Ha b . Abundant throughout the Islands, Banks and Solander, etc.
Tery nearly affied to R. fimhrktus, Br., of Port Jackson. I think the B. cuneifolim, Camp,, of Lord Auckland’s
Group (El. Antarct. p. 67), is probably a young state of the same, with blunter leaves.
N a t . O r d . LXX. AMARANTHACEÆ, Juss.
Gen. I. ALTEENANTHEEA, Forsh.
Perianthium 5-partitum. Stamina 5, omnia v. 3 fertilia, in cyathulum ovario brevius coalita; au-
theræ 1-loculares. Stylus brevissimus; stigmate capitato. Utriculus obreniformis, compressus, semine
amplior.
A large genus of often weedy herbs, found chiefly in the Tropical regions ; one species, A. sessilis, Br., is very
widely diffused in the Old World, aud fonnd in New Zealand. New Holland, and Tasmania. Stems glabrous or with
two lines of hairs, prostrate, branched, 3-4 inches long. Leaves opposite, linear-obovate or oblong, blunt, quite
entu-e, fleshy, i - 1 inch long, pubescent at the axils. Flonvers white, minute, in globose sessUe .axillary heads.
Perianth five-parted; segments acnminate, glabrous. Stamens five, two of them with empty anthers ; filaments
united into a cup, Utriculus compressed, broadly obovate, with one compressed seed. (Name from alterna and
anthera, in allusion to every other filament only bearing an anther.)
I . Altemanthera Í6SM&, Br. ; glabra v. ramis bifariam pilosis, folus breve petiolatis Uneari-oblongis
lanceolatisve obtusis integerrimis carnosulis, capitulis parvis sessilibus folio multoties longioribus, perianthio
albido bracteis duplo longiore, utriculo obcordato. Br. Prodr. Moq.-Tand. in BC. Prodr. Wight, Icon,
t. 627. A. denticulata, A. Cunn. Prodr. vix Br. Prodr.
H a b . Northern Island; in boggy places, uot unfrequent, Colenso, etc. Nat. name, “ Mahurie,”
Baoul.
N a t . O r d . LXXI. CHENOPODIACEÆ, Juss.
Gen. I. CHENOPODIUM, L.
membranaceus,Perianthium 3-5-partitum. Stamina 2-5. Stylus 2-4-fidus. depressus.
perianthio baud mutato tectus. Testa seminis Crustacea; emhryo'ne annnlari.
Erect or prostrate, green or reddish, often succulent herbs; common by the sea and in waste cultivated places ;
with erect or prostrate stems, and very smaU clustered insignificant green flowers. Perianth five-parted (rarely
three-or four-). two to five. bifid to quadrifid, Krirali« membranous, depressed, f e d solitary, with
a crustaceous shining coat, Phnlmio annular, curved round a mealy albumen, not spiral.—The genus is found all
over the world, as are some of the individual species, and is very variable in habit and foliage. (Name from xk>, a
goose, andvout, afoot; in aUusion to the form of the leaf in the species caUed “ Goose-foot.”)
§ a. Seed horizontal, rarely (in 0. glaucum sometimes) vertical.
1. Chenopodium tnandrum, Forst.; herbaceum, caule basi suffruticuloso ramoso, foliis parvis gracile
petiolatis late rbombeo-tnangulanbus ovatis orbiculatis v. rarius oblongis subhastatisve obtusis integerrimis
basi sinu lato subcordatis glauco-cinereis glaberrimisve viridibus, racemis spicatis laxis aphyllis, calyce fructífero
late aperto, stamimbus 2-4, stylo 2-3-fido, semine punctato utriculo adhmrente. Forst. Prodr. A.
Bkh. Fhr. AIoq.-Tand. I. e.
H a b , Northern and Middle Islands. Common as far south as Otago, Forster, etc.
A small species. 6 inches to a foot high, bright green, or glaucous and pulverulent, much branched, Imvcs
small, broad, sub-hastate, with blunt lobes and a shallow sinus at the base, i - v inch long. Flowers powdery, in
small loose spikes, axiUary and terminal. Stamens two to four. Styles bifid or trifid.
2. Chenopodium urbicum, L ,; caule herbáceo ascendente sulcato angulato ramoso, foliis petiolatis
ovato-rhombeis inequaliter duplioato-crenatis dentatisve utrinque viridibus spicis aphyllis subcymosis divaricatim
ramosis, semine horizontah punctato margine obtuso. Linn. Sp. PI. Fug. Bot. t. 1919. Moq.-
!. I. 0.
H ab. Northern and Middle Islands. East coast, New Siver, Hb. A. Bichard. (A native
of England.)
A large branching species, 2-3 feet high. Leaves petiolate, broadly triangular, 1 - l i inch long; margin
deeply and irregularly cut into teeth or lobules, N/oiaers densely spiked. P ew » « five-cleft; segments blunt. Seed
much depressed, punctate, with bhmt edges.—A common plant of the North Temperate zone, following cultivation
everywhere, and possibly introduced into New Zealand.
3. Chenopodium glaucum, L . ; prostratum, subcarnosum, foliis petiolatis oblongo-ovatis deltoideisve
flaccidis sinuatis inferne glaucis farinosis, spicis erectis farinosis foliosis v. subaphyllis, semine verticali v.
horizontah puuctulato. Linn. Sp. PI. A. Cunu. Prodr. Moq.-Tand. I. c. Fngl. Bot. t. 1454.
Hab. On the shores of all the Islands; not uncommon. Banks and Solander, etc. (A native of
Eugland.)
Stems numerous, branched, a span long, rather succulent, prostrate. Leaves i - 1 inch long, petioled, deltoid
or oblong ovate, sinuate, toothed, white and mealy helow. Spikes short. Perianth three- to flve-parted. Seed
erect or horizontal, punctate.—Abundant in various parts of the North Temperate zone, also found in South Chib.
4. Chenopodium ambrosioides, L . ; herbaceum, erectum, ramosum, pubescens v. glabratum, glandu-
losum, aromaticum, foliis in petiolum angustatis ovatis lanceolatisve basi cuneatis sinuato-lobatis utrinque
viridibus supra glaberrimis subtus glanduloso-punctatis venosis, racemis foliosis subspicatis, perianthio
fructífero clause, semine liorizoiitali. Linn. Sp. PI. Moq.-Tand. I. e.
Hab. Northern Island. Cultivated ground, Colenso, etc.
Veiy similar to 0. carinatum, but foliage larger. Flowers fewer together, much larger, in leafy racemes or
spikes. Perianth closed over the seed, which is horizontal. Stamens usuaUy five.—A very common plant throughout
the Tropics; probably introduced into New Zealand. Tbe seeds are said to be sometimes vertical, but I do not
find them so in New Zealand specimens.
§ b. Ambeina. Seed vertical. (For 0. glaucum see § a.)
5. Clienopodinm carinatum, Br.? totum glanduloso-puberulum, caule ramoso, ramis suberectis v. diffusis
elongatis, foliis petiolatis ovatis liiieaii-ovatisve basi cuneatis obtusis obtuse sinuato-lobatis supra glabris
subtus glaucis ])ulverulentis, floribus minimis dense glomemlatis monandris, perianthio fructifero exsucco
non clanso, semine verticali margine obtuse carinato. Br. Prodr. ? Blitum, Moq.-Tand. I. c. C. botrys,
A. Cunn. Prodr.
H ab. Northern Island. Bay of Islands, Cunningham, eto. Auckland, Sinclair.
Very similar in habit and appearance to 0. botrys, but the flowers are in little heads, not spikes or racemes,
and the seed is alw.ays vertical. Whole plant pubendous aud glandular, smelling strongly. Stems
branehed. 1-2 feet long. Leaves small, Í—1 inch long, petioled, bhmt, deeply sinuate, lobed. Flowers very
minute, iu axillary leafy clusters. Stamen one.—Mr. Brown’s description of 0. carinatum agrees, on the whole, so
well with this, that, considering how Protean its congeners are, I think it better to retain that name than to make
3 G