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N a t . O r d . XLV. STYLIDIEÆ, Dr.
Gen. I. FORSTERA, Linn.Jil.
Flores monoici v. dioici. Calyx 1-3-bracteolatus ; limbus 3-6-partitus. Corolla campanulata ; limbus
4-9-fidus; faux nuda v. glanduloso-incrassata. Glandulæ epigjTiæ staminibus alternæ. Antheræ 2, ad
apicem columnæ oppositæ, rima transversali debiscentes. Stigma 2-lobum v. stigmata 2, floribus fertilibus
porrecta, plumosa, masculis intra antheras occlusa. Ovarium 1-2-loculare; ovula plurima, columnæ
central! affixa, ascendentia, anatropa. Fructus capsularis, 1-locularis, septicide ? bivalvis. Sem.ina minima,
conferta; testa reticulata.—Herbæ perennes, solitariæ, simplices v. ramis dense congestis muscoiÜeæ.
Folia alterna, imbricata. Flores sessiles v. pedunculati, albi.
Very remarkable alpine plants of Tasmania, New Zealand, aud Fuegia, nearly allied to the extensive New
Holland genus Stylidium. Stems simple and solitary, or branched and densely tufted, forming broad, hard, mossy
patches. Leaves more or less closely imbricated, altemate. Peduncles terminal, very short or wanting, or much elongated,
slender, one- to two-fiowerecl. Ovary with one to three bracteæ at the base, turgid, one- to two-celled, with
many ovules. Calyx lobes three to six, erect. Corolla white, campanulate, with a fom*- to nine-lobed spreading limb.
Stamens and style united into a central erect column, surmounting the ovary, having at its base two large, erect,
subulate or lunate glands. Anthers on the top of the column, sessile, bursting transversely, the two halves hooded,
upper turned back. Stigma two-lobed, inconspicuous in the male flowers, plumose and spreading in the fertile.
Fruit a membranous capsule. (Named in hououi- of J. P. Forster, who accompanied Captain Cook’s second voyage,
and discovered F. sedifolia at Dusky Bay ; a plant which was not gathered again till Dr. Lyall visited the southern
extreme of New Zealand sixty years afterwards, in H.M.St.V. Acheron.)
5 a . F o k s t e k a . Stems elongated, simple or nearly so. Leaves loosely imbricated. Peduncles long, slender,
one- to two-fiowered.
1. Forstera sedifolia, Linn, fib; caule elongato, foliis brevibus imbricatis crassis coriaceis patulis v.
reflexis obovatis obtusis enerviis costa subtus latissima marginibus cartilagineis, pedunculis gracillimis
1 -floris, corolla campanulata 6-fida fauce ad basin loborum cristis transversis bicruribus donata, glandulis
epigynis 2 erectis subulatis, ovulis in placentam centralem liberam utrinque confertis. Forst. Nov. Act.
VjiS. V. 3. p. 184. I 9. Kcenig et Sims, Ann. Boi. v. 1. t. 5. A. Rich. Flora. A. Cunn. Frodr. DC. Frodr.
H a b . Middle and Southern Islands. Dusky Bay and Chalky Bay, etc., Forster, L y a ll
A beautiful and very remarkable plant, varying in length of stem from 3 inches to a foot, and in size
of corolla from 4-4 inch long. Stems slender, sparingly divided, descending deep in boggy earth, throwiug
out fibres, covered throughout its length with closely set, uniform, small, patent or recurved, very coriaceous
leaves, which half-clasp tlie stem. Leaves 4 inch long, obovate, blunt, with broad cartilaginous margins, smooth,
nerveless above, below with a very broad midrib. Peduncle erect, slender, 3-6 inches long, one-flowered. Bracts
two to three. Calyx lobes five to six, rather unequal, liuear-oblong, blunt. Corolla white, persistent, rather coriaceous,
six-lobed to below the middle; tube with a curved thickened ridge and purple spot below the blunt oblong
lobes. Ovtdes attached to both surfaces of a free, compressed, central placenta. Epigynous glands erect, subulate.—
This fine plant is allied through Donatia to Saxifragea.
2. Forstera teneUa, Hook, fil.; caule gracili brevi decumbente diviso basi nudo fibroso apice ascendente
parce folioso, foliis patulis lineari-obovatis obtusis margine tenuiter cartilagineis enerviis costa incon-
spicua, pedunculis gracilibus elongatis I-2-floris, floribus cernuis, corolla 6-loba lobis basi utrinque linea
incrassata donatis, glandulis epigynis subulatis, ovario post anthesiu sursum elougato, capsula membranácea
iiueari-elongata.
Hab. Middle Island. Milford Sound and Otago, Lyall.
A very much smaller and more slender plant than the last. Stem rooting and decumbent below, 1-3 inches
long, with leafy ascending apices. Leaves rather fleshy, but not thick or coriaceous, 4 kch long, obovate, blunt,
with a thickened cartilaginous border. Peduncle 3-5 inches long, one- to two-flowered; flowers nodding, smaller
than in F. sedifolia. Calyx tube oblong, lengthened when the plant is fimiting; lobes five to six, broadly oblong.
Corolla white, campanulate, 4~4 of to six broad blunt lobes, each with a vertical thickened ridge
at the base on either side. Stigmas two, broad, two-lobed. Capsule membranous, liuear-clavate, 4 inch long.—
A very pretty little species, nearly allied to the Tasmanian F. bellidifolia (Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 851), but wanting the
supplementary lobules between the lobes of the corolla.
3. Forstera Bidwillii, Hook, fib; caule robusto elongato basi nudo fibroso cicatricato superne ascendente
simplici V. diviso folioso, foliis pluiiniis confertis coriaceis patulis lineari-ligulatis subacutis enerviis
marginibus recurvis cartilagineis, pedúnculo gracili plerumque 2-floro, floribus cernuis v. erectis, calyce
5-6-lobo, corolla 5-7-loba glandulisque ut in F. tenella, capsula clavata.
H a b . Northern Island. Tongariro, B idw ill Ruahine range, etc., Colenso.
Intermediate iu size, form, and habit between F. sedifolia and F. tenella, having the long, stout, leafy steins of
the former, and the longer, less imbricated leaves of the latter. Stems simple or divided, 3-8 inches long, stout,
scarred, fibrous below, leafy above for 2-4 inches. Leaves thick, coriaceous, spreading, 4 inch long, linear, rather
sliavp, nerveless, with narrow, recurved, cartüaginous margins. Peduncles slender, generally two-flowered. Flowers
close together, white, like those of F. tenella. Capsule membranous, club-shaped, six-nerved, not linear as in the
last species.—This plant I had regarded as the F. sedifolia till I received Dr. Lyall’s specimens of that plant, which
show it to be very distinct. The remarks, however, in ‘ Flora Antarctica,’ under F. clavigera (made in allusion to
F. sedifolia from an examination of this), equally npply to F. sedifolia, except in the unimportant character of the two-
flowered peduncle.
§ b . H e l o p h y l l u m . Stems short, very densely tufted. Leaves veiy closely imbricated. Flowers solitary, sessile-
4. Forstera clavigera, Plook. fib ; densissime cespitosa, compacta, caulibus erectis ramosis, foliis den-
sissimis arete imbricatis semiteretibus apicibus nodoso-incrassatis, floribus terminalibus sessilibus solitariis.
F l Antarct. p . 38. t. 28.
H a b . Northern Island. Top of the Ruahine mountains, Colenso.
This very remarkable plant was discovered by myself ou Lord Auckland’s Group, wliere it forms dense, hard,
green, convex patches on the ground. It probably abounds on the mountains of the Middle and Southern Islands,
but I have not seen it thence. The stems are 2-3 inches long, and with the leaves nearly 4 mcli thick; a good
deal like those of Donatia Nova-Zelandia, which it also resembles in the sessile solitary white fiower, buried
among the leaves, and the styles and anthers growing together from between the great epigynous glands. Corolla
of the same character as iu the former species, but much smaller; generally seven-lobed, with a more tubular base
aud spreading limb. Epigynous glands depressed, lunate.
N o t e . Slylidium spathulatum, Br., introduced into A. Cunn. Prodr, from A. Rich. Flora, is a native of New
Holland, aud erroneously supposed to be a New Zealand plant.