Botanic evidence in favour of land connection between Fuegia and Tasmania during the present floristic epoch

Tasmania is rich in plant vestiges, that is, in the presence of isolated species or small groups which appear to be the last remnants of various migrants or passed floras, and it is an interesting speculation whence came those forms and what topographical conditions of past ages they may indicate. The only part of this history that has received any attention up to the present is that which appears to give weight to the theory of continuity of land between Tasmania and Fuegia, by way of antarctic or subantarctic regions, during comparatively recent times. The only plants which appear to give any weighty information are those belonging to the genus Fagus, commonly known as beech

On Polyporus pulcherrimus

Brief description of the fungus Polyporus pulsherrimus, n.s

Botanical notes

List of Tasmanian specimens (fungi and lichens)

Tasmanian Discomycetes

The students of Tasmanian Fungi have very insufficient means of becoming acquainted with described species, and further, such a small number of those indigenous in the Stat~ have been described that there is fair reason to justify a paper to bring our knowledge up to date. It is probable that some, perhaps many, of those described as new may eventually be recognised to be identical with forms already named elsewhere, but if we wait till we shall commit no errors the purpose of this paper will not have been met. It is essentially one to afford a student an easy means of recognising the local species of the large fungus group known as Discomycetes. The only work already available to students is Cooke's Handbook of Australian Fungi, and the information in that book is too fragmentary, and often erroneous, to be of much assistance. The Gymnoascaceae have been included at the end of the paper, though they belong to another group, Plectomycetes. The disc-fruiting fungi, which have.adopted a parasitic habit, commonly known as Lichens, are excluded from convenience, and not from any supposition that they are genetica1ly distinct. The Histeriales are almost continuous with some of the smaller plants of our group, but their distinction may soon be recognised

Botanical descriptions of Eucalypti

Eucalyptus globulus (Labillardiere) —Tall, erect tree, even in exposed situations, tending to preserve a preponderating main-stem till the high forest age is reached, the branches few and acutely diverging; bark deciduous. Mature foliage alternate, stalked, lanceolate, acute, oblique, 6 to 12 inches long, 1 to 2 inches wide. Flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Outer operculum smooth, shed while the bud is approaching maturity ; calyx and inner operculum rough, warted, and obscurely four-ribbed ; mature calyx about | inch in diameter; anther-cells parallel. Fruit broadly obconic, | to 1 inch in diameter ; capsule slightly protruding ; valves obsolete. In Eastern Victoria the common form of this tree bears a three-flowered umbel in the axil, the flowers being half the size recorded in the type, and less warted. In Tasmania, where this species and E. viminalis are mixed, a form will occasionally be found consisting of odd trees in which the flowers are in threes, the operculum and fruit quite smooth, and the fruit about three quarters to one inch in diameter, the valves much protruding. This, though very close to the Victorian form, may be a hybrid

Notes on some rare and interesting Cryptogams.

Among the enthusiasts who have pushed the study of plants to its present high level, few have done much research amongst the lower groups, especially the fungi. Little more has been done than could be classed as simply scratching the surface. There is plenty of new material at hand ready for the worker. The only trouble is that sometimes when returns are copious it is not always easy to induce an estimable society to publish it. The plants brought before you in the present paper are of exceptional interest, though few. The Hepatics here described by Pearson are the last lot collected by our old friend, W. A. Weymouth. Pearson, who died only a short time ago, was for many years a corresponding member of this Society. Terfezia tasmanica., n.s. An irregular subterranean tuber, just emerging from the ground when mature, usually 1-3 cm. diameter, chestnut-brown, tough fleshy. Slopes of Mt. Wellington, 300 ft. Xylaria tolosa, n.s. Sporophore usually arising with a long root from a loose subterranean sclerotium; erect, black surface. includes notes and description of species

Additions to Tasmanian flora

Before the year closes I am anxious to place on record a brief description of three interesting plants. Of these two are new species, the other doubtless introduced.Description of species and the habitat. Ranunculus setaceus. ns. Pseudanthus tasmanicus. ns. Rumex dumosus, A. Cunn

Two interesting fungi

In June, 1902, I sent an underground fungus to Kew to be named, and with the hope that a description would be published in due course in the Kew Bulletin. George Massee, who at that time controlled the fungus department, suggested for it the name Secotium sessile, but it appears a description was not published. In the year 1911 I read a paper before the Royal Society of Tasmania on the Hymenogastaceae, of Tasmania, including therein four Secotiums. In all good faith I described S. sessile, believing it had already been described by Massee. Mr. G. H. Cunningham, Mycologist of New Zealand, now points out that, according to modern ideas, the presence of Cystidia places this tuber in the genus Elasmomyces, and advises me to describe it as a member of that genus

Additions to the Tasmanian flora

The few additions here made to our flora are all cryptogamic. Of the true mosses Fissidens tasmanicus and Amblystegium austro-serpens are endemic, and recently described by Prof. V. F. Brotherus, of Helsingfors. The second genus was not previously represented in Tasmania. Of the Hepatics, the presence of Palluvicinius connivens on our mountains is another connecting link with New Zealand flora. Chiloseyphus kirkii also was hitherto only recorded from New Zealand. Calypogeia tasmanica adds a new genus as well as species to our list. Of the two fungi it is not surprising that the Geoglossum appears as it is common in Australia, but the Mitrula has not hitherto been recorded south of the equator. We now claim two Geoglossums and three Mitrulas. Geoglossum glabrum, Pers.; Geoglossum hirsutum, Pers.; Mitrula berterii, Mont.; Mitrula curullata, Fries. and Mitrula olivacea, Sacc

On the occurrence of Wolffia arrhiza, Wimm.,in Tasmania.

Marsh plants have generally the widest distribution, and of the Duckweeds these are no exceptions. Lemna minor, L., and Lemna trisulca, L., both cosmopolitan species, are the only plants of this family that have hitherto been recorded from Tasmania. We now may report Wolffia. Growing in a marsh near Lewisham, also on Maria Island. The genus Wolffia is of quite a different structure. Instead of floating horizontally, it does so perpendicularly, exposing an edge to the air and sinking the greater portion of the frond as an oblique plate. Flowering is unisexual, and takes place in the centre of the exposed portion. It bears no root. The following notes are a description of Wolffia arrhiza as found in Tasmania