 kni) E of Jericho, L. S. Smith & S. L. Everist 974, 24 Oct. 1940 (BRI, MEL); 21 miles 34 km) NE of Tara R iV. Johnson 1251. I Dec. 1959 (BRI, CANB); 44 miles (70 km) N of Injune, Car- narvon Range G Trapnetl, Jan 1968 (BRI); Charleville, M. S. Ctemens. 8 Oct. 1945 (BRI); 8-5 km E of Kogan, 7. IF. Cw/i 4678, I30ct. 1977 (PERTH); 50 miles (80 km) W ot Dalby, S. L. Fvem/ 2160, 2 Aug. 1940 (BRI). ( 3)— 96592 188 Nuytsia Voi. 3 (2) 1980 This species is recorded as occurring on a variety of soil types including laterite, red sand, white sand, sandy clay and hard-setting red earth associated with shrubby wood- land or forest country containing species of Eucalyptus, Callitris, Grevillca, Dodonaea, Acacia, Ereniophila or Melaleuca. A good deal of confusion over localities seems to have originated in a mix-up in Bentham’s (1867) notes under Thryptoniene oligaiidra. His descriptions correctly dis- tinguish between the arborescent T. oligaiulra, which has broad leaves and large flowers, and the shrubby T. parviflora (treated by Bentham as a variety of T. oligaiulra), which has narrow leaves and small flowers, but he has confused the geographical ranges of the two species which are quite distinct, T. oligaiulra occurring on Cape York Peninsula while T. parviflora is restricted to an area in central and south-eastern Queensland. Be- cause Bentham apparently drew his published citation from the incorrectly-labelled MEL 70768, which is marked as seen by him, this specimen is assumed to be the holotype rather than the duplicate at K. The population at Palm Valley, N.T., previously referred to as T. parviflora by Chip- pendale (1971), is included here in Thryptomene wittweri. Thus T. parviflora is considered to be restricted to Queensland and occurs outside the area covered by the Flora of Central Australia. T. parviflora is very closely related to a Western Australian species, T. iiaviculata, of which the only known localities, both near Lake Disappointment, are within the latitudinal range of T. parviflora. 3. Thryptomene naviculata, J. W. Green, sp. nov. Friue.x rotundatus; folia 4-seriata. elliptico-obovata, ^ I -6 mm longa. supra concava, infra rotundata yel carinata, margiiiibus in dimidio supero minute denticulatis; flares sessiles, solitarii, axillares; tubus interdum leyitcr 5-costatus: sepala unguiculata, 1-8 mm longa, petaloidea. alba vet roseo Uncia',' petala sepalorum similia sed aliquantum majord: stamina 5, ante sepala posita; connectivum glandem promi'nentem compresso-urceolatam ferens: ovuki 2 in placenta subbasali posita. Type: Near Karara Well, Canning Stock Route NE of Lake Disappointment. W .A. 23 05 S, 123 22'E, A. S. Mitchell 914, 2 May 1979 (holo: PERTH - iso: CANB k’ PERTH). ’ ’ Rounded shrub up to I m high and broad. Leaves closely imbricate, decussate, 4- rowed, broadly elliptical or obovate, I -3-1 -8 mm long, concave above, rounded or keeled below, margin minutely denticulate in the upper half Leaf bases decurrent, white, cover- ing the surface of the leafy branches. Flowers sessile, about 2 mm long and 4-6 mm broad, solitary in the upper axils of most leafy branches, forming numerous condensed, capitate or spike-like racemes. Bracteoles 2, about 1 mm long, broadly scarious with a narrow, raised, fleshy midrib ending in a minute, acute point; margins ciliate. Floral tube cam- panulate to broadly obconical, smooth and faintly lO-nerved or with 5 faint longitudinal ribs. Sepals spreading, broadly elliptical, ciliate, clawed, petaloid, white or faintly pink- tinged, especially the mid vein, 1-8 mm long, the margins ciliate. Petals similar to the sepals but slightly longer and the claw less pronounced. Disc concave, pale yellow- brown. Stamens 5, antesepalous, 0-5 mm long; filaments short, about 0-3 mrn long, flat and 0- 1 mm broad at the base, tapering to a point at the connective; anthers about 0-6 mm broad, pale pink, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia, connective gland com- pressed- urceolate, prominent, pinkish-brown. Style short, stout, about 0-5 mm long the stigma level with the anthers. Ovary cavity in the upper half of the tube, the placenta t basal. Ovules 2, elliptical, collaterally attached near their midpoint. Fruit and seed not seen. Flowering recorded April, August-September. Figures 20-31; Map 3 Additional specimen examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Below hill with Canning's Cairn (nroh-ihlv Uurba Hill, SW of Lake Disappointment) M. K. Morcombe 133-4, Aug.-Sep. 1978 (PERTH).^ ^ J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Microniyrtus in Central Australia 189 Fieures 20-31 Thryptomene navicuktta: lO^Habit. 21-33— Leaf, phyllotaxy, abaxial, lateral. 24— Bracteoles and flower. 25-26— Bracteole. 27— Petal. 28— Sepal. 29— Flower from above. 30— Stamen inside, lateral. 31— Floral tube. LS. All from Mitchell 914. Figures 32-39. Thryptomene wittweri- 32— Habit. 33— Leaf, abaxial. 34-35— Flower external. 36— TS Floral tube below ovary. 37— Stamens 38— Flower LS. show'ing stamens, ovary and ovules. 39— Ovules on stylar vein. 32, 34, 37-39 from Wittwcr 1 109; 33. 36 from Hill and Lothian 934; 35 from Chippendale s.n.. Palm Valley. Aug. 1956. 190 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 At the type locality the species formed a low, open shriibland, associated with a grass, perhaps Triodia sp. or Plectrachne schinzii, on red sand. Thryptomene naviculata is very closely related to T. parvifiora, which is restricted to Queensland, but differs markedly in the leaves. These two species bear connective glands similar to those of T. Iiexandra, T. wittweri, T. nealensis and T. elliottii but differ in the absence of a strongly ribbed floral tube. 4. Thryptomene wittweri J. W. Green, sp. nov. Friitex patens vel rotundatus; folia lineari-obovata, 7-8 mm longa, tenuia, supra concava; flares solitarii vel interdum binati, axillares in pedunculo ad I -5 mm longo, campanulato-urceolatus, supra ovarium i constrictus, manifesto lO-costatus; sepala petalaqiie petaloidea, alba.ca 1 mm longa: stamina 5; ante sepala posita; connectivum glandem distinctam urceolato-truncatam ferens; ovnia 2 in placenta subbasali posita. Type: Upper [parts of] Mount Augustus, W.A., E. Wittwer 1109, 20 Aug. 1973 (holo: PERTH; iso: PERTH). Spreading or rounded shrub 1 •5-2- 1 m high. Leaves linear-obovate, obtuse or with a minute, acute tip, 4-16 mm long and 1-1 -5 mm broad, thin, weakly concave above and rounded below, with numerous small oil glands. Flowers solitary or occasionally in pairs, 2-5-5 mm long, axillary along the upper few cm of the leafy branches. Peduncle up to 1-5 mm long, narrow and slightly flattened. Bracteoles deciduous, sometimes leaving several short, hair-like vascular strands sub-tending the flower. Floral tube campanulate-urceolate, ^ constricted above the ovary, strongly 10-ribbed. Sepals orbicular, petaloid, white or creamy, 0-8-1 -2 mm diameter with several pale oil glands near the centre. Petals similar, somewhat exceeding the sepals. Disc concave. Stamens 5, antesepalous, 0-7 mm long; filaments short, dilated and flattened at the base; anthers 0-7 mm broad, pink-red, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; gland on the connective urceolate, yellow, the neck short of truncate. Style 0-7 mm long, slender, the stigma level with the anthers. Ovary cavity in the upper half of the tube, the placenta almost basal. Ovules 2. Fruit and seed not seen. Flowering reeorded July, August. Figures 32-39; Map 2. Specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Type. NORTHERN TERRITORY: Palm Valley, G. Chippendale 2678, 25 Aug. 1956 (CANB. NT): Palm Valley, R. Hid & T. R. N. Lothian 934, 15 July 1958 (AD, NT); Palm Valley, A. C. Beaiiglehole 27508, 24 July 1968 (AD, CANB). Recorded as occurring in a stony creek bed or in water channels, this species is known only from two disjunct populations over 1 500 km apart yet within 15' of latitude (about 28 km). It is named in honour of Ernst Wittwer, Superintendent of Kings Park and Botanic Garden, who discovered the Western Australian population. The species is closely related to Thryptomene nealensis, known only from Neale Junction, Western Australia but differs in the longer peduncles and leaves. It is also related to the eastern hexamerous species T. Iiexandra. 5. Thryptomene nealensis J. W. Green, sp. nov. Frtitex humilis; /o//a linearia, crassa, 3-5 mm longa: /?«/■« solitarii, axillares, breviter pedunculati- tiibiis late obconico-lLirbinatus. obscure costatus : s-epa/a petalaqiie petaloidea, rosea, ca 1 mm longa: stamina 5, ante sepala posita; connectivum glandem urceolatan-i collo brevi ferens; ovida 2 in placenta subbasali posita. Type: 14 miles (22 km) E of Neale Junction, Great Victoria Desert, W.A., approx. 28°20'S, ]25°53'E, A. S. George 8426, 11 Oct. 1966 (holo: PERTH; iso- K CANB PERTH). J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 191 tube through placenta. All from George 8426. Figures 48-57. Thryptomene ellioltii: 48— Habit. 49-51 — Leaf, lateral, abaxial, TS. 52— Flower, bracteole scar and subtending leaf. 53 — Flower, adaxial view showing flattened lloral tube. 54 — Stamen. 55 - Flower LS. showing ovary and ovules. 56-57 Floral tube, TS through and below ovary, respectively. 48 52, 54 from Main s.n., Feldoun, Aug. i960; 53, 55-57 from Between Ouldabinna and the Mtisgrave Range. 192 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Shrub 0-3 m high. Leaves decussate, closely imbricate, not obviously in 4 rows, linear, thick, 2-5 mm long. 0-6 mm broad, Jr Hal above, rounded or keeled below, J: sulcate when dry, covered with numerous oil glands, obtuse or with a minute, acute tip. Flowers solitary, axillary, 3-4 mm long, scattered along the upper leafy branches. Peduncle 0-3-0 -7 mm long, somewhat flattened. Bracteoles deciduous, leaving several short, hair- like strands subtending the flower. Floral tube broadly obconical or turbinate, flaring above a i obvious constriction above the ovary. Sepals orbicular, I mm long, - entire, petaloid, pink. Petals similar, somewhat larger. Disc concave, shallow. Stamens 5, antesepalous, or occasionally 6, about 0-6 mm long; filaments very short, flattened and dilated at the base; anthers versatile, rounded, 0-8 mm broad, pink, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; connective gland urceolate, the neck short. Style short, about 0 -5 mm long. Ovary cavity in the upper half of the tube, the placenta | basal. Ovules 2, elliptical or somewhat angular. Fruit and seed not seen. Flowering recorded October. Figures 40-47; Map 2. This species is known only from the type collection, found on a lateritic breakaway. No further details as to habitat or associated species are recorded. It differs from Tltryp- tomene wittweri chiefly in having smaller, narrower leaves and a shorter peduncle. 6. Thryptomene elliottii F. Muell., Fragm. 9:62 (1875). Type: “In eremo inter Youldeh et Bettanam (Beltana); E. Giles.” (neo; “Between Youldeh and Charlotte Waters, E. Giles” MEL 70684; isoneo: AD 97137326), neo. nov. Thryptomene whiteae J. M. Black, Trans. & Proc. Rov. Soc. S. Austral. 41; 384-5 (1917). Type: “On the East-West Railway, 60 miles (96 km) NW of Port Augiisia.”, S.A. White, Jan. l9l7(holo: AD 97534332; iso: MEL 70815, NSW I36I7I). Shrub 0-3- \ ■ 5 m high. Leaves decussate, scarcely imbricate, 4- 4-ranked, shortly petiolate, obovate-clavate, thick, 2-3 mm long, 1 mm broad, flat or somewhat convex above, rounded, 4 keeled (or sometimes sulcate on drying) below, obtuse or very shortly acute-tipped. Flowers solitary or occasionally in pairs, axillary, 4-5 mm long, 1 mm broad, crowded among the upper leaves. Peduncle I mm long. Bracteoles deciduous. Floral tube oblong, 3-4 mm long, somewhat irregularly lO-ribbed often saccate at the base, tangentially to the axis flattened at the level of the ovary cavity, on one side or both, sometimes minutely papillose on the abaxial surface. Sepals and petals orbicular, I mm long, petaloid, pink or white. Disc concave, shallow. Stamens 5, antesepalous, nearly 1 mm long, filaments short, about 0-3 mm long, flattened and dilated towards the base; anthers rounded, 0-5 mm broad, versatile, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia;connective gland very prominent, almost as large as the anther, urceolate-falcate. Style short, about 0-6 mm long. Ovarv in the upper half of the tube. Placenta basal. Ovules 2. Fruit and seed not seen. Flowering recorded April-October. Figures 48-57; Map 3. Selection of specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA; Eeldoun (lltoon). N of Loongana 4 R Main. 17 Aug. I960 (PERTH); SOUTH AUSTRALIA: “Between the Elizabeth and Youlden’ Giles Exped. 1875, Young" (AD, MEL); Between Ouldabinna and the Musgrave Range (MEL)- ca 100 km S of Yokes Hill, N of Cook, T. R. N- Lothian 5691, 20 July 1972 (AD); N of Fowler’s Bay 07/ev (MEL)- ca 22 kni N of Watson on Maralinga road, T. R. N. Lothian 5521, 14 July 1972 (AD); Barton E. H. Isine 1312, 17 Sep. 1920 (AD, PERTH): Wynbring, Herb. J. M. Black. 22 Sep. 1920 (AD. MEL)’. This .species is widespread in the vicinity of the Trans-Australian railway, between Loongana in Western Australia and Wynbring in South Australia, and northwards towards the Musgrave Ranges. Recorded only from sandy soils, usually on red sand dunes or ridges. The few available label details indicate that mallee {Eucalyptus spp.), spinifex {Triodia spp.) and Acacia linopbylla may be associated species. Although closely related to Thryptomene nealensis, T. elliottii is distinguished by having almost always some flattening of the floral tube, as well as a very prominent connective gland. J. W. Green, Thryplomcnc and MicromyrUis in Central Australia 193 1 have been unable to locate Mueller's holotype of T. clliottii in MEL. As he pub- lished the description in June 1875, the type must have been collected on Giles’ third expedition, between March and April of that year. The only specimens seen by Mueller which have been located bear locality inscriptions differing from those in the protologue. One label refers to the Elizabeth River which was on the route of the fourth but not the third expedition and was collected by Young who was not on the third expedition; there- fore the specimen must have been collected on the fourth expedition which left Port Augusta for Perth in May 1875, passing through the possible collecting area too late for it to have reached Mueller in time for publication. The others, collected by Giles, appear to belong to a single collection made on the third expedition. It is possible that they could include the holotype; in the absence of proof, however, they arc here designated neotype and iso- neotype respectively. 7. Thryptomene hexandra C. T. White, Proc. Roy. Soc. Qucensl. 55; 67-8 (1944). Type: Dynevor Downs, Q., C. T. White 11871, 2 Apr. 1941 (holo: BRl 011I19J. Diffuse, much-branched, spreading shrub 1-2 m high. Leaves opposite, decussate, not obviously 4-rowed, linear or very narrow-obovate, 5-6 mm long and up to I - 4 mm broad, shallowly concave above, rounded or slightly keeled below, obtuse or with a minute mucro, dotted with several to many small oil glands. Flowers solitary or occasionally 2 or even 3 in the axils of the leaves within 1-2 cm of the end of each branch. Peduncles up to 0-7 mm long. Bracteoks 2, lateral, linear, membranous, deciduous at maturity, 1-1 -5 mm long. Flowers about 3 mm long and up to 1 - 2 mm broad. Floral lube urce- olate-campanulate, contracted above the ovary, prominently 10-ribbed, or some ribs branching below the sepals, about 2-3 mm long at maturity. Disc concave, shallow. Sepals and petals 6, similar, orbicLilar, 0-8 mm diameter, petaloid, white or creamy-white, not obviously glandular. Stamens 6, antescpalous, or up to 8 by the addition of Jr ante- petalous stamens, about 0-7 mm long; filaments filiform, about 0-4 mm long; anthers versatile, ca 0-4 mm across, dehiscing by two longitudinal .stomia. Gland on the con- nective shortly urceolate, the pore facing the style. Style slender, 0-5 mm long. Ovules 2, borne collaterally on a subbasal placenta. Fruiting floral tube somewhat enlarged. Seeds apparently 2 but fruit .seen not quite mature. Flowering recorded all months. Figures 58-65; Map 3. Selection of specimens examined: QUEENSLAND: Near Adavale. tV. MacGitlivray 955,29 Aug. 1923 (AD, ADW, BRI. MEL); Near Quiipie, K. Enuiierson, Sep. 1956 (BRl), NEW SOUTH WALES: 40 miles (64 km) N of Bourke, G. H'. Atthofer, Nov. 1968 (NSW); Brookesville, Enngonia, V. Lidden, 1967 (NSW). Habitats recorded for this species include stony hillsides and ridges, sandy loam and shallow soil overlying laterite on the edge of a scarp. The only associated vegetation recorded is “mulga scrub”. This species belongs to a group of pentamerous species which share the ribbed floral tube and urceolate connective gland. It is closely related to Thryptomene wittweri and T. nealensis, and is also related to T. ericaea F. Muell., T. micranllui Hook.f. and T. calycina (Lindl.) Stapf. Like T. hexandra, some of these also exhibit the unusual character of occasionally having more than one flower in the leaf axil. Hexamery appears to have evolved in T. hexandra as a uniform and stable population character, as it has in the un- related partially sympatric species Micromyrtus liexamera. It seems extraordinary that a single species of each genus should have developed hexamery in the same general geo- graphic area. 194 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Figures 58-66. Thryptomene hexamim: 58— Habit. 59— Leaf pair, leaf TS, leaf tips. 60— Inflorescence showing flowers in pairs. 61-62— Flower, e.xternal longitudinal and oblique from above 63-64 Stamens from above and inside. 65-66— Fruit, showing twin, single seeded fruits. 58-61 63-65 from Althofer s.n.. 40 miles (64 km) N of Bourke. Nov. 1968; 62 from hidden s.n., Brookesville, Enngonia 1967. Figures 67-76. Micromyrlus he.xamera: bl — Habit. 68— Phvllotaxv. 69 — Flower and peduncle’ 70-72— Flower, external and from above. 73— Stamens. 74— Floral tube, LS showing ovarv 75— Ovules and placenta. 76— Ovule and stylar vein. 75 from E. Betche, Warrego R. district Seri 1900- all others from Silcock s.n., 30 miles (48 km) SW of Charleville, Aug. 1969. J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Centra! Australia 195 MICROMYRTUS Benth. Differs from Thryptomene (as here defined) in the following characters. Shrubs, none arborescent. Inflorescence up to 3-flowered (i.e., on a single peduncle, solitary in the axils), in several species outside the area. Petals in several species yellow, pale yellow or creamy white. Stamens usually either 5 (antepetalous) or 10 (obdiplostemonous or apparently in a single whorl, regularly opposite the perianth parts), rarely \2{M. hexamera)', filament lorate in two species {M. hymenonema and M. fimhrisepala)\ connective gland usually simpler and less prominent than in Thryptomene. Placenta apical, subapical or tending lateral; ovules 2-10, not in superposed pairs. Key to inland Australian species 1. Stamens 10-12. 2. Flowers hexamerous; stamens 12; ovules 6-10. Southern Q. -northern N.S.W 1. M. hexamera (Maid, et Betche) Maid, et Betche (p. 195) 2*. Flowers pentamerous; stamens 10; ovules 2, 6 or 8. 3. Filaments lorate, over 0-3 mm broad; ovules 6. 4. Sepals with small, minutely denticulate auricles scarcely ob- scuring the tube; leaves linear-obovate, 3-4 mm long. Queen Victoria Spring, Laverton, Rawlinson Ra., W.A. 2. M. hymenonema (F. Mtiell.) C. A. Gardner (p. 196) 4*. Sepals with large fringed auricles, or peltate, obscuring the tube; leaves broadly elliptical to orbicular, 1-2 mm long. War- burton, W.A., Yokes Hill, S.A. 3. M. fimbrisepala J. W. Green (p. 198) 3*. Filaments terete, less than 0- 1 mm thick; ovules 2 or 8. 5. Ovules 8; floral tube turbinate to obconical, 5-ribbed. Near Mt. Squires, 27°S, 127°E, W.A. 4. M. hcimsii (F. Muell. et Tate) J. W. Green (p. 200) 5*. Ovules 2; floral tube narrow-campanulate to cylindrical. 6. Floral tube 10-ribbed, 2-3 mm long; bracteoles persistent; leaves thin, concave above. Karonie, W.A. 5. M. sernilata .1. W. Green (p. 200) 6*. Floral tube smooth or faintly granulate, not ribbed, 4 mm long; bracteoles deciduous; leaves thick, convex above. Queen Victoria Spring and 200 km to NE, in the Victoria Desert, W.A. 6. M. stenocalyx (F. Muell.) J. W. Green (p. 201) 1*. Stamens 5. 7. Ovules 7-10; floral tube granular-muricate; petals denticulate to entire, yellow or (in the extreme west) pink to purple. Widespread in Central W.A., south-western N.T. and north-western S.A. 7. M. flaviflora (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex J. M. Black (p. 201) 7*. Ovules 2; floral tube densely bearded with golden-brown spreading hairs; petals I entire, creamy white. S.W. of Warburton to near Carnegie, W 8. M. barbata J. W. Green (p. 203) 1. Micromyrtus hexamera (Maid, et Betche) Maid, et Betche, Census N.S. Wales Plants 157 (1916). Thryptomene hexamera Maid, et Betche, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales 26: 82 ( 1901 ). Leclolype (desig- nated here)- Warrego River district [cited as "Road from Boiirke to Goombalie, Warrego River"], E. Betche Sep 1900 (holo' NSW 143900; iso: MEL 71340. 71341). Lectoparatype.s: Road from Bourke to Barrinaun W S Campbell, Sep, 1893 (NSW 143901); Between Darling and Warrego River [cited as "Road from Bourke lo Ford's Bridge. Warrego River”!. E. Betche, Sep. 1885 (MEL 70879, 70881, 71339; NSW 136196), 196 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Shrub 0-6-2 -5 ni high; branchlets slender; bark loose, fibrous, pale yellow. Leaves decussate, ± imbricate, somewhat spreading, 1-3 mm long, obovate-oblong, thick, con- cave above, keeled or somewhat flattened near the base, minutely ciliolate on the margins or entire, very shortly petiolate, with several large oil glands below. Flowers solitary, axillary, often clustered near the ends of the upper branches, about 4 mm long. Peduncle 0-7-1 -2 mm long, shorter than or J as long as the subtending leaf. Brctcleoles scarious, about I mm long, deciduous in most specimens, leaving short, hair-like traces subtending most flowers. Floral tube narrow-obconical or turbinate, 2 mm long, angled or fluted with 6 ridges, branching into several more below the sepals, the interstices with numerous oil glands. Sepals 6, semi-orbicular, 0-5 mm long, membranous. Petals 6. much larger than the sepals, broadly elliptical, up to 1-8 mm long, white, turning pink or on some individuals either pink or purple, minutely denticulate. Disc i flat, often somewhat oblique. Stamens 12, 1 mm long; filaments ^ terete, 0-9 mm long; anthers rounded, 0-2 mm broad, versatile, dark brown, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; connective gland smaller than the anther halves, yellow. Style slender, almost 1 mm long. Ovary in the upper quarter of the floral tube. Placenta apical. Ovides 8 (-10?— fide Maiden & Betche). Fruit scarcely enlarged. Mature seeds not seen. Flowering re- corded January, April-November. Figures 66-76; Map 4. Selection of specimens examined: QUF.ENSLAND: Near Alpha Slalion, L. S. Smith M\A, 16 June 1955 (BRI); Calaliah. 55 n-iile.s (88 km) NW of Charleville. A. Miirrar, 18 Sep. 1967 (BRI); Between Beechal Creek and 30 miles (48 km) SW of Charleville on Quilpie road. R. G. Sitcock, 6-7 Aug. 1969 (BRI, CANB, MEL, NSW); Boatman Station. S. L. Everist 3098. 18 July 1947 (BRI, CANB, NSW); 48 km W of Cunna- mulla. /.. 5. Smith 6004, 8 Nov. 1954 (BRI); St. George-Bollon road, G. W. Ahhofer 48, Julv 1949 (BRI). NEW SOUTH WALES: Kerribree-Lauradale, ./. L. Boorman, Nov. 191 2 (NSW); 63 miles (lof) km from (N of) Bourke on Enngonia road. O’. tV. Ahhofer 204, Oct. 1972 (BRI); 30 miles (48 km) N of Bourke, R. Roe, 8 July 1940 (CANB); 30 miles (48 km) W of Bourke, H. C. Dorman, Aug. 1967 (NSW. PERTH). Apparently fairly plentiful within its restricted distribution, Micronivrtus hexatnera has been recorded mainly on red, brown or grey-brown sand or sandy loam, sometimes on sandridges or in rocky places. The few notes on record list Triodia, Acacia ancurct. Eucalyptus melanopbloia or “mulga box" as associated vegetation. I have found no evidence for more than 8 ovules in any of the specimens examined, including the three syntypes, despite the description “Ovules 8 to 10” in the protologue. Ovule number seems to be remarkably constant in this species, though it could not be determined with certainty in NSW 143901 which might have had 6 or 7. Micromyrtus hexamera belongs to a group of species, some as yet undescribed, in- cluding M. ciliata (Sm.) Druce, which occurs widely in south-eastern Australia. It is very like a Queensland species of this group, M. leptocalyx (F. Muell.) Benth., in floral tube, peduncle and leaf, but is distinguished by its he.xamery, style and stamens. A note on the occurrence of he.xamery in the same area of distribution is included under Thryp- tomene hexandra. 2. Micromyrtus hymenonema (F. Muell.) C. A. Gardn., Enum. PI. Austral. Occ. 96 (1931). P- Muell., Fragm. 10: 26(1876). Type: Victoria Spring.s, Young, 30 Sep lo/5 (nolo: iVlhL 71345). " ^ Shrub 0-4-0- 7 m high. Leaves closely to loosely imbricate, decussate, linear-obovate, 2-4 mm long, 1-1-5 mm broad, i sessile, minutely ciliolate-membranous, concave above' rounded below and keeled where broadest, the apex with a minute hyaline mucro O-l’ mm long, the surface dull or glossy, oil glands several each side of the midrib. Flowers solitary in the upper axils, 3-4 mm long, subtended by two complicate, petaloid bracteoles 1-2-1 -8 mm long, slightly fleshy along the midrib, and with membranous margins- ped- uncle flattened, 0-7 mm long. Floral tube turbinate, 1-1-5 mm long, deeply 5-ridged at least when dry, otherwise without sculpture, bulging slightly below the sepals' Sepals J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 197 198 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 ovate-oblong, 1-1 -8 mm long and 1 -4 mm broad, petaloid except near the ciliate margins, ± auricLilate at the base. Petals pink, exceeding the sepals, entire, • orbicular, 2-7 mm long. Disc flat or slightly convex. Stamens 10, i 1 mm long, the antepetalous alternating with the somewhat shorter antesepalous in a single whorl: filaments lorate, O'5-l mm long, 0-4 mm broad; anthers versatile, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; gland often 3-lobed, orange-red and red. Style 0-8 mm long, not exceeding the stamens. Ovules 6, collaterally attached to the stylar vein near the summit of the ovary and contained within a fine membrane. Fruit unknown. Flowering recorded June-October. Figures 77-88; Map 5. Specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Rawlinson Range, herb. C. A. Gardner, Aug-Sep. 1962 (PERTH); 70 miles (113 km) W of Neale Junction. A. S. George 8411, 10 Oct. 1966 (PERTH); 27 miles (43 km) NE of Laverton on Warbiirton road, A. S. George 2841, 24 Aug. 1961 (PERTH); N of Cundeelee, A. S. George 5846. 21 Sep. 1963 (PERTH); Victoria Desert Camp 59 (ca 200 km E of Kalgoorlie), R. Helms, 20 Sep. 1891 (AD, MEL. NSW); Queen Victoria Spring, R. D. Royce 5517. I Oct. 1956 (PERTH). This very distinctive species, inhabits red (and yellow) sand-dune country with spinifex (TrioiHa spp.), over an elongated tract some 750 km long, to the north-east of Kalgoorlie. Only three collections are known outside the type area around Queen Victoria Spring. The species has only one close relative, M. fimhrisepala, which also has broad, flattened filaments. 3. Micromyrtus finibrisepala .1. W. Green, sp. nov. Fnuex: fotia late elliptica ad orbicularia. I •5-2-2 mm longa, marginibus minute ciliolatis, supra coneava, infra prope apicem carinala; flores solitarii, axillares, breviter pcdunculati; ndms floris profunde 5-plicatus, a sepalis valde fimbriati.s auriculatis fere celatus; petala rosea, orbicularia, ca 2 mm diam.; stamina 10; filamenta late lorata; glans connectivi composita, rubra; ovnta 6. collateralia. Type: 21-6 miles (34-8 km) W of Warburton, Gibson Desert, W.A. Shrub 0-7 m; fls. pink. In red sand among spinifex, between dunes. .4. S. George 8375, 9 Oct. 1966 (holo: PERTH, iso; CANB, K, PERTH). Sliruh 0-7 m high. Leaves imbricate, decussate, broadly elliptical to orbicular, 1-2-2 mm long, up to 1-5 mm broad, 4: sessile, minutely ciliolate-membranous, obtuse, concave above, keeled below near the apex, lustrous, with several prominent oil glands. Flowers solitary, axillary, clustered near the branch endings, 4-5 mm long, subtended by two complicate bracteoles petaloid in the middle, with the margins membranous and minutely fimbriate. 1-8 mm long; peduncle flattened, 0-5-1 mm long. Floral tube turbinate, 2 mm long, deeply 5-ridged, somewhat curved, almost entirely obscured by the sepals. Sepals orbicular, auriculate or sometimes peltate, strongly fimbriate, about 2 mm diameter, parchment-like. Petals pink, orbicular, clawed, scarcely exceeding the sepals, about 2 mm diameter. Disc flat or slightly convex. Stamens 10, 1 mm long, the antepetalous alternating with the somewhat shorter antesepalous, in a single whorl; filaments lorate, 0-4 mm broad, 0-5-0-8 mm long; anthers versatile, dehiscing by two longitudinal stomia; connective gland often 3-lobed, orange-red and red. Style 0-8 mm long, not exceeding the stamens. Ovules 6, collaterally attached to the stylar vein near the summit of the ovary. Ovary small, near the summit of the floral tube, endocarp membranous. Seeds not seen mature. Elovvering recorded February. October Fig- ures 89-101 ; Map 5. Selection of specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA; Type. SOUTH AUSTRALIA; SE of Cheese- man's Peak, 5. Barker 31. 15 Aug. 1979 (AD, PERTH); Serpentine Lakes, 54 km E of WA border. L. D. Williams 10702, 30 Jul. 1979 (AD, PERTH); Vokes Hill road junction, 228 km N of Cook L D VVilliams 10796, 6 Aug. 1979 (AD, PERTH). ’ ' ' Until recently this species was known only from the sand dunes of the Gibson Desert west of Warburton, W.A.; discoveries of several occurrences in the far west of South Australia have now shown its range to extend over a distance of some 500 km. Mr L. D. Williams, who first discovered the species in South Australia, thought that it appeared to proliferate after burning (pers. comm.). J. W. Green, Thryptoniene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 199 Figures 102-112. Micromvrtus helmsii: 102— Habit, 103-105— Leaf abaxial, lateral and TS. 106— Flower and peduncle. 107 -Petal. 108— Sepal. 109— Floral tube, LS showing stamens, style, ovules and stylar vein. 1 10-1 1 1 - Ovules and placenta, from above and lateral. 112— Stamen, from inside. All from Helms s.n., Victoria Desert Camps 38 and 39. Figures 113-120. Micronnriiis serndata: 113— Habit. 1 14-1 15 — Leaf abaxial, lateral. 116 — Exploded view of flower and braeteoles. 117— Flower, LS showing developing seed. 118— Sepal. 119— Petal. 120— Stamen from inside. All from George 5951. Figures 121-128. Miaomyrliis stemxvlyx: 121- Habit. 122-123 — Leaf, abaxial, lateral and 7S. 124 Flower, external. 125 — Flower. LS showing ovules and stylar vein. 126 — Sepal. 127- Petal. 128— Stamen, from Inside, outside. All from George 5879. 200 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Because M. fimhrisepala is the first lO-stamened species of either Thryptomene or Micromyrtiis to be recorded in South Australia, it will no longer be possible to distinguish between the genera there solely on the character of stamens antesepalous or antepetalous. While related to M. hymenonema, as is evidenced by the broad, strap-like filaments, the new species is distinguished by its most unusual, fimbriate sepals, as well as the smaller, rounded leaves. 4. Microniyrtus helmsii (F. Muell. et Tate) J. W. Green, comb. nov. Thryptomene helmsii F. Muell. et Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Austral. 16; 356 (1896). Type: Victoria Desert Camps 38 and 39, W.A., R. Helms, 2 Sep. 1891 (holo: MEL 70695; iso: AD 97448028, AD 97534340, NSW I36I6I, PERTH [ex NSW 136242]), Shrub 0-9-1 -5 m high, branchlets slender. Leaves decussate, imbricate, appressed to the branchlets, obovate-oblong, 1 -5-3 -5 mm long, 1 mm broad, concave above, keeled near the apex below, obtuse, shortly petiolate, with several conspicuous oil glands below. Flowers solitary, axillary, sparse along the upper leafy branchlets, 3-4 mm long, 2 mm broad. Peduncle up to I - 5 mm long. Bracteoles deciduous, rarely present on herbarium specimens. Floral tube turbinate to obconical, 2-5 mm long, 5-ribbed near the base, the ribs tending to branch above, interstices rugose. Sepals semi-orbicular, 0-8 mm long and I mm broad, margins membranous. Petals much larger, orbicular, I -5 mm diameter, margins minutely denticulate. Disc concave, shallow. Stamens 10 in the bud, some- times some shed at anthesis (“about seven" in the protologue), 0-8 mm long; filaments 0-5 mm long, terete, somewhat thickened below; anthers 0-5 mm broad, rounded, de- hiscing by two longitudinal stomia; connective gland small, about 0-1 mm diameter, irregularly globular. Style about 0-5 mm long. Ovary in the upper 1 5 of the floral tube. Placenta apical but on one side, adjacent to the stylar vein. Ovules 7-8, dependent, collaterally arranged about the placenta. Fruit and seed not seen. Flowering recorded September. Figures 102-112; Map 6. This species is known only from the type locality which, according to Eardley (1950), lies in lat. 27'’S, long. I27°E (near Mount Squires). Its habitat is not recorded with the specimens. The species clearly belongs to Micromyrtiis because of the character of apical placentation of the ovules which was not noted by Mueller and Tate. It has no very close relatives within Micromyrtiis but has the same number of stamens and ovules as M. hymenonema and M. fimbrisepala. 5. Micromyrtus serrulata J. W. Green, sp. nov. Fnitex: folia qvato-oblonga. 1-2 mm longa. marginibus minute ciliolatis, supra concava, infra carinata; /lores solitarii, axillares, subsessiles, ad apices ramulorum aggregati; bracteoli persistentes; tiihiis floris angusto-campanulatus, obscure lO-costatus; sepala membranacea. 0-6 mm longa; petala sepalis duplo longiora, erminea; stamina 10; filamenta filiformia; glans connectivi parva; ovnta 2, collateralia. Type: 32 miles (51 km) E of Karonie, Trans-Australia railway, W.A., A. S. George 5951 9 Nov. 1963 (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, PERTH). Shrub up to 0-8 m high. Leaves appressed on the flowering branches, otherwise Az spreading, obovate-oblong, 1-2 mm long, shallowly concave above, keeled below, margins minutely serrulate, apex obtuse, surface dull, covered with numerous oil glands. Flowers solitary, in the upper axils, aggregated at or near the branch endings in pseudo-corymbs 3-4 mm long, sessile, each subtended by two conspicuous, persistent, cymbiform-com- plicate bracteoles with a petaloid, glandular centre and membranous edges. Floral tube about 2 mm long, narrow'-campanulate, somewhat indistinctly 10-ribbed. Sepals O b mm long, I orbicular, broadly clawed, membranous. Petals twice as large as the sepals, orbicular to broadly elliptical, creamy-white, with a few inconspicuous oil glands. Disc J. W. Green, T hryploniene and Micromyrlus in Central Australia 201 concave to deeply sunken. Stamens 0-7 mm long, obdiplostemonous, the outer whorl marginal and the inner submarginal; filaments filiform, 0-5 mm long; anthers globular, 0-2 mm across, dehiscing by two horizontal or oblique stomia; gland globular. Ovules 2, collaterally attached to the stylar vein near the summit of the ovary. Fruit unknown. Flowering recorded November. Figures 1 13-120; Map 6. This species is known only from the type collection. It is related to Microinyrtus racemosa Benth. but differs in the serrulate leaf margins, persistent bracteoles and larger sepals. 6. Micromyrtus stenocalyx (F. Muell.) J. W. Green, comb. nov. Thrvptomeiie steiiocatvx F. Muell, Fragm. 10: 23-4 ( 1876). Type: "Ad scaturigines victoriae; Young" |holo: MEL 70798). Shrub, erect or spreading, 0-8-1 m high. Leaves appressed, oblong-obovate or clavate, 1-3-5 mm long. T: Out or convex above, rounded below, oil glands few, petiole 0-3 mm long. Flowers solitary, axillary, spreading, 4-5 mm long, dispersed or somewhat con- centrated below the branch endings; young buds subtended by a pair of deciduous, lanceolate, complicate, -i: petaloid bracteoles, about I mm long, glandular in the centre, and scarious on the margins. Peduncle 0-7 mm long. Floral tube 3 mm long, narro-vv, ± cylindrical, faintly glandular, smooth or faintly ribbed, with several indistinct, in- conspicuous nerves, slightly expanded in the free part above the ovary. Sepals scarious, not quite 0-3 mm long. 0-5 mni broad. Petals cream-coloured to yellow, ovate, about I mm long, sessile, with several oil glands. Disc deeply sunken. Stamens lO, 0-5 mm long, obdiplostemonous, the outer stamens equalling or exceeding the sepals; filaments : terete, 0-3 mm long; anthers 0-2 mm across, dehiscing by two oblique stomia; con- nective gland small, erect. Style 0-5 mm long. Ovules 2, collaterally attached to the stylar vein near the summit of the ovary. Fruit unknown. Flowering recorded July- November. Figures I2I-I28; Map 4. Specimens exammed: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Victoria Desert Camp 54, R. Helms, \1 Sep. 1891 (AD, MEL, NSW); 18 miles (29 km) N of Cundeelee. A. S. George 5879, 21 Sep. 1963 (PERTH): 10 km NE of Cundeelee, D. IF. Goodall 2995, 2 July 1966 (PERTH). Only fragmentary details are available on the occurrence of this rarely-collected species. It is known only from two areas some 230 km apart, near Queen Victoria Spring and Camp 54 of the Elder Expedition (lat. 29 S, long. I25°E — see Eardley 1950); in the former it has been recorded on red sand and on yellow sand with Friodia and mallee eucalypts. It is distinguished from other species in the group having 2 ovules and 10 stamens by having a narrow-, cylindrical, almost ribless floral tube and the flowers far exceeding the leaves. 7. Micromyrtus flaviflora (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex J. M. Black, Flora of South Australia 424 (1926). Thrvptomene flaviflora F. Muell, Fragm. 8: 13 (1873). Type: "In montibus McDonnell’s Ranges Australiae centralis; E. Giles” (holo: MEL 71329). Thryptomene trachveatyx F. Muell, Fragm, 10: 25 (1876). Type: "Inter Ularing et Mount Jackson; Young." (lecto; MEL'70810; iso: MEL 71366), syn. nov. Micromyrtus irachycalyx (F. Muell.) C. A, Gardner, Enum. PI. Austral Occ. 96 (1931). Shrub, erect, loose or spreading, 0-3-1 -5 m high; stems with reddish-brown, papery bark. ’ Leaves imbricate, decussate, oblong-obovate, plano-convex, ^ keeled. 1-2 mm long. 0-5-1 mm broad, somew'hat glaucous with several oil glands, margins usually minutely denticulate. Flowers solitary, axillary, typically 4 mm long, often appearing clustered, subterminal on the branches. Bracteoles complicate, 2 mm long, deciduous. Peduncle usually 1 -5-2-5 mm long, exceeding the leaves. Floral lube 2-5 mm long. 1 -5 mm broad, 202 Nuytsia Vol, 3 (2) 1980 Figures 129-134, Micromyrtiis flaviflora: 129 — Habit. 130 — Leaf, lateral-adaxial, abaxial. 131 — Sepal. 132 — Petal. 133 — Stamen, from outside, inside. 134 — Floral tube, LS showing ovules, spongy meso- carp and stylar vein. 129-132 from Latz 882; 133-134 from Cleland s.n.. Between Musgrave and Mann Ranges. Aug 1954. Figures 135-143. Micromyrtiis barhata: 135 — Habit. 136 — Leaf, lateral, TS and abaxial. 137 — Flower, external. 138 — Segment of floral tube wall with hairs. 139 — Sepal. 140 — Petal and stamen from inside. 141 — Flower, LS showing ovules and hairs of the floral tube. 142 — Stamen from inside showing connective gland. 135-136, 138, 143 from George 12179; 137, 139 140-142 from Fairall 2090. .1. W. Green, Thryplomenc and Microniyrtus in Cemral Australia 203 obconical to urceolatc, often becoming excentrically swollen, strongly granular-muricate, often obscurely 5-angled opposite the sepals. Sepals 0-9 mm long, 1-2 mm broad, semi- orbicular, obtuse, sometimes minutely serrulate, petaloid, often complicate when dry. Petals ± orbicular, 2 mm diameter, yellow (sometimes becoming brick red), white or purple; margin denticulate to almost entire. Disc shallowly concave. Stamens 5, on the margin of the disc, I mm long; filaments filiform, 0-8 mm long; anthers versatile. 0-8 mm long, dehiscing by two longitudinal, parallel stomia; connective gland globular, simple, 0-2 mm diameter. Style 0-4 mm long. Ovules 7 10, collaterally attached to the stylar vein near the summit of the ovary, contained within a fine membrane or enveloped in dense spongy tissue. Seed single, 2 mm long. Flowering recorded January, April- November. Figures 129-134; Map 7. Selection of specimens examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Victoria Desert Camp 54, R. Helms 16 Sep. 1891 (AD, MEL); E of Laverton, E. de C. Clarke 149. July 1916 (PERTH); W of Pollock Hills 22 46'S, 127 30'E, A. S. George 9059, 28 July 1967 (NT, PERTH); near Lakes Pcrcival and Wooloomba, 21 33'S, 123 50'E, H. A. Johnson 9768. 15 Aug. 1962 (AD, MEL, NSW, NT, PERTH); 6 miles (10 km) W Boorabie Soak, D. L. Serventv. 18 Aug. 1960 (PERTH); 12 miles ( 19 km) S Cunyu, N. H. Speck 1203. 12 Aug. 1958 (CANB. PERTH); Cue, near Ml. Farmer. K. F. Kennetdiy 70A, 4 Oct. 1965 (UWA); Gunbarrcl Highway. 10 miles (16 km) W of junction N of Warburton, A. S. George 8195, 1 Oct. 1966 (PERTH); 20 miles (32 km) NE Laverton, A. S. George 8090. 28 Sep. 1966 (NT. PERTH); N of Lake Bailee. C. A. Gardner 19039, 10 Oct. 1966 (PERTH); Wiaiki. F. H. Vther Baker n.d. (PERTH); II miles (18 km) E of Notabilis Hill. Gtinbarrel Highway, A. S. George 5372, 24 Jtily 1963 (PERTH); 13 miles (21 km) NE Wiluna, A. S. George 5608. 28 July 1963 (NSW, PERTH); 40 miles (64 km) E of Sandstone. It'. E. lilackall 456, 14 Aug. 1931 (PERTH); 1 1 miles (18 km) NE Cosmo Newberrv, A. S. George 2861, 24 Aug. 1961 (PERTH); 5-6 miles (8-10 km) N Menzies, C. A. Gardner 2153, 16 Sep. 1927 (PERTH); 35 miles (56 km) W of Sandstone. R D Rovee 10479, 17 Oct. 1972 (PERTH); 75 miles (120 km) N of Paynes Find. C. A. Gardner 14375. 26 Aug 1963 (PERTH). NORTHERN TERRITORY: S side of Gills Range, R. Tate 1894 (AD); 20 miles (32 km) NW of Docker River settlement. P. K. Latz 882, 29 Oct. 1970 (NT); Tempe Downs, R. H. Thornton 1896 (MEL); Ayer's Rock, A'. F. Learmonth. Oct. 1952 (MEL); Glen Edith, H. H. Finlayson Jan. 1930 (.AD); W extremity of MacDonnell Ranges, prob. S of Haast Bluff. E. Rieschieck. ca Oct, 1956 (MEL, NT). SOUTH AUSTRALIA; Elder Exploring Exped., Camp 4 (27 S, 132 E), R. Helms, 12 June 1891 (AD, MEL, PERTH); ca 25 km W of Cheeseman's Peak. R. B. Major 127, 1966 (AD). This widespread and common desert species occurs principally in Western Australia but also in adjacent areas of Northern Territory and South Australia, occurring character- istically on red, sandy dunes and plains, in association with species of Triodia. Eucalyptus (malices), Casuarina, Ercmoplula, Acacia or Atriplex. Considerable variation of leaf and perianth morphology, as well as perianth colour, occurs over the geographie range of the species. To the east, sepals, petals and leaf margins tend to be dentieulate and petals uniformly yellow; progressing westwards, denticulation becomes less pronounced; north of Warburton, petals have been described by one collector as becoming reddish with age; white petals are common in the area bounded by Carnegie, Sandstone, Menzies and Laverton; near the south-western limit of distribution purple or pink petals have been commonly recorded, together with entire petals and sepals; and at Wiaiki, specimens with very small leaves occur. The taxonomic status of flower-colour variants, such as that referable to M. trachycalyx, remains unresolved for want of detailed information on the field populations. 8. IVIicroniyrtus barbata J. W. Green, sp. nov. Frntex: folia anguste obovalo-oblonga. plano-convexa. minute ciliolata, infra prope apicem carinata; pores solitai-ii, axillares, breviler pedunculati. saepe aliquot aggregati subterminaliter; tabus floris obconicus, pilis usque ad I -5 mm longis fiavis patentibus vel rellexis dense barbalus, infra papillalus, sine costis; sepala -t orbicularia, 1-5 m diam., marginibus hmbriatis; petala elliptica sepalis dupio longiora, alba, marginfbus integris; stamina 5, 2 mm longa; lilamenta filiformia; glans connectivi subglobularis apice porato; ovnla 2, collateralia. Tvpe: 104 km SW of Warburton, Gibson Desert, W.A., A. S. George 12179, 27 July 1974 (holo; PERTH; iso; AD, CANB, K., MEL, NT, PERTH). ( 4)— 96592 204 Nuylsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Shrub 0-25-0'7 in high. Leaves imbricate, decussate, narrowly obovate-oblong, plano- convex, ^ keeled below towards the apex, 1-3 mm long, 0-7 mm broad, obtuse or with a minute, terminal mucro, somewhat glaucous, with several oil glands; margins minutely ciliate. Flowers solitary in the upper axils, often several clustered together subterminally, at maturity 7 mm long, enclosed in the bud by two folded bracteoles with ciliate margins. Peduncle 1-1-5 mm long. Floral lube obconical, densely bearded with yellow, spreading or reflexed hairs up to 1-5 mm long. Sepals semi-elliptical 1 -5 mm diameter, the margins fimbriate. Petals elliptical, twice as long as the sepals, creamy-white or white, the margins entire. Disc deeply concave. Stamens 5, 2 mm long; filaments filiform, I -6 mm long; anthers versatile, dehiscing by two longitudinal, parallel stomia; gland subglobular, narrowing between the thecae to a truncate tip. Ovules 2, collaterally attached to the stylar vein in the upper quarter of the ovary and contained within a fine membrane. Fruit not seen. Flowering recorded .luly. Figures 135-143; Map 7. Additional specimen examined: WESTERN AUSTRALIA : 28 ■ 5 miles (46 km) Carnegie to Mount Everard, A. R. Fail-all 2090. 28 July 1966 (PERTH). This very distinctive and apparently rare species is known only from the above local- ities, some 340 km apart, in red sand country of the Gibson Desert. The type was collected near a creekline, on a Triodia plain. The distribution is within the range of Micromyrtus flaviflora, to which M. barbala is related but from which it differs markedly in the bearded floral tube, fewer ovules and longer stamens. Acknowledgements I acknowledge with pleasure the advice and assistance given by my colleague Mr. P. G. Wilson, particularly in matters of typification and nomenclature. T also thank my other colleagues and my wife for helping me with discussions on many occasions. The Latin descriptions were supplied by Mr. A. S. George, while the manuscript was read by Mr. R. J. Henderson, Dr. N. G. Marchant and Mr. P. G. Wilson, all of whom made many helpful suggestions for improvement. Mrs Wendy Lee-Frampton is thanked for drawing the maps and for other technical assistance. Miss V. L. Hamley is thanked for typing the manuscript. References Austin, M. P. & Nix, H. A. (1978). Regional classification of climate and its relation to Australian range- land. In “Studies of the Australian Arid Zone, III. Water in Rangelands" (CSIRO: Melbourne). Bcntham, G. (1867). “Flora Australiensis” v.3 (Reeve: London). Chippendale, G. M. (1971). Check list of Northern Territory Plants. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales 96' 207-267. Douglas, G. E. (1957). The inferior ovary II. Hot. Rev. 23: 1-46. Eardley, C. M. (1950). Some early Australian plant collections. Robert Helms and the Elder Exoedition Collections. Australas. Herb. News 7 : 10-14. ^ Esau, K. (1965). Plant Anatomy. (Wiley: New York). Fahn, A. (1974). Plant Anatomy. (Pergamon: Oxford). Isa™ '-ep,osp.™„id.a,, T„b. ^ (erminology for the spore-containing parts of anthers. New Phvtol Parkin, J. (1955). A plea for simpler gynoecium. Phytomorphol. 5:46-47. '^^®’Anstra/l^Rm 27 ‘"s° 47 ^he Myrtaceae and its taxonomic implications. J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 205 Index to numbered collections seen (Species numbers in brackets) Thryptomene Allen 106 (1): Alright 26 ( 1 ). 27 (1); Altholer 205 (7); Armstrong 4 ( 11; Ashby 3568 (1), 4214(1); Basedow 75 (1); Beard 4789 (1); Bcauglcholc 10221 (1), 20245 (1). 20508 (1), 22801 (I), 26475 (1). 26894 (1), 2750 (4); Bennett 84 (1); Blake 9927 (2); Broadbent 981 (1); Butler 109 (I). HA50 (1); Chippendale 1301 (1), 2917 (1); Chinnock 438 (1 1; Clarke 10 (1): CIcland 41(1); Cockburn ? BPS38 (I); Cornwall 235 (1); Crisp 111 (6); 352 (I); Cunningham 513 (7): Davis 183 (6); Donner 4340 (1); Dunlop 1883 (I), 2367 (1); Evenst 2160 (2); 2828 (2); l-airall 1905 (I), 1983 (I), 2010 (1); Forde 407 (I), 660 (6). 919 (I); George 2874 (I), 2887 (I), 2923 (I), 3903 (1). 3988 (I). 4563 (1). 4787 (I). 5266 (1), 5368 (I), 5625 (1), 8426 (5), 9053 (I), 15584 (1). 15626 (I): Gittins 1223 (7). 2053 (1); ? Gittins 375 (2); Grattc 3554 (1); Green 4678 (2); Hill 210 (1); 536 (6); Hill & Lothian 717 (I): 934 (4): Hubbard 7095 (2); 7826 (2). 8301 (6); Ising 1312 (6); Johnson, 11. A., 5092 (I); Johnson. R. W. 1251 (2): Kuchel 64 (I); Latz 961 (I); Lay 76 (1); Lazandes 5739 (I ), 6134 (1), 6171 (I), 8309 (I), 8.333 (1); Lothian 716 (I), 3920 (I), 3923 (I), 3992 (I), 3993 (I). 4422 (I) 5616 (1), 5520 (6), 5,521 (6), 5691 (6), 5692 (6); Maconochie 490 (I): Major 14 (I); MacGillivray 955 (7) 2957 (7); Mitchell 914(3); Moore 3577(7); Moreombe 133-4(3); Munir 5131 (1); Must 84 (I); Nelson 968 (1); Nicholls 966 (I): Orchard 748 (I); Pedley 887 (2), 1741 (2). 2500 (7); Perry 5601 (1); Powell 73097 (!)• Royce 1580 (I), 1753 (1); Schurcltff 8361 & Symon (I); Smith 10250 (2), 1 1351 (2); Smith & Evenst 974 (2); Speck 863 (I), 1141 (I), 1233 (1), 1311 (1), 1424 (1): Spooner 131 (1); Symon 27 (1), 72 (1), 2415 (I), 8381 (I); Weber 208 (1); White, C. T. 11871 (7), 11873 (2); White, S. A., 15 (I), 153 (I); Williams 72017 (2); Wilson, H. M.. 1 (I); Wilson. P. G. 7358 (1); Winkworth 55 (I), 843 (1), 1144 (I), 1229 (I); Wittwer 1 109 (4); Yengoyan et al. 6(1). Micromyrtus Aitken & Hutchinson HA58 (7); Alright 20 (7); Altholer 48 (I), 204 (I); Aplin 2397 (7); Beard 4895 (7), 6544 (7)- Bcauglehole 26895 (7); Bennett 70 (7); dc Beuzeville 147 (I); Blackall 456 (7), 4164 (7), 4223 (7); Boswell C40 (2)- Chinnock 541 (7), 629 (7); Chippendale 2918 (7); Clarke 149 (7); Cockburn 22 (1); Crisp 364 (7)' Donner 4398 (7), 4462 (7); Ebersohn E72 (I); Everist 3098 (1); Everist & White 44 (I); Fairall 2035 (7) 7090 (8)' Gardner 2153 (7). 14375 (7), 19039 (7); George 2841 (2), 2861 (7), 2964 (7), 4853 (7), 5372 (7)’ 6459 (7), 5608 (7), 5846 (2), 5879 (6), 5951 (5), 6006 (6), 8006 (7), 8090 (7), 8195 (7), 8375 (3). 841 1 l2)' 9059 (7). 9122 (7). 12179 18); Goodall 2995 (6); Gordon 36 (I); dc Graaf 136 (7); Harper 2 (7); Hill (STLothian 812 (7); Hockings 4(1); Johnson, H. A. 5099 (7), 9768 (7); Kenneally 70A (7); Latz 882 (7)- Lazarides 6136 (7); 8299 (7)' 8310 (7); Maconochie 679 (7). 805 (7), 1393 (7), 1806 (7), 1868 (7); Main 55*'> ('’)■ Maior 127 (7); Martens/. 48 (I): McKee 10346 (I); Moore 3586 (I). 3854 (1); Pedley 2428 (1); Reaan 7 (1)' Rovee 5517 (2); 10479 (7), 10481 (7). Serventy (7); Smith. L. S. 6004 (I), 6414 (I); Speck P()3 (7) 1499 (7); Symon 2414 (7); White 11872 (I); Williams 10762 (3); Wilson. H. M. 2 (7); Wilson, p7g. 7457 (7). 2o6 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Map 2. Distribution of Thryptoinene paniflora ( A), Thryptomene wittwerH^M) and Thryptomene nealen- sis (#). 207 J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia Map 3. Distribution of Thryptomene naviciilala (M), Thryptomene ellinitii (#) and Thryptomene hexandrai. k). Map 4. Distribution of Micromyrtus hexamera ( 4 ) and Micromyrtus stenocalyx (•). 208 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Map 5. Distribution of Microniyrtus hymenonema (A) and Micromyrlits fimhriscpala (•) Map 6. Distribution of Microniyrtus helmsii (•) and Microniyrtus serru/atci ( A). J. W. Green, Thryptomene and Micromyrtus in Central Australia 209 Map 7. Distribution of Micromyrrii.s flaviflora (A) and Micromyrtus harhala (•). Index Species currently recognised and principal page references are in bold type. Micromyrtus barbata J. W. Green 202, 203, 209 M. ciliata (Sm.) Druce 196 M. fimbriscpala .1. \V. Green 197, 198, 208 M. flaviflora (F. Muell.) F. Mucll. ex J. M. Black 201, 202, 209 M. helmsii (F'. Muell. ct Tate) J. W, Green 199, 200, 208 M. hcxamera (Maid, et Betehe) Maid, el Betche 194, 195, 207 M. hymcnonema (F. Muell.) C. A. Gardn. 196, 197, 208 M, leptocalyx (F. Mucll.) Benth. 196 M. racemosa Benth. 201 M. scrrulala .1. W. Green 199. 200, 208 M. stenocalyx (F. Muell.) J. W. Green 199, 201, 207 M. trachycalyx (F, Muell.) C. A. Gardn. 201 Thryptomene auriculata F. Muell. 185 T. calycina (Lindl.) Stapf 193 T. clliottii F. Muell. 191, 192, 207 T. ericaea F. Mucll. 193 T. flaviflora F. Muell. 201 T. helmsii F. Muell. et Tate 200 T. hexamera Maid, et Betche 195 T. hexandra C. T. White 193, 194, 207 T. hymenonema F. Muell. 196 T. maisonneuvci F. Muell. 185, 186, 206 T. micrantha Hook. f. 193 T. naviculata J. W. Green 188, 189, 207 T. nealensis .1. W. Green 190, 191, 206 T. oligandra F. Muell. 187 T. parviflora (F. Muell. ex Benth.) Domin 186, 187, 206 T. stenocalyx F. Muell, 201 T. trachycalyx F. Muell. 201 T. whiteae J. M. Black 192 T. wittweri J. W. Green 189, 190, 206 Paul G. Wilson, A new species of Urocarpus A new species of Urocarpus (Rutaceae) from Western Australia By Paul G. Wilson Western Australian Herbarium Abstract Wilson, Paul G. A new species of Urocarpus (Rutaceae) from Western Australia. Nuytsia 3, 2; 211-213 (1980). A new species of Urocarpus Drunim. ex Harv. (Rutaceae) is described from near Bin- doon, Western Australia. It differs from U. praiuliflorus (Hook.) P. G. Wilson in having narrowly oblong leaves and smaller flowers which are white in colour. In carpel number it provides a link between Urocarpus s.sir. and Asterolasia F. Muell.. supporting the sug- gestion that the latter genus should not be maintained. A new species of Urocarpus is described in order to validate its inclusion in the pro- jected Flora of the Perth Region. It was, until recently known from only three collections, all received since my treatment of the genus in 1972, and all referred incorrectly to U. pallicius (Benth.) P. G. Wilson. Urocarpus niveus P. G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Fig. 1) Frutex dense ramosus ad 0-5 m altus. Folia breviter petiolata; lamina anguste oblonga ad oblonga, 6-12 X 1 • 5-4 mm. Petala alba, facie exteriore cum trichomatibus solidus minute echinatis ornata. Stamina 16-20. Type: P. G. H'llson 1 1704, ca. 20 km N of Bindoon (ca. 31‘’12'S, 1 16°I0'E) Western Aus- tralia, 19 Sept. 1979 (holo PERTH; iso CANB, K, NSW). Weak, densely branched sub-shrub to 0-5 m high. Branches slender, sparsely stellate, pubescent. Leaves shortly petiolate; lamina narrowly oblong to oblong, 6-12 x 1-5-4 mm, somewhat coriaceous (chartaceous when in shade), entire, flat or with recurved margins, sparsely stellate-pubescent, becoming scabridulous above with age. Umbels when terminal 3-6 flowered (lateral umbels I -flowered on very short axillary shoots), surrounded by 2-3 leaves and a few petaloid bracts 3-4 mm long. Sepals inconspicuous, broadly triangular, ca. 0-3 mm long. Petals induplicate-valvate in bud, spreading, white, elliptic, 8-10 mm long, glabrous within, covered outside with solid, sub-spherical, shortly cchinate trichomes which, in the bud. form an armour-like covering. Stamens 16-20, somewhat shorter than and deciduous before the petals; filaments slender, glabrous; anthers yellow, oblong, I -5 mm long, with a small terminal gland. Disc very small and inconspicuous. Ovary ellipsoidal, 2 mm long including the short solid carpel apices, stellate-hairy; carpels 3 or 4, free but united by the slender .style; stigma with 3 or 4 short stout recurved lobes. Fruiting cocci ca. 5 mm long each with a slender beak ca. 3 mm long which becomes divaricate with age. Seeds oblong, 3 mm long: testa smooth, dull and dark brown; placental endocarp thin, deciduous from seed. Distribution: Western Australia. Southwest Botanical Province: near Bindoon, ca 110 km N of Perth. 212 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 3 mm 5 mm g Figure 1. Urocarpus niwus P. G. '^\\%on. A — habit. B — flower bud. C — induplicate petal. D — stel- late hair from petal. E — stamen (adaxial view). F — stamen (abaxial view). G — gynoecium. H — L.S. gynoecium. I — flower. J — petal (abaxial view). K — fruit. L— dehisced coccus. M — endocarp. N — seed. From P. G. Wilson 11704. Paul G. Wilson, A new spcdes of Urocarpus 213 Western Australia: Near Bindoon, Great Northern Highway, Sep. 1963, E. DuffiekI (PERTH); Near Bindoon, 12 Sep, I960, C. A. Ca/Y//;c'/ ( PERTH); South of Moore River, Aug. 1966, C. A. Ga/Yf/ie/' (PERTH). Habitat: Eucalyptus calophylla (Marri) woodland on clay with lateritic gravel. Conservation Status (Spccht 1974): Endangered. Urocarpus niveiis is superficially like U. pallidus (Benlh.) P. G. Wilson since both species have white flowers. In U. pallidus, however, the hairs on the petals are stellate (not of a solid sub-spherical globule) and the leaves are broadly elliptic (not oblong). Urocarpus niveus is most closely related to U. yrandi/lorus (Hook.) P. G. Wilson; the latter species has similar petal hairs but differs in flower size and colour (larger, pink- mauve petals), and in leaf shape (ovate to elliptic), while it is restricted in its distribution to a small area near York. On plants growing in the open the leaves of U. niveus are somewhat coriaceous and their margins recurved; in the shade, however, the leaves are chartaceoLis and flat. The genus Urocarpus Drumm. et Harvey (early 1855) I consider to include the genera Asterolasia F. Muell. (late 1855) and Pleitrandrapsis Baill. (1872) (see Wilson 1971). It may be distinguished from other members of the tribe Boronieae by the following associ- ation of characters: (1) Flowers in umbels and maturing in succession. (2) Virtual absence of disc. (3) Inconspicuous calyx. (4) Induplicate-valvate petals. Bentham (1863) divided the genus (as Asterolasia) into two sections; the first, con- taining those species with five carpels, he called sect. Euasterolasia ( Phehalium sect. Correoides Endl., 1840), and the second, those with two to three carpels, he called sect. Urocarpus (Harv.) Benth. The species belonging to the first section are found in Victoria and New South Wales while tho.se of the second occur in South Australia and Western Australia. The number of carpels varies in the Western Australian species; U. phehalioides Harv. has two carpels, U. pallidus (Benth.) P. G. Wilson. U. gnindiflorus, and U. squanndigerus (Hook.) P. G. Wilson have either two or three carpels while the newly described species, U. niveus, has either three or four carpels. Since there is a trans- ition between the 2- and 5- carpellary condition, a generic or infrageneric separation based on this character docs not appear to be warranted. A transfer to the genus Urocarpus, of those species of Asterolasia found in New South Wales and Victoria, has still to be made. This step, however, should be taken only after the taxonomic complexities of that group have been cleared up. The Conservation Status of “Endangered” has been given to this species since it is now only known in nature from a few wayside plants, although it is possible that other populations may be present in the remnants of forest near Bindoon. Acknowledgement The illustration of a plant from the type collection was prepared by Margaret A. Menadue. References Bentham, G. 1863. Flora Australiensis vol. I. (Reeve & Co.: London.) Endlicher, S. L, 1840, Genera Plantarum p. 1156. (Beck: Vienna.) Specht, r'. L., Roe, E. M. and Boughton, V. H. 1974. Conservation of major plant communities in Aus- tralia anti Papua New Guinea, Aust. .1. Bot. suppl. vol. 7. Wilson, P. G. 1971. Taxonomic notes on the family Rutaceae. principally of Western Australia. Nuytsia I : ’197-207. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Kippistia 215 Reinstatement of the genus Kippistia F. Muell. (Asteraceae, Astereae) Nicholas S. Lander^ and Rhonda Barry^ Abstract Lander, Nicholas S, and Barry, Rhonda. Reinstatement of the genus Kippistia F. Muell, (Asteraceae, Astereae). Nuytsia 3, 2: 215-219 (1980). The Australian monotypic genus Kippistia F. Muell., previously included under Mimiria DC., is reinstated. Distinguishing features are presented and the single species, K. siiaedifolia, is redescribed; nomenclatural notes and a distribution map are provided. Introduction Mueller (1859) erected the monotypic genus Kippistia to accommodate specimens collected at Stuart Creek, South Australia on Babbage's Expedition. It was included under Mimiria by Bentham (1867). a practice followed by all subsequent authors. Recon- sideration of all available material of this taxon in connection with our recent study of Minuria (Lander & Barry, 1980) suggests that Mueller's genus Kippistia is deserving of reinstatement. Discussion Capitulum: In Minuria capitula are heterochromous with yellow disc florets but with ray florets ranging in colour from white, through violet, mauve, lilac, lavender to pink and often quite variable in one species though never yellow'. The capitula of Kippistia are homochromous with ray and disc florets uniformly and constantly yellow. Rax floret style: The ray floret stigma lobes of all species of Minuria are subulate with conspicuously papillose stigmatic lines. The stigma lobes of the sterile ray florets in Kippistia are smooth and completely lack stigmatic lines. Ray acliene: Whereas ray achenes are invariably fertile in all species of Minuria, those of Kippistia are often sterile being flattened, translucent and without ovules, a feature noted also by Black ( 1929). Rax pappus: In Minuria the ray pappi usually consist of many free, barbellate bristles. M'. denticulata and M. gardneri have 7-10 such bristles per pappus. M. denticidata, M. integerrima and A/, rigida have bristles which are increasingly more densely barbed towards their tips; those of other species are uniformly barbellate. In M. niacrocephala the pappus consists of c. 35 tapering, capillary bristles often united in clumps. In Kippistia the ray pappus is variable, consisting of many barbellate bristles either free to their bases or connate into a cup surmounted by a few bristles; the cup is sometimes elongated to form a distinctive tube. '■ Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, Western Australia 6151. ® Fisher Library, Lfniversity of Sydney, New South Wales 2006. 216 Nuylsia Vol. 3 ( 2 ) 1980 Disc florets: Tetramerous disc florets are found in Minuria integerrima (Davis, 1964; Lander & Barry, 1980) and have been observed in other genera of Astereae (Gardner, 1977; Grau, 1977). This character can also be observed in Kippistia suaedifoUa. Disc achcne: Whereas disc achenes are sterile in Minuria or even absent altogether in one apomictic species, M. integerrima (Davis, 1964; Lander & Barry, 1980), they are swollen, opaque, contain ovules and are probably fertile in Kippistia. Disc pappus: In Minuria there is considerable variation in the structure of disc pappi which, in general, consist of a mixture of shorter and longer, more or less free, barbellate bristles. In M. annua these shorter bristles are often united into fimbriate scales. In M. integerrima and M. chippendalei the shorter bristles are absent altogether or reduced to inconspicuous scales, a condition approached by M. denticulata where these shorter bristles are minute. Two species of Minuria are quite exceptional. In M. gardneri the pappus consists of a cup of connate scales occasionally surmounted by one, rarely more (up to eight) bristles. In M. macrocephaia the shorter disc pappus bristles are variable, being either capillary or else broad, barbellate and branching towards the apices into finer tips. The disc pappus of Kippistia consists of a cup of short, more or less connate bristles surmounted by up to eight longer, barbed bristles thus approaching the condition found in A/, gardneri. Rarely, all the bristles are united to form a tube making disc and ray pappi indistinguishable. Chemistry: Kippistia suaedifolia is remarkable for its peculiar and strongly aromatic odour not found in any species of Minuria. The “. . . volatile oil obtained by steam distillation of the whole flowering plant . . . contained, apart from very small amounts of other com- ponents, about 30% of limonene and 60% of perillyl acetate. The occurrence of limonene is une.xceptional. However, perillyl acetate is a very uncommon natural product indeed. It occurs for instance in small amounts only in the oil of spearmint” (Lassak, pers. comm.). To date, the oils of Minuria species have not been examined. Affinities: Despite the reliance placed on heterochromicity of the capitulum as a sub- tribal character by Bentham and Hooker (1873) and Hoffman (1889), Kippistia seems best placed in Asterinae (Heterochromeae Benth. & Hook.). We now know several genera which possess both homochromous and heterochromous heads including Pen- tachaeta, Felicia, Mairia. and Machaeranthera (Grau, 1977) and Calotis (Davis, 1952). Ray colour, therefore, while expressive of a trend within the tribe does not prevent us from retaining Kippistia in the Asterinae. Kippistia is undoubtedly most closely related to Minuria and shares with it the woody perennial habit; the naked receptacle; two or more rows of ray florets; obtuse anther ba.ses; dimorphic pappi— those of ray florets being markedly different in dimensions or morphology from those of the disc; and the single row of pappus hairs. Further evidence to support the inclusion of Kippistia in the Asterinae comes from our observations on the disc styles which conform to those of the second type of sterile style described by Grau (1977) in which the disc stigma lobes are pubescent on their dorsal surfaces with patent or spreading uniseriate hairs which extend below the point of bi- furcation. In the sub-tribe Asterinae these disc styles have previously been found only in the Australian genera Calotis and Minuria. The only other genus in the tribe Astereae in which such styles are found is another Australian genus, ErodiophyUum, in the sub- tribe Bellidinae Benth. & Hook. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Kippistia 1\1 Diagnostic key to Kippistia and Minuria 1. Capitula homochromous with disc and ray florets both yellow; ray achenes often sterile; ray pappus of many barbellate bristles free to their bases or con- nate into a cup surmounted by a few bristles, sometimes elongated to form a tube; disc achenes fertile; plant strongly aromatic Kippistia F. Muell. 1*. Capitula heterochromous with disc florets yellow and rays white, blue, pink, mauve, etc.; ray achenes always fertile; ray pappus bristles never united to form a cup or tube; disc achenes sterile or absent altogether; plants not aro- or only slightly so . ... .... .... .... .. . ... Minuria DC. Taxonomy The name Kippistia honours Richard Kippist, librarian of the Linnean Society of London from 1840 to 1880. Kippistia F. Muell., Rep. Bab. Exped. 12 (1859) Type: K. suacdifoUa F. Muell. K. suaedifolia F. Muell., I.c.; F. Mueller, PI. Indig. Col. Victoria fig. 35 (1864-5). Mintirici suueciifoliu (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex Benth., FI. Austral. 3: 499 (1867); J. M. Black, FI. South Australia Ed., 2, 858 (1957).— Aftarr/u kippisticiiia F. Muell.. PI. Indig. Col. Victoria fig. 35 (1864-5) nom. pro. syn. — Theni:;eron suaedifolia (F. Muell.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 368-9 (1891). Neotype (here designated); Streaky Bay to Venus Bay, Babbage MEL 70481, undated (MEL). It has not been possible to locate the specimen originally cited by Mueller collected by Babbage at Stuart Creek. Mueller stated that “only a small fragment occurs amongst the plants of the expedition." A compact perennial shrub to 60 cm high, strongly aromatic. Stems woody, older ones sometimes gnarled, yellowish green to brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, sometimes in clusters along old branches, linear, to 2-4 cm long, c. 0-5 mm wide, glabrous; apices apiculate to uncinate; margins entire. Capitula pedunculate, terminal, broadly conical, to 7 mm in diameter, homochromous. Jnvolucial bracts in 3 rows, yellowish green, lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, c. 0-7 mm wide; margins of all rows membranous; apices acute,' fimbriate, glabrous with a single prominent rib. Receptacle sharply convex, naked. Ray florets many in several rows, pistillate; ligules yellow. 0-8-1 -8 mm long, 0-2-0-5 mm wide; floral tube 1 -0-1 -2 mm long; stigma lobes subulate, 0-3-0-7 mm long, glab- rous; achenes both fertile and sterile, pale brown to yellow, linear in outline, 0-7-0-9 mm long, 0-2-0 -3 mm wide, sparsely pubescent at base with notched twin-hairs; pappus of many barbellate bristles free to their bases or united to form a cup I -2-1 -4 mm long, surmounted by a few free hairs, rarely with all hairs united into a long tube. Disc florets hermaphrodite; floral tube 1-4-2-3’mm long; anthers 0-6-1 -0 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide with acute sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, 0-8-1 -5 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide, densely pubescent with adpressed, iiniseriate hairs to just below the point of bifurcation; achene fertile, opaque, flattened, elliptical in outline, glabrous, 0-3-0 -6 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide; pappus consisting of a cup, of short more or less connate bristles 0- 5-0-8 mm long, surmounted by up to 8 longer barbed bristles I -5-1 -8 long, rarely w'ith all bristles united to form a tube. 218 Nuytsia Vol 3 (2) 1980 Flowering Period: August to October. Habitat: Occurs on a variety of soils usually around salt lakes and often in association with gypsum deposits. Distribution: See map I. Figure 1. Distribution of Kippistia snaedifolia based on herbarium collections. We have examined and annotated all available material of Kippistia snaedifolia from the following herbaria: AD, BRl, CANB, MEL, NSW, NT, and PERTH. The following list records only a few collections from each State. No attempt has been made to indicate the full range of variation by this list. All collections examined have been mapped by marking their occurrence in one degree squares superimposed on Bonnes Equal Area Projection of Australia. Selected Specimens: NEW SOUTH WALES: Marlow Gypsum Mine, 22 km N of Conoble. Pickard Aug. 1974 (NSW); NORTHERN TERRITORY: 13 km S of Wallera Range, Latz 4113, Aug. 1973 (ADI- SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Mt Lyndhyrst, Koch 352, Oct. 1898 (BRl, MEL. NSW); VICTORIA- Sandhills N of Tempy. Henshait Oct. 1967 (NT); WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Norseman, Andrews. Oct. 1903 (NSW. PERTH); 3 miles (5 km) N of Norseman on shore of Lake Cowan, Phillips CBG 015556 Sept 1962 (CBG. NSW); Lake King, 33°05'S, 119 34'E, tViison 7154, Aug. 1968 (NSW, PERTH). The bulk of this work was completed while both authors were employed at the National Herbarium of New South Wales. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Kippistia 219 References Bentham, G. (1867). Flora Australiensis vol. 3. (Lovell Reeve & Co.: London). Bentham, G., & Hooker, J. D. (1873). Genera Plantarum vol. 2. (William Pamplin, Lovell Reeve & Co., Williams & Norgate; London). Black, J. M. (1929). Flora of South Australia Part 4. (Government Printer; Adelaide). Dalla Torre, K. W. von & Harms, H. (1900-7). Genera Siphonogamarum ad Systema Englerianum Con- scripta. (Englemann: Lipsiae). Davis, G. L. (1952). Revision of the Genus Calotis R.Br. Proc. Linn. Sue. New South Wcile.s 11: 146-88. Davis, G. (1964). The Embryology of Minuria integenima: a somatic apomict. Phvtomorphology 14; 231-39. Gardner, R. C. (1977). Observations on Tetramerous Disc Florets in the Compositae. Rhodura 79; 139-146. Grau, J. (1977). Astereae — systematic review. In Heywood, V. H. et al: The Biology and Chem stry of the Compositae vol. 1. (Academic Press: London). Hoffmann, O. (1899). Compositae, In A. Engler & K. PrantI: Die Natiirlichen Pflanzenfamilien vol. 4. (Dunker & Humblot: Berlin). Lander, N. S. & Barry, R. (1980). A Review of the Genus Minuria DC. (Asteraceae, Astereae). Nuyt.iia 3, 2: 221-237 (1980). Lassak, E. V. (pers. comm.). Biological and Chemical Research Institute, Rydalmere, New South Wales, Australia. Mueller, E. J. H. (1859). Report on the plants collected during Mr. Babbage's expedition into the north- western interior of South Australia in 1958. In Victoria— Parliamentary Papers— Votes and Pro- ceedings of the Legislative Assembly 1859-60, 3 (No. 1): 1-21. (Government Printer: Melbourne). (5)— 96592 N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 221 A review of the genus Minuria DC. (Asteraceae, Astereae) Nicholas S. Lander^ and Rhonda Barry^ Abstract Lander, Nicholas S., and Barry, Rhonda. A review of the genus Minuria DC. (Asteraceae, Astereae). Nuytsia 3, 2: 221-237 (1980). Three new species in the Australian genus Minuria are described: M. chippendalei from the Northern Botanical Province of Western Australia and the Darwin and Gulf District of the Northern Territory; M. gardneri from the Eremaean and South West Botanical Prov- inces of Western Australia and the North Western Botanical Region of South Australia; M. macrocephala from the Eremaean Botanical Province of Western Australia. A key to all nine species of Minuria, nomenclatural notes, descriptions and distribution maps are provided. Introduction De Candolle (1836) erected the genera Elachothamnos, Minuria and Therogeron to accommodate taxa collected on the Lachlan River by Allan Cunningham. In later years two new genera, Kippistia F. Muell. (1859) and Minuriella Tate (1899), were described based on single collections. The first four of these genera were united under Minuria by Bentham (1867), Bentham & Hooker (1873), Hoft'man (1899) and Dalla Torre et Harms (1900-7). Tate's genus Minuriella was included in Minuria by Black (1929). Seven described species make up the genus Minuria as it has been recognized to date of which one species, Minuria suaedifolia (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex Benth., is returned to the monotypic genus Kippistia F. Muell. by us (Lander & Barry, 1980). In addition, three hitherto undescribed composites from Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory belong here. Thus we recognize a total of nine species in the genus Minuria. Minuria is in the tribe Astereae sub-tribe Asterinae, Australian members of which include Calotis, Vittadinia, Podocoma, Celmisia, Olearia and Erigeron. Minuria is easily distinguished from other genera in the Asterinae on the basis of the following combin- ation of characters; (I) the naked receptacle; (2) the two or more rows of ray florets; (3) the obtuse anther bases; (4) the dimorphic pappi — those of the ray florets are markedly different in morphology or dimensions from those of the disc; (5) the single row of pappus hairs; and (6) the dimorphic achenes — those of the ray are fertile whilst those of the disc are sterile. We have examined and annotated all available material of Minuria from the following herbaria: AD, NSW, CANB, MEL, BRI, NT and PERTH. The short lists of selected specimens given below record only a few collections from each State for which duplicates have been distributed, otherwise a single recent collection is cited. No attempt has been made to indicate the full range of variation of any species by such lists. For the three newly described taxa all specimens examined have been cited. For each species all collections have been mapped by marking their occurrence in one degree squares superimposed on Bonnes Equal Area Projection of Australia. 1 Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, Western Australia 6151 ^ Fisher Library, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 222 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 MINURIA DC. Minima DC., Prod. 5: 298 (1836); Steudel, Norn. Bot. ed. 2: 150 (1840-1); Bentham, FI. Austral. 3: 497-500 (1867); Bentham in Bentham & Hooker, Gen, PI. 2: 267 (1873); F. Mueller, Syst. Census Austral. PI. 77-8 (1882); Baillon, Hist. PI. 8: 136 (1886); Durand, Index Gen. Phan. 195 (1888); Hoffman in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4 (5): 159-60 (1889); F. Mueller, Sec. Syst. Census Austral. PI. 131 (1889); Baillon, Diet. Bot, 362 (1891); Dalla Torre & Harms, Gen. Siph. : 532 (1900-7); Lemee, Diet. Gen. Phan. 4: 490-1 (1932). Lectolype (here designated): M. teptophylla DC. Therogeron DC., Prod. 5: 283 (1836); Steudel, Nom. Bot. ed. 2, 679 (1840-1); Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 368-9 (1891). Lectolype (here designated): T, denticulatiim DC. Paratype: T. integerrimum DC. Elachothamnos DC., Prod. 5: 398 (1836); Steudel, Nom. Bot. ed. 2, 544 (1840-1). Type: E. cimninghami DC. Minuriella Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Austral. 23: 288-9 (1899); Dalla Torre & Harms, Gen. Siph. 636 (1900-7). — Minima .sect. Minuriella (Tate) Lemee, Diet. Gen. Phan. 4: 491 (1932). Type: Minuriella annua Tate After describing the monotypic genus Minuriella, Tate (l.c., 1899) noted “. . . the species typifies a new section or sub-genus, for which 1 propose the name Minuriella . . .”. Thus there seems to have been considerable doubt in Tate’s mind whether to treat the new entity as a genus, or as a section or sub-genus of Minuria. In the event he settled for the first of these alternatives and it would seem most expedient to treat the quotation above as a mere slip of the pen. Lemee (1932, l.c.) later validated the name Minuria sect. Minuriella. In our opinion little purpose would be served by recognizing sections in Minuria. The name Minuria is derived from the Greek minyros meaning small, thin and weak, probably alluding to the leaves of the type species, lil. leptophylla. Annual or perennial herbs or dwarf shrubs, erect or prostrate. Steins herbaceous, suffrutescent or woody, glabrous or variously pubescent. Leaves alternate, sometimes clustered, sessile, linear, lanceolate, ovate, obovate or spathulate, sometimes falcate, glabrous or variously pubescent, sometimes with small floral leaves or with leaves over- topping the capitula; margin entire, undulating, finely serrulate or conspicuously dentate; apex obtuse, acute or acuminate. Capitula pedunculate, solitary or rarely clustered, terminal, heterochromous. Peduncles i differentiated from main stems or branchlets, glabrous or variously pubescent. Jnvolucral bracts in 3-4 rows, linear to lanceolate, uniform, grading in size or dimorphic, glabrous or variously pubescent, with 0-2 prominent ribs; margin i membranous, entire or denticulate; apex acute to acuminate, entire or fimbriate, f tinged pink. naked, flat to noticeably convex. Ray florets many in 2 or more rows, estaminate; ligules white, violet, mauve, blue, lilac, lavender to pink, often quite variable in one species, -4- conspicuous; floral tube glabrous; stigma lobes subulate to lanceolate, with conspicuous papillose stigmatic lines, achene fertile, brown, reddish-brown, red, orange or yellow, ± prominently ribbed, glabrous or variously pubes- cent, T flattened, lanceolate, elliptical to obovate in outline; pappus of several to many free, barbellate bristles or of capillary bristles ± united in clumps. Disc florets staminate, yellow, pentamerous, rarely tetramerous; floral tube glabrous or variously pubescent with multicellular, biseriate hairs; anther bases obtuse; stigma lobes subulate or narrowly lanceolate, pubescent on dorsal surfaces to below point of bifurcation; achene sterile, glabrous or pubescent with notched twin-hairs, translucent or opaque, white, straw- coloured or reddish-brown, flattened, linear-lanceolate or elliptical in outline; pappus very variable, of dimorphic hairs, with both short and long ± free, barbellate bristles (shorter ones sometimes reduced to scales) capillary or branching towards apices, or else pappus a cup of connate scales surmounted by 1-8 bristles. A genus of nine species con- fined to Australia. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 223 Key to the species of Minuria 1 . Stems and peduncles entirely glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. 2. Capitula large, to 35 mm in diameter when open; ray achenes densely pubescent with glochidial twin-hairs 8 M. macrocephala N. S. Lander & R. Barry 2*. Capitula small, to 12 mm in diameter when open; ray achenes with notched or glochidial twin-hairs 3. Uppermost leaves overtopping capitula 1 M. annua (Tate) Tate ex J. M. Black 3*. Uppermost leaves not overtopping capitula 4. Ray pappus longer than achene; disc pappus hairs uniform with 8-10 barbellate bristles 1 • 5-2 0 mm long; ray achene with notched twin-hairs . 6 M. integerrima (DC.) Benth. 4*. Ray pappus shorter or equal to achene; disc pappus hairs di- morphic with short barbellate bristles c. 0-8 mm long, and c. 8 longer bristles 2-5-3'0 mm long; ray achenes with glochidial twin-hairs 9 M. rigida J. M. Black 1*. Stems and peduncles weakly to densely pubescent 5. Stems more or less wooly with multi-cellular stellate hairs; leaves some- what pubescent with unicellular hairs; leaf apices and margins often conspicuously dentate . . 4 M. denticulata (DC.) Benth. 5*. Stems pubescent with unicellular uniseriate hairs: leaves glabrous or pubescent with multicellular uniseriate hairs; leaf apices and margins entire 6. Leaves entirely glabrous. 7. Ray florets and conspicuous, ligules 5-7 mm long; ray achenes pubescent with glochidial twin-hairs; disc achenes glabrous 3 M. cunninghamii (DC.) Benth. 7*. Ray florets very small and inconspicuous, ligules less than 1 mm long; ray achenes with a sparse cover of adpressed notched twin-hairs; disc achenes with multi-cellular biseriate hairs 5. M. gardneri N. S. Lander & R. Barry 6*. Leaves sparsely to densely pubescent with multicellular uniseriate hairs 8. Ray achenes densely pubescent with notched twin-hairs; inner- most involucral bracts glabrous 7 M. leptophylla DC 8*. Ray achenes only moderately pubescent with notched twin- hairs; innermost involucral bracts pubescent with multicellular uniseriate hairs . . 2. M. chippendalei N. S. Lander & R. Barry 1. Minuria annua (Tate) Tate ex Black, FI. South Australia 589 (1929); J. M. Black, FI. South Australia Ed. 2, 859 (1957). Minuriella annua Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. South Australia 23: 288 (1899). Lectotype- “. . . Mount Lyndhurst Run near Farina, South Australia . . . discovered by Mr. Max Koch who has had the species under observation for two lowering seasons Koch 407, Aug. 1899 (lecto: AD 97625312; isolecto: AD 97630576, AD 98027006, BRI, CANB, MEL, NSW). Paratype: Koch 407, March-June 71900 as “1899” (AD 97625313). 224 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Annual herb 6-12 cm high. Stems herbaceous, pale green to brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, glabrous, to 3-3 cm long, c. 1 mm wide; margin entire; apex acute-obtuse with uppermost leaves overtopping capitula. Capitula solitary, term- inal, pedunculate, conical, to 8 mm in diameter. Peduncles pale green to brown, to 6 mm long, 0-5-10 mm wide, glabrous. Involucral bracts in 3 rows, pale green to yellow, lanceolate, glabrous, 3-4 mm long, c. I mm wide, with 2 prominent ribs on each bract; margin membranous; apex acute, fimbriate. Receptacle slightly convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate; ligule white, 1 -l-l-S mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; floral tube I •8-2-3 mm long; stigma lobes lanceolate, 0-3-0'8 mm long; achene fertile, brown, 1-5-2 -5 mm long, 0-3-0 -6 mm wide, moderately pubescent with adpressed notched twin-hairs; pappus of many uniformly barbellate bristles 2-3 mm long. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 2 0-2-8 mm long, glabrous; anthers c. 1 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide, with acute sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, 0- 7-1-1 mm long, c. 0- 1 mm wide; achene sterile, linear in outline, glabrous, 2-3 mm long. c. 0-3 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic bristles with short barbellate bristles free or united into fimbriate scales, c. 1 mm long, and 3-5 bristles 2 -6-2- 8 mm long with barbs longer and denser at tips. Flowering Period: August to October. Habitat: Low shrubland on calcareous soils. Distribution: See Fig. 1. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 225 Selected Specimens: SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 15 miles (23 km) NE of Monday Creek on road to “Murn- peowie Station, Symon 5604, Aug. 1968 (AD, CANS); NEW SOUTH WALES: 7 km NE of “McDougalls Well homestead, 95 km NNW of Broken Hill, Lander 64, Sept. 1971 (NSW). Affinities: M. annua bears an obvious resemblance to M. gardneri from which it can be distinguished by its glabrous stems, its annual habit and its leaves which overtop the capitula. The latter two characters are unique in the genus. Although Tate (1899) placed this species closest to M. suaedifolia ( = Kippistia suaedifolia) its gross similarity to young plants of the latter species is superficial only. Name: the specific epithet refers to the annual habit of this species which readily dis- tinguishes it from other members of the genus. 2. Minuria chippendalei N. Lander et R. Barry sp. nov. Species phyllaris pubescentibus a congeneribus diversa. Herba parva perennis. Achenia florum radiatorum fertilia, pilis furcatis geminis pubescentia etiam pappo setis multis liberis barbellatis ornata; achenia disci sterilia pilis i emarginatis binatis pubescentia etiam pappo setis quam eis acheniorum radi- atorum aliquantum longioribus ornata. Type: Wade Creek, Vansittart Bay, Western Australia, Gardner 1537, Oct. 1921 (holo: PERTH). Perennial herb 10-20 cm high. Stems suffrutescent, pale green, densely pubescent with patent, multicellular, uniseriate hairs becoming adpressed nearer the capitula. Leaves alternate, sessile, narrowly linear-lanceolate, to 1 1 mm long, to 1 mm wide, densely pubescent with multicellular, uniseriate hairs; margin entire; apex acute. Capitula solitary or in pairs terminating sparsely leafy branches, to 12 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts in 3 rows, lanceolate, 5-7 mm long, c. 1 mm wide; outer row' moderately pubescent with multicellular, uniseriate hairs; apices acuminate; margins of inner row of bracts membranous. Receptacle slightly convex. Ray florets many in several row, estaminate; ligule white to lilac-pink, 5-6-6-3 mm long, 0-7-1 -3 mm wide; floral tube 1-6-31 mm long; stigma lobes subulate, 0-5-0 -7 mm long; achene fertile, lanceolate in outline, 1 -7-2-3 mm long, 0-5-0-7 mm wide, moderately pubescent with notched twin-hairs; pappus of many free, uniformly barbellate bristles 3 -5-4 -2 mm long. Disc florets stam- inate; floral tube 3^ mm long, glabrous; anthers I -5-2-0 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide, with sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, 0-2-0 -3 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide; achene sterile, opaque, linear in outline, 1-0-1 -7 mm long, c. 0-5 mm wide, moderately pubescent with notched twin-hairs; pappus of uniform, barbellate bristles c. 4 mm long. Flowering Period: October to June. Habitat: In open forest on lateritic soils. Distribution: See Fig. 2. Other specimens: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Mitchell Plateau, S of Amax campsite, I4°50'S, 125‘’50'E, Hnatiuk MP 103, Sept. 1976 (PERTH); NORTHERN TERRITORY: 22-4 miles (33-6 km) SE Darwin, Chippendale 441?,, May 1958 (AD, BRI, MEL, NSW). Affinities: M. chippendalei is very distinct from other members of the genus and its affinities are obscure. The pubescent inner involucral bracts are unique in the genus although M. cunninghamii has similar hairs on its outermost involucral bracts. The occurrence of paired capitula is worthy of note since they are otherwise found only in M. integerrima. Name: The specific epithet is bestowed in honour of Mr. George M. Chippendale, one of the collectors of this plant, in recognition of his contribution to our knowledge of the flora of the Northern Territory by both collecting trips and publications. 226 Nuytsia Voi. 3 (2) 1980 3. Minuria cunninghamii (DC.) Benth., FI. Austral. 3; 498-9 (1767). F. Mueller, Key Viet. PI. 2; fig. 79 (1885); J. M. Black, FI. S. Austral, Ed. 2,857 (1957); Davis, Austral. J. Bot. 12: 152-6 (1964); Turner, Amer. J. Bot. 57: 383 (1970). Elachothamnos cmmmghamii DC., Prod. 5: 398 (1836); Steudel, Norn. Bot. Ed. 2, 544 (1840-1); F. Mueller, PI. Indig. Col. Victoria fig. 34 (1864-5). — Senecio othonnaeoides A. Cunn. ex DC., Prod. 5: 398 (1836) nom. inval. pro syn. — Therogeron cunninghamii (DC.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen.: 368-9 (1891). Type: “. . . in humidis depressis ad flumen Lachlan Nov.-Holland. julio flor, legit cl. All. Cunningham” (hole: G-DC; iso: K, BM). Eurybiopsis intricara F. Muell., Linnaea 25: 394-396 (1852). — Therogeron teniiifolius Bonder, Linnaea 25:467 (1852). Type: “In clivulis petracis umbrosis ad Cudnaka Oct. 1851.” F. Mueller (holo: MEL 70299; iso: MEL 70298). Olearia glabra C. T. White, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 55: 68 (1944). Type: Dynevor Downs, Warrego District, Queensland, C. T. White 11829, 2/4/1941 (holo: BRI; iso: NSW). Perennial spreading herb to 1 m high, grading from a fairly delicate to a robust plant. Stems vfoody, brown, sparsely pubescent with unicellular hairs. Leaves alternate, sessile, sometimes clustered along main stem, lanceolate, glabrous, to 4-0 cm long, 1-3 mm wide; N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 227 margins entire; apices acute-acuminate. Capitula solitary, pedunculate, terminating branches, conical, to 20 mm in diameter. Peduncles pale brown, sparsely pubescent with unicellular hairs increasing in density towards summit; floral leaves 1-3, pale brown. Involucral bracts in 4 rows, pale yellow, lanceolate, 2-7 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, those of outer 2 rows c. half the size of the inner 2 rows and moderately pubescent with multi- cellular, uniseriate hairs clumped at bases, midrib more prominent on inner two rows; margins of inner 2 rows membranous; apices all acute. Receptacle slightly convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate; ligules white, pink or mauve, 4-7-71 mm long, 0-4-1 -0 mm wide; floral tube 4-b mm long; stigma lobes subulate, 1 •5-2-5 mm long; achene fertile, lanceolate in outline, ribbed, 1 •5-2-5 mm long, c. 0-4 mm wide, moder- ately pubescent with unicellular, glochidial hairs; pappus of many finely and uniformly barbellate bristles 7-6-9-0 mm long. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 4-6--6-9 mm long, glabrous: anthers 1 -6-2-5 mm long, c. 0-4 mm wide w'ith acuminate sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate 1-0-1 -4 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide; achene sterile, opaque, linear in outline, glabrous, 4-6 mm long, c. 0-5 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic hairs, with shorter bristles I -2-1 -6 mm long, nrore or less united to form scales, and longer, barbellate bristle 4 0-4-5 mm long with barbs longer towards the apices. Flowering Period: February to October. Distribution: See Fig. 3. Figure 3. Distribution of M. cmminghamii based on herbarium material. 228 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Selected Specimens: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Bango Creek (14 km) W of Windidda. Speck 1273, Feb. 1959 (AD, CANB, MEL. NSW, PERTH); Nullarbor Plain, 80 km S of Rawlinna, Wihon 7674, Sept. 1968 (AD, MEL, NSW, PERTH); SOUTH AUSTRALIA: near Port Augusta, Phillips CBG 022660, Sept. 1962 (BRI, CBG); between Hawknest and Hallmark Dams, 16-20 km N of Overland Corner, Symon 3636 (AD, CANB); VICTORIA; Benetook, e. 25 km SW of Mildura, Patton MEL 70324, March 1949 (MEL); NEW SOUTH WALES: Fowlers G?^p, Jacobs 2173, Oct. 1975 (AD, NSW); Caroonboon, between Wanganella and Moulamein, Moore 5665, July 1970 (CANB, NSW); QUEENSLAND; 20 miles (30 km) from Cunnamulla towards St. George at Charlotte Plains turn-off, Phillips CBG 036705, Sept. 1963 (CBG, NSW); NORTHERN TERRITORY; 30 miles (45 km) N of Alice Springs, Chippendale 9145, July, 1962 (BRI, NSW. NT); 46 km N of Alice Springs, Swinhourne 520, Oct. 1962 (AD, NSW, NT); E of Alice Springs, Swinbonrne 335, July 1962 (AD, MEL, NSW, NT). Chromosome Number: n = 9, 18 (Turner, 1970, l.c.) Affinities: M. cimninghamii is similar to M. macrocepliala from which it can be distin- guished by its pubescent stems, glochidial ray achene hairs and uniformly barbellate ray pappus bristles. The unicellular stem hairs and dimorphic involucral bracts are found in no other species in the genus. Also unique to this species in the genus are the pubescent outer involucral bracts, although M. chippemlalei has pubescent inner bracts. Name: The specific epithet honours Allan Cunningham, the collector of the type of this species. 4. Minuria denticulata (DC.) Benth., FI. Austral. 3: 499 (1867). .1. M. Black, FI. S. Australia Ed. 2, 858 (1957); Davis, Proc. Linn, Soc. New South Wales 88; 35-40 (1963). Therogeron denticnlatiim DC., Prod. 5; 283 (1836). — Minuria candollei var. denticulata (DC.) Maiden & Betche, Census New South Wales PI, 195 (1916). Type: “Molle's Plains, Lachlan River, July 1817", Cunningham 39 (holo: G-DC). Minuria candollei F. Muell., Fragm, 9: 119 (1875) pro pte., nom. illeg.; F. Mueller, Fragm. 10:56 (1876); F. Mueller, Syst. Census Austral. PI. 78(1882); F. Mueller. Key Viet. PI. 1 : 297(1887-8); F. Mueller, Second Syst. Census Austral. PI. 131 (1889); Moore & Betche, Handb. FI. New South Wales 265 (1893); Dixon, PI. New South Wales 175 (1906). — Erigeron candollei Benth., FI. Austral. 3; 499 (1867) nom. inval. pro syn. Mueller (1875 l.c.) published the name A/, candollei indicating that it was composed of M. integerrima and M. denticulata. Later, Mueller (1876 l.c.) published a description of M. candollei, again noting that it comprised the two species above, and also pointing out Bentham's error (1867 l.c.) in saying that he (Mueller) proposed to join the two species under Erigeron candollei. By Art. 63 of the International Code of Botanical Nomen- clature the superfluous name M. candollei is untenable, for if it were acceptable to unite the two species one of the existing epithets would have to be adopted. However, the two species are easily separable. The first use of the epithet denticulata as a varietal name appears to have been by Maiden & Betche (1916), and although they attribute it to Mueller there is no justification for this. Perennial, spreading herb to c. 30 cm high. Stems suffrutescent, only slightly woody in older branches, grey-green, moderately pubescent with multicellular, stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, obovate-spathulate, to 4-5 cm long, 1-5 mm wide, almost glabrous or moderately covered with unicellular hairs; margin denticulate; apex often conspicu- ously denticulate, otherwise acute-obtuse. Capitula solitary, discoid, to 15 mm in diameter, pedunculate with floral leaves. Involucral bracts in 4 rows, yellow, lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, c. I mm wide, glabrous, with I prominent midrib; margin of inner 3 rows mem- branous, slightly fimbriate; ape.x acuminate, fimbriate, tinged pink. Receptacle convex. Ray florets many in several row's, estaminate; ligule w'hite to pale lavender, 2 0-3 -2 mm long, to 0-5 mm wide; floral tube 1-0-1 -5 mm long; stigma lobes subulate c. 0-5 mm long; achene fertile, pale yellow, elliptical in outline, 0- 5-1-0 mm long, 0-2-0 -5 mm wide, glabrous; pappus of 7-10 free, barbellate bristles, c. 1 - 5 mm long, with barbs denser at tips. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 2-9-3-7 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubes- N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 229 cent at lower end with multicellular, biseriate, patent hairs; anthers l-O-l-S mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide with acute sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, 0-5-1 -2 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; achene sterile, opaque, flattened, linear in outline, glabrous, 0-8-1 -5 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic bristles, with a tuft of short, free bristles, c. 0-3 mm long, and 6-8 longer, barbellate bristles, 2 -0-2 -5 mm long, with barbs longer and denser at tips. Flowering Period: March to October. Habitat: Low shrubland in places of ephemeral water. Distribution: See Fig. 4. Selected Specimens: SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 5 miles (8 km) S of Tingatingana, Carrick 1971, Aug. 1968 (AD, MEL); Lake Eyre Basin, 9 miles (14 km) N of Warrina, Lothian 1368, Aug. 1963 (AD, MEL, NT); 5 miles (8 km) W of Cockburn, Phillips CBG 006726, Aug. 1964 (AD, CBG); VICTORIA : W side of Lake Walla-Walla, S. of Lindsay River, Willis MEL 70340, Aug. 1948 (MEL, NSW); NEW SOUTH WALES: 1-6 km S of Lake Cobham on Silver City Highway. Lander 98, Sept. 1971 (NSW); QUEENSLAND: Birdsville, Borland 179, Sept. 1966 (BRI); NORTHERN TERRITORY: Old Andado Homestead, Taylor 3, Feb. 1971 (CANB, NT). Affinities: M. denticulata is similar to A/, rigida from which it can be distinguished by its pubescent stems and leaves. The multicellular, stellate stem hairs and the unicellular leaf hairs are both unique to this species in the genus as are the glabrous ray achenes. Name: The specific epithet refers to the denticulate leaf margins. 230 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 5. Minuria gardneri N. S. Lander et R. Barry sp. nov. Species affinis M. annua (Tate) Tate ex Black a qua caulibus sparsim pubescentibus habitu perenni et foliis capitula superentibus praecipue differt. Frutex nanus perennis. Achenia florum radiatorum fertilia, pilis adpressis furcatis geminis parce pubescentia etiam pappo setis 7-9 barbellatis ornata; achenia disci sterilia, glabra, pappo cupula setorum connatorum ab I (-8) setis longioribus superatorum ornata. Type: Mount Sir Samuel, Western Australia, Gardner 2426, 26 July 1931 (holo: PERTH; iso; NSW). Perennial, compact dwarf shrub to c. 20 cm high. Stems suffrutescent, green to green-brown, sparsely pubescent with multicellular, uniseriate hairs. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, often falcate, glabrous, to 10 mm long, c. 1 mm wide; margin entire; apex obtuse-acute. Capitula solitary, conspicuously pedunculate, terminal, discoid, to c. 7 mm in diameter. Peduncle pale green, to 20 mm long, c. 0-5 mm wide, densely pubescent with multicellular, uniseriate hairs; floral leaves 3-5, I -8-5 -4 mm long, c. 0-5 mm wide. Involucral bracts in 3 rows, lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, c. 0-5 mm wide, glabrous, with 1 prominent rib; margins of inner two rows membranous; apices acute. Receptacle slightly convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate; ligules white, 0 -3-0 -6 mm long, c. 0- 1 mm wide; floral tube 0-5-1 -5 mm long; stigma lobes subulate, 0- 1-0-3 mm long; achene fertile, red-brown, elliptical in outline, c. 0-5 mm long, c. 0-1 cm wide, sparsely pubescent with adpressed twin-hairs notched at apices; pappus of 7-9 uniformly barbellate bristles 1-2 mm long. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 1 •8-2-3 mm long, sparsely pubescent with multicellular, biseriate hairs; anthers 1 -0-1-5 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide, with acute, sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, c. 0-6 mm long, c. 0-1 mm wide; achene sterile, linear in outline, glabrous, 0-6-0-8 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic bristles with short connate bristles c. 0-5 mm long surmounted by l(-8) conspicuously and uniformly barbellate bristles 0-5-1 -3 mm long. Flowering Period: July to December. Habitat: On margins of salt lakes in low shrubland and low open woodland on gypsum, loam and clay-loam soils. Distribution: See Fig. 2. Other specimens: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Lake Miranda, near Mt. Sir Samuel, BlackaU 330, July 1931 (PERTH): 6 miles (9 km) N of Bulga Downs, Demarz 5649, Sept. 1975 (PERTH); Lake Austin, Demarz 6951, Aug. 1978 (PERTH); Van der Linden Lakes, W of Giles, George 8235, Oct. 1966 (PERTH); 1 10 km N of Seemorc Downs, 29“52'S, 125 40'E, George 1 1905, July 1974 (PERTH); near S end of Lake Cowan, c. 5 km N of Norseman, Wilson 6058, July 1967 (PERTH); SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Musgrave Range, c. 63 km W of Musgrave Park, Whihley 975", Sept. 1963 (AD): precise locality, collector and date unknown, BRl 219995 (BRI). Affinities: Minuria gardneri bears an obvious resemblance to M. annua from which it can be distinguished by its perennial habit, its pubescent stems and the absence of leaves overtopping the capitula. This species also bears a gross superficial resemblance to Kippistia suaedifolia for which it has been mistaken in the past. Name: The specif c epithet is bestowed in honour of the late Mr. Charles Austin Gardner (1896-1970), Government Botanist of Western Australia and the collector of the type of this species. 6. Minuria integerrima (DC.) Benth., FI. Austral. 3: 499 (1867). J. M. Black, FI. S. Austral. Ed. 2, 858 (1957); Davis, Phytomorphology 14: 231-239 (1964). Therogeron integerrimum DC., Prod. 5: 283 (1836). Type: “A rare plant on the wet plains of the Lachlan River, New South Wales, July 1817”, Cunningham (holo: G-DC; possible iso: MEL 70345). Minuria candollei F. Muell., Fragm. 9: 119 (1875) pro pte., nom. illeg.; F. Mueller, Fragm. 10: 56 (1876); F. Mueller, Syst. Census Austral. PI. 78 (1882); F. Mueller, Key Viet. PI. 1: 297 (1887-8); F. Mueller, Second Syst. Census Austral. PI. 131 (1889); Moore & Betch, Handb. FI. New South Wales 265 (1893); Dixon, PI. New South Wales 175 (1906); Maiden & Betche, Census New South Wales PI. 135 (1916). N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 231 Notes on the name M. candollei can be found under M. denticulata. Erect, spreading, perennial herb to 60 cm high. Stems suffructescent, older ones more woody, green to brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, dark grey to green, lanceolate-ovate, to 5-0 cm long, 1-9 mm wide, glabrous, midrib conspicuous; margin somewhat undulating, often slightly dentate; apex acute-acuminate. Capitida solitary or clustered, terminating branches, discoid, c. 12 mm in diameter, pedunculate. Involucral bracts in 4 rows, c. 0-5 mm wide, glabrous, 2-4 mm long, with I prominent midrib; margin entire; apices acute, tinged pink. Receptacle convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate; ligule purple to lilac-blue, 3 -2-4 -4 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; floral tube 11-1 -6 mm long; stigma lobes subulate 0-6-1 1 mm long; achene fertile, brown, lanceolate, 0-6-1 - 1 mm long, to 0-6 mm wide, moderately pubescent with notched twin- hairs; pappus of many, free, barbellate bristles, 1 -5-2-0 mm long, with barbs denser at the tips. Disc florets staminate; floral tube c. 0-3 mm long, glabrous; anthers 0-8-1 -2 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide, with acute sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes 0-5-1 -0 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; achene sterile, translucent, flattened, elliptical in outline, 0-4-10 mm long, to 0-3 mm wide, glabrous; pappus of c. 8-10 uniform, barbellate bristles, 1 -5-2-0 mm long, with barbs longer and denser at tips. Flowering Period: June to October. Habitat: In a variety of habitats and soils near places of permanent or ephemeral water. Distribution: See Fig. 5. Figure 5. Distribution of M. inlegerrima based on herbarium material. 232 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Selected specimens: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Lawlers, Fitzgerald, July 1899 (NSW, PERTH); 49 miles (73 km) S of turn-off to Mt. Newman, Mirrington 710941, Sept. 1971 (NSW, PERTH); SOUTH AUS- TRALIA: Coopers Creek, Innamincka Creek bed below crossing, Johnson NSW 128015, June 1972 (NSW): VICTORIA: Murray River, flats on Cowra Station, 19 km W of Merbein, Henshall NT 46860, Oct. 1969 (NT); NEW SOUTH WALES: 8 miles (12 km) W of Louth on Wanaaring Road, Moore 5592, June 1969 (BRI, CANB, MEL, NSW); QUEENSLAND: Gilruth Plains, Cunnamulla, McKee 10332, April, 1963 (CANB, NSW); NORTHERN TERRITORY: Charlotte Waters, Chippendale 1329 (BRI, CANB, NSW, NT); 40 miles (64 km) N of Helen Springs Station, Perry 1893, Aug. 1948 (AD, BRI, MEL, NSW). Affinities: The affinities of M. integerrima are obscure. It appears to have many features in common with M. gardneri from which it can be distinguished by its glabrous stems and its disc pappus bristles which are barbellate, with barbs becoming longer and denser towards their tips. This species is remarkable for the occasional occurrence of tetramerous disc florets, a character also observed in Kippistia siiaedifolia. The clustering of several capitula together is also worthy of note, although they are often paired in M. chippendalei. Disc florets with four lobes and four anthers are often observed in M. integerrima. The presence of tetramerous disc florets in predominantly pentamerous capitula is possibly to be explained in terms of the crowding of floral primordia. This phenomenon is dis- cussed by Gardner (1977) and Grau (1977). It should be noted that M. integerrima is a somatic apomict and can possess from 0-25+ disc florets per capitulum in which there is a total failure of male gametogenesis (Davis, 1964). Name: The specific epithet refers to the usually entire leaf margins. 7. Minuria leptophylla DC., Prod. 5: 298 (1836); Benth., FI. Austral. 3: 498 (1867). J. M. Black, FI. S. Australia Ed. 2, 857 (1957); Turner, Amer, J. Bot. 57 (4): 383 (1970). Therogeron leptophyllnm (DC.) Kunlze, Rev. Gen. 368-9 (1891) nom. illeg. Type: “Summits of barren hills, Lachlan River, Interior of New South Wales, 27 April. 1817”, Cunningham 23 (holo: G-DC). Minuria tenuissima DC., Prod., 5: 298 (1836). Lectotype (here designated): “Barren Hills on the Lachlan River, New South Wales, 15 Apr. 1817”. Cun- ningham 50 (G-DC). Paratype: ditto, Cunningham 24 (G-DC). Minuria leptophylla var. hispida Benth., FI. Austral. 3: 498 (1867); F. M. Bailey, Syn, Queensland FI. 240 (1883); F. M. Bailey, Queensland FI. 3: 799 (1900); F. M. Bailey, Compr. Cat. Queensland PI. 259 (1913). Type: “Rockingham Bay, Dallachy, a single slender specimen in Herb. F. Mueller . . .” (holo: K). Minuria asteroidea Sond., Linnaea 25: 467-8 (1852). — Eurybia asteroidea F. Muell. ex Sond., Linnaea 25: 468 (1852) nom. inval. pro syn. Lectotype (here designated): Cudnaka, Mueller, Oct. 1851 (lecto; MEL 70416; isolecto: MEL 70419). Paratypes: Adelaide, Mueller MEL 70410 & 70411, undated, (MEL) between Saltcreek and Pfeiffer’s Station, Behr MEL 70414 & 70410, Nov. 1849 (MEL); Holdfast Bay, Mueller MEL 70413-5, undated (MEL); Mount Remarkable, Mueller MEL 70412, undated (MEL); Cudnaka Mueller MEL 70420, undated (MEL). Small, spreading, perennial herb to 50 cm high. Stems suffrutescent, pale brown to green, sparsely pubescent with adpressed, multicellular, uniseriate hairs. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, to 4-0 cm long, c. 1 mm wide, sparsely to moderately pubescent with clumped, multicellular, uniseriate hairs; margin entire; apex acute to acuminate, sometimes apiculate. Capitula solitary, terminal, pedunculate, c. 1-5 cm in diameter. Jnvolucral bracts in 4 rows, yellow to green, lanceolate, 2-6 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, glabrous, with 1 prominent midrib; margin of inner 3 rows membranous; apex acute, fimbriate, tinged pink. Recept- acle slightly convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate; lingule white to purple, 4 •2-7-0 mm long, 0- 7-2-1 mm wide; floral tube 1-7-3 -4 mm long; stigma lobes subulate, I -0-1 -5 mm long; achene fertile, brown to orange, obovate in outline, 1-3- 3-8 mm long, 0-5-1 -2 mm wide, densely pubescent with notched twin-hairs; pappus N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 233 of many, free, uniformly barbellate bristles, 2- 5-4 0 mm long. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 2-8^ 0 mm long, glabrous; anthers I 1-1 -6 mm long, c. 0-3 mm wide with acuminate sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes 1-2-2 0 mm long, 0-2-0-3 mm wide; achene sterile, translucent, linear in outline, glabrous, l-6-3'0 mm long, c. 0'3-0'6 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic hairs, with short, free, uniformly barbellate bristles 0-6-1 -2 mm long, and 2-6 longer, barbellate bristles, 2-2-3- 1 mm long, with barbs denser at tips. Flowering Period: Throughout the year. Habitat: Low shrubland, open forest and woodland, on a variety of sub-strata including sandy loam, red gravel and shale. Distribution: See Fig. 6. Figure 6. Distribution of M. leptophylta based on herbarium material. Selected specimens: WESTERN AUSTRALIA; 70 miles (115 km) S of Wiluna, Blackalt 2418 July 1931 (NSW, PERTH); SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 7 miles (I I km) S of Emu, Forde 399, Aug. 1956 (AD, CANB, MEL); 22 miles (33 km) S of De Rose Hills Station, Perry 5520, Sept. 1955 (AD. BRI. CANB, MEL NSW, NT, PERTH); VICTORIA: between Nhill and Jeparrit, 0-8 miles (I -4 km) SW of Glenlee, Aston 1051, Oct. 1963 (AD, MEL); NEW SOUTH WALES: Fowlers Gap, near Broken Hill, Jacobs 2120, Oct. 1975 (AD, NSW); Balranald, Phillips CBG 025351, Aug. 1962 (CBG, NT); QUEENSLAND- West Covey Gilruth Plains. Roe 142a, 2. 1941 (BRI, CANB); NORTHERN TERRITORY: 5 miles SSE of Undoolya Station, Lazarides 5751, 8. 1956 (AD, BRI, CANB, NSW, NT, PERTH); 23-5 miles (36 km) W of Alice Springs, Chippendale 2708, 8. 1956 (BRI, CANB, NSW, NT). 234 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Chromosome Number: n = 9 (Turner, 1970, l.c.)- Affinities: M. leptophyUa appears to have many characters in common with M. annua from which it can be distinguished by its perennial habit and pubescent stems and leaves. Name: The specific epithet refers to the narrow leaves of this species. Special Note: A single specimen collected 7-5 miles (11-3 km) N of Bulga Downs, Western Australia, Demarz 05651, Sept. 1975 (PERTH) included tentatively by us under M. lepto- phyUa appears to be somwehat aberrant and, with further collection, may be found to represent a distinct taxon. It differs from other material of M. leptophyUa in possessing short, fleshy, glabrous leaves. 8. Minuria macrocephala N. S. Lander et R. Barry sp. nov. Species affinis M. cinminghatnii (DC.) Benth. a qua caulibus glabris et capitulis grandibus praecipue differ!. Frutex effusus nanus perennis. Achenia florum radiatorum fertilia, pilis glochidiatis geminis dense pubescentia etiam pappo setis multis minute barbellatis ornata; achenia disci sterilia, glabra, pappo c. 10 setis brevibus ramosis capillaribis et 7-10 setis longioribus barbellatis ornata. Type: Barwidgee road, 10 miles (16 km) S of Yelma turn-off, Eremaean Province, West- ern Australia, Speck 1348, Oct., 1958 (holo: CANB; iso: NSW, PERTH). Perennial, spreading dwarf shrub to c. 50 cm high. Stems woody, grey to light brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, mostly falcate, almost glabrous with a few multicellular, uniseriate hairs on the margins towards the apices, to 30 mm long, 1-2 mm wide grading into involucral bracts; margin entire; apex acuminate. Capitula solitary, terminal, broadly conical, to 35 mm in diameter. Involucral bracts in several rows, linear-lanceolate, 5-15 mm long, c. 3 mm wide, glabrous, with 1 prominent midrib; margin membranous, slightly fimbriate or entire; apex acute-acuminate. Receptacle convex. Ray florets many in 2-3 rows, estaminate; ligule (colour unknown), 7-4-1 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; floral tube 7-9 mm long; stigma lobes subulate, 5-6 mrn long, c. 01 mm wide; achene fertile flattened, lanceolate in outline, c. 4 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, densely pubescent with glochidial twin-hairs; pappus of many tapering, minutely barbellate bristles, 12-19 mm long, free to their bases or united to form clumps. Disc florets staminate; floral tube 14-18 mm long; anthers 6-7 mm long, c. 0-8 mm wide, with acute, sterile apical appendages; stigma lobes subulate, 5-6 mm long, c. 0-8 mm wide; achene sterile, flattened, lanceolate in outline, glabrous, 11-14 mm long, 0-8-1 -3 mm wide, with 2 prominent veins on each face; pappus of dimorphic bristles, with c. 10 short capillary bristles 3 -5-5 -7 mm long, free or united, conspicuously branching toward the apices, and 7-10 barbellate bristles 13-17 mm long, the barbs more conspicuous towards the apices. Flowering Period: September to February. Habitat: In low shrubland. Distribution: Known only from the vicinity of “Barwidgee” Homestead which is 27°02'S, I20'’55'E in the Austin District in the Eremaean Botanical Province of Western Australia. See Fig. 2. Other specimen: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: SE of Wiluna on saltbush country, Barwidgee paddock on Lake Violet and Barwidgee Station Boundary, Oliver M44, Sept. 1966 (PERTH). Affinities: M. macrocephala is closely allied to M. cunninghamii from which it can be dis- tinguished by its much larger capitula and floral parts; its glabrous peduncles; its glabrous involucral bracts which are not tinged pink at their apices and which are not as con- spicuously fimbriate; and the clumping of its ray pappus bristles. The latter Mature is found only in this species of Minuria. M. macrocephala is considerably larger in all its floral parts than any other species in the genus. Specimens of it have been placed under M. cunninghamii in the past. Name: The specific epithet refers to the particularly large capitula found in this species. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 235 9. Minuria rigida J. M. Black, Trans. Roy. Soc. South Australia 42: 182 (1918). J. M. Black, FI. South Australia 278, fig. 25 (1926); J. M. Black, FI. South Australia 588 (1929); J. M. Black, FI. South Australia Ed. 2, 858 & Fig. 1158 (1957). Lectotype: (here designated); Hergott (Maree), ,/. M. Black AD 97626285 (AD). Isolectotypes: Hergott (Maree) J. M. Black, Oct. 1917 (AD 97826036; AD 97826039; MEL 70479; NSW 122725). Perennial, prostrate or erect, dwarf shrub to 25 cm high. Stems suflrutescent, brown- ish-green to brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, to 1-3 cm long, 4 mm wide; margin finely serrulate; apex acuminate. Capitula solitary, pedunculate, terminating branches, broadly conical, to 12 mm in diameter. Imohural bracts in four rows, yellowish-green, lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, glabrous, with 1 prominent midrib; margins of inner 3 rows membranous; apex acuminate, fimbriate. Receptacle convex. Ray florets many in several rows, estaminate, ligule pale blue-mauve; 4-3-5-4 mm long, 0-5-0-7 mm wide; floral tube 0-9-1 -5 mm long; stigma lobes 0-8-1 - 1 mm long; achene fertile, reddish-brown, lanceolate in outline, 0-8-1 -5 mm long, 0-3-0-4 mm wide, densely pubescent with glochidial twin-hairs; pappus of many, barbellate bristles 0-7-1 -0 mm long staminate; floral tube 3-4-3-8 mm long; anthers 1-5-21 mm long, c. 0-4 mm wide; stigma lobes subulate 0-7-1 -1 mm long, 0-2-0-3 mm wide; achene sterile, reddish-brown, lanceolate, glabrous, 0-6-0-7 mm long, c. 0-2 mm wide; pappus of dimorphic hairs, short barbellate bristles c. 0-8 mm long, with c. 8 longer barbellate bristles, 2 -8-3 -0 mm long. (6)— 96592 236 Nuytsia Vol. 3 (2) 1980 Flowering Period: October. Habitat: Low shrublands near places of ephemeral water. Distribution: See Fig. 7. Selected specimens: SOUTH AUSTRALIA: I -5 km E of Lyndhurst along Strezlecki Track, Sikkes 1076, Sept. 1973 (AD, CBG); Lake Frome, Weber 2089, July 1971 (AD, BRI). Affinities: M. rigida is most similar to M. denticulata. See under that species for dis- tinguishing features. Name: The specific epithet probably refers to the stiff leaves found in this species. The bulk of this work was completed while both authors were employed at the National Herbarium of New South Wales. We wish to than Mr. Paul Wilson for reading the manuscript and Mr. Alex George for providing Latin diagnoses. Figure 8. Distribution of Minuria based on herbarium material. N. S. Lander & R. Barry, Minuria 237 References Bentham, G. fl867). Flora Australiensis vol. 3. (Lovell Reeve & Co.: London). Bentham, G. & Hooker, J. D. (1873). Genera Plantarum vol. 2. (William Pamplin, Lovell Reeve & Co., Williams & Norgate: London). Black, J. M. (1929). Flora of South Australia part 4. (Government Printer: Adelaide). Candolle, A. P. de (1836). Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis vol. 5. (Treuttel & Wurtz: Paris). Dalla Torre, K. W. von & Harms, H. (1900-7). Genera Siphonogamarum ad Systema Englerianum Conscripta. (Englemann: Lipsiae). Davis, G. (1964). The embryology of Minuria integerrima: a somatic apomict. Phytomorphology 14: 231-239. Gardner, R. C. (1977). Observations on tetramerous disc florets in the Compositae. Rhodora 79: 139-146. Grail, J. (1977). Astereae — systematic review. In Heywood, V. H. et al.: The Biology and Chemistry of the Compositae (Academic Press: London) Hoffmann, O. (1899). Compositae. In A. Engler & K. PrantI: Die Naturlichen Pfianzenfamilien vol. 4. (Dunker & Humblot: Berlin). Lander, N. S. & Barry, R. (1980). Reinstatement of the genus Kipphtia F. Muell. (Asteraceae, Asterineae). Niiytsia. 3, 2: 215-219 Mueller, F. J. H. (1859). Report on the plants collected during Mr. Babbage’s expedition into the north- western interior of South Australia in 1858. In Victoria— Parliamentary Papers— Votes and Pro- ceedings of the Legislative Assembly 1859-60, 3 (No, 1): 1-21. (Government Printer: Melbourne). Tate, R. (1899). Diagnosis of four new species of plants from South Australia. Tranx. Roy. Soc. S. Australia 23: 288. Publication date of Volume 3 Number 1 The publication date of Volume 3 Number 1 was 24 July 1980. WILLIAM C. BROWN, Government Printer, Western Australia Notes for Authors Nuytsia publishes papers relating to the flora of Western Australia. All papers are refereed outside the Western Australian Herbarium. The Herbarium reserves the right to reject papers. Manuscripts must be submitted in duplicate. They should be typewritten, double spaced, with 2-5 cm margins and no underlining. Pages should be numbered. The desired position of text figures may be pencilled in the margin. An abstract should be provided. For style and layout, recent numbers of Nuytsia should be followed. Galley proofs will be forwarded to authors for checking. Reprints may be ordered at the author’s expense. CONTENTS Five new taxa of Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae) from Western Australia. By G. Beni 157 A new species of Eucalyptus from the margins of salt lakes in Western Australia. By S. G. M. and D. J. Carr 173 A new species and a new combination in Darwinia (Myrtaceae) from Western Aus- tralia. By N. G. Marchant and G. J. Keighery 179 Thryptomene and Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) in Central Australia — new species and notes. By J. W. Green 183 A new species of Urocarpus (Rutaceae) from Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 211 Reinstatement of the genus Kippistia F. Muell. (Asteraceae, Astereae). By N. S. Lander and R. Barry 215 A review of the genus Minuria DC. (Asteraceae, Astereae). By N. S. Lander and R. Barry 221 Publication date of Volume 3 Number 1 237