The Scientific Notebooks of German Orchidologist Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Kränzlin

130 Alfred J. Ewart:

demarcation based on a group of constant characters, for Diels' distinctions do not apply to all the specimens between this variety and the type species. The typical form of the closely allied C. Toddii of F. Mueller1 shows a trifling difference in the size and acuminate character of the bracts, while the prianth tube is rather more slender, is longer in proportion to the lobes, and somewhat more slender, and is more pubescent outside. Even these characters do not appear to be quite constant, so that C. Toddii may also ultimately prove to be a variety of C. Polycephalum when more intermediate material is available.

DAVIESIA CORYMBOSA, var. ST. JOHNII = D. CORYMBOSA, var. VIRGATA. (Papilionaceae).

This plant was recorded in the Victorian Naturalist, Nov., 1906, p. 133, and specimens have since been received from Mr. C. French, Jr., collected at Ringwood. They are identical with the D. virgata of Cunningham, which Bentham refers to D. corymbosa, var. mimosoides. The condensed clusters of small flowers and the very narrow leaves would, as suggested by Mr. W.R. Guilfoyle, justify the recognition of a second variety differing more widely from the type than var. mimosoides, even though transition forms occur, but the name should be variety virgata, in recognition of the old specific name for the variety.

DIPLOTAXIS MURALIS, D.C., the wall or sand mustard. (Cruciferae)

This introduced alien has also been variously referred to as D. muralis and D. tenuifolia, D.C. It has, however, the small flowers and less divided leaves of the former. The Australian specimens have the leaves less exclusively radical and more on the stem, and are often double the normal height, frequently reaching 12 to 16 inches. The plants also showa greater tendency to be perennial, but these changes are probably climatic ones, not necessarily of varietal significance, although they are approaches towards D. tenuifolia, D.C.

1 Fragm. vol x., p. 20.

Flora of Australia 131

ERISTEMON GRACILE, R. Grah. ([crossed out: Proteaceae] [added: Rutaceae]). In Edinb. N Phil. Journ. xvi., 1834, p. 175 = ERISTEMON DIFFORMIS, A. Cunn.

The former name is given as that of a valid species in the Kew Index, and the Nat. Herbarium possesses specimens from the Grampians, which are identical with forms of E. difformis, the glabrous petals and slightly longer flower stalks of the specimens being variable features in E. difformis. The specimens do not exactly tally with the description given in Mueller's Plants Indigenous to Victoria, I., 1860, p.125, but our specimens appear to be authenic. E. gracile is the older name, but to change the current one would be a frivolous interference with established nomenclature. Bentham seems to have entirely overlooked E. gracile, and makes no mention of it in the Flora Australiensis.

ERISTEMON INTERMEDIUS. (Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 19, 1907, p.40 = E. DESERTI, Pritzel (Fragm. Phytog. Austr. Occ., 1905. p.320).

The plant was described before Diels' and Pritzel's work was available. Their description is exceedingly condensed, and imperfect in several respects, but specimens of their plant since received show that the two species are identical, the older name standing. Pritzel seems to have overlooked the fact that the plant is an interesting connecting link, especially as regards the stamens between the Leionema section of "Phebalium" and Eriostemon proper. The close resemblance to E. Brucci, which misled Mueller, and to which Pritzel attaches undue importance, is mainly external.

EUPHRASIA COLLINA, R. Br. (Syn. E. BROWNII, F. v. M., Fragm., v. 88 (Scrophulariaceae)

There can be no doubt that Mueller was correct in placing four of R. Brown's species in one, but as was pointed out by Bentham, the proper course was to extend one of them to include the others, and so avoid a new name. Even considered as varieties, the line of demarcation is not distinct in all cases, and the type forms show a regular gradation from the dwarf, small-

132 Alfred J. Ewart:

flowered forms to taller, more luxuriant and larger-leaved and flowered forms, in the following sequence:—

E. collina, R.Br., var. striata. (E. striata, R.Br.; E. alpina, var. humilis, Benth.).

E. collina, R.Br., var. alpina. (E. alpina, R.Br.; E. diemenica, Spreng.).

(Type form) var. typica (E. collina, R.Br.; E. tetragona, R.Br.; E. multicaulis, Benth.).

E. collina, R.Br., var paludosa. " " var. speciosa. (E. speciosa, R.Br.).

Further, the size of the flowers tends to increase in cultivated specimens, and the colour is highly variable.

KOCHIA VILLOSA, Lindl., 1848 (Salsolaceae)

Among some stored specimens at the Herbarium, probably derived from the Sonder collection, one was found from A. de Jusieu, dated 1832, E. Nova Hollandia, and named Rhogodia, Billardierii, R.Br., which proves to be the above. Hence this Kochia reached Europe long before it was described by Lindley, and the present is possibly the oldest Herbarium specimen of the plant. The label and specimen are pasted on the sheet, and hence there is no possibility of accidental transference having occurred.

LYONSIA STRAMINEA, R. Br., = L. STRAMINEA (R. br.), Benth. and Mueller. (Apocynaceae).

In pursuing some interesting archæological but hardly botanical, studies, Britten1 concludes the the L. reticula of F. v. Mueller, is the true L. straminea of R.Br., and proposes a new name (L. Brownii) for the plant, supposed to be Brown's L. straminea by Bentham and Mueller. A more confusing and unnecessary addition to synonymy could hardly be proposed, and it is interesting to note on p. 240, that Britten sharply criticizes Druce for a similar addition to synonymy based on no more certain grounds. Britten admits that "Brown published no detailed description of the species," but considers that de Candolle's description of L. straminea referred, "at any rate in

1 Journ. of Botany, vol xlv., 1907, p. 255

Flora of Australia. 135

production of hybrids, some of which in time obtain the to the production of hybrids, some of which in time obtain the fixity of species. The same applies to many genera of less extended scope. The present case of the occurrence of a natural hybrid in the genus Pterostylis (Orchidaceae) is, so far as I am aware, only the second instance recorded for that genus in Australia. The plants were found by Mr. J. R. Tovey at Mentone, Victoria, 1907, growing among patches of Pterostylis concinna and of P. reflexa, var. intermedia. Externally they resemble the latter plant, except that the basal rosette of leaves persists in some cases until flowering. The labellum, however, instead of having an entire obtusely-pointed tip, is broader and faintly but distinctly bifid at its extremity, in this respect, being exactly intermediate between the two forms. Some specimens show signs of reversion to one or the other parent. Bentham gives the scape of P. concinna as rarely above 1 inch. It is usually 3 to 5 inches long, and may bear 1, 2 or even 3 bracts, the lower ones always empty. The wings of the column are marked in white, green and purple, but the intensity, especially of the latter coloration, varies. The possibility of hybridisation must be borne in mind in future studies of this genus, and this explanation may apply to some of the species already described. In Fitzgerald's Australian Orchids mention is made of a supposed hybrid between P. curta, R.Br., and P. pedunculata, R.Br.

PULTENAEA STRICTA, Sims. In Bot. Mag., 1588 (1813). (Leguminosae).

Synonyms: P. MAIDENI, F.M. Reader, in Vict. Nat., xxii., 158 (1905); P. LARGIFLORENS, F. v. M. in Benth., Fl. Austr., ii, 134 (1864); P. GUNNII, Benth., in Ann. der Wien. Mus., ii 82 (1839).

As a result of a close investigation of the numerous forms of these highly variable and closely related "species," it can only be concluded that we are dealing with forms of one large, extremely pleomorphic species. The original description of Pultenaea stricta in the Botanical Magazine, 1813, page 1588, was made from a plant flowering in England, and naturally refers to that specimen only, Sims being unaware of the varied forms assumed by the species in its native habitat.

138 Alfred J. Ewart:

term "species" should be given as broad a scope as possible, not merely for reasons of practical utility, though these are of value, but because it is precisely in such genera that groups of varieties as yet imperfectly segregated into species are most likely to occur, and by recognising such varieties as species too hastily we render it more difficult for the workers of subsequent centuries to obtain evidence of evolution in such cases. In addition, the synonymy is less likely to become so extensive as at present. Thus it is doubtful whether the genus Pultenæa contains many more than 60 valid species, although over 150 have been recorded, and the same proportion holds for most large genera.

A specimen of P. Williamsoni, Maiden1 was referred to at Kew to a variety of P. stricta. The National Herbarium contains both under P. stricta and P. paleacea speciments examined by Bentham or by Mueller, which come very close to, or practically match specimens of P. Williamsoni. Altogether there can be no doubt that the genus will not be on a satisfactory basis until cultural experiments under varying conditions have been performed with all its supposed species, and the result of such experiments will probably be to give the selected species in the genus a much wider range than they have hitherto enjoyed.

SPOROBOLUS BENTHAMI, Bailey = S. VIRGINCUS, Kunth, var. PALLIDA. (Gramineae). Queensland Flora, p. 1880, Bull. Dept. Agric. Queensland, xiii., p. 16.

The 22 sheets of this variety in the National Herbarium show a far greater range of variation than Bailey's specimen from the type, and yet have no constant character of more than varietal significance. Although the outer glumes are usually about equal, the lower one is occasioally slightly longer than the upper, and sometimes, especially on the basal spikelets, not more than half its length. In this respect, in the more hyaline outer glumes, and in the longer spike the variety shows an approach to S. indicus, R. Br., from which, however, the vegatative habit differs. It is, in fact, possible that the cultural experiments might show S. virginicus to be a marsh and maritime form of variety of S. indicus, developed in brackish situations.

1 Vict. Nat., vol. xxii,, p. 6, 1905