Flores in capitulis subrotundis, pedunculatis; involucro sub 4-phyllo. Calyx 4-5-phyllus, foliolis lanceolatis. Corolla O. Stamina 11-19, calyce triplo longiora, e receptaculo. Styli 2, filiformes: stigmate simplici: germen superum, monoloculare, polyspermum.
Flowers in little round heads, upon footstalks; with an involucre of about 4 leaves. Calyx of 4 or 5 leaves, the leaflets lanced. Blossom none. Stamens from 11 to 19, thrice as long as the calyx, growing from the receptacle. Styles 2, thread-shaped. Stigma simple. Germen above, 1-celled, and many-seeded.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A flower.
2. The same spread open, one tip magnified.
3. The seed-bud and pointals.
4. The same magnified.
Callicoma serratifolia is a native of New South Wales, and has now for several years in some choice collections adorned the green-house and conservatory in early spring with its fine heads of flowers; but to whom we are indebted for its first introduction we are uncertain. Some botanists have considered it as a congener of Forster’s Codia, to which it has certainly a considerable affinity; but as we cannot exactly see the propriety of coupling an apetalous flower having so many stamens with one that is penta-petalous and octandrous, and of which we have no description of the germen or fruit; and there being great probability that more plants of this family may be discovered in the vast tracts of New Holland yet unexplored, we have rather chose to describe it as distinct, than to excuse ourselves by leaving it to be separated at some future period and create more changes of names, a circumstance always to be deprecated and avoided as much as possible by Naturalists. Callicoma is a middle-sized shrub with the leaves finely cottony and whitish on the under side, and has considerable beauty even when out of blossom. It is propagated by layers.
