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N a t . O rd . LXXXVII. IRIDEaE, Juss.
Gen. I. LIBEETIA, Spr.
Penanthmm 6-phyllum, lacimis patentibus. Stamina 3, imo perianthio inserta; antheris ovatis,
versatilibus. 0 » « « 3-gonum, 3-loculare; ovulis plurimis, 2-seriatis; stigmatibus 3, filiformibus. Capsula
obovata, coriacea v. membranacea, locubcide 3-valvis. Semina plurima, angulata.—Herb® ; foliis
■ floribus i ’ ’ ”
Herbaceous plants, natives of AustrGia, Tasmania. New Zealand, and ChUi. udth radical, equitant, bnear or
sword-shaped leaves, and scapes bearing umbels of white flowers. Porianth of six spreading pieces, in two series.
Stnnmis three, inserted at the base of the perianth. Omnj three-angled, inferior; styles three, filiform. Capsule
coriaceous or membranous, three-valved. with many, sometimes black seeds. (Named in honour of Madame LiheH,
authoress of a work on Eepaticæ.)
1. Libertia ixioides, Spr.; elata, fobis rigidis, umbeUis paniculatis, floribus ampUs, perianthii foliolis
interioribus rotundatis exterioribus oblongis herbaceis triplo majoribus, capsula obovata coriacea. Spr.
Syst. Veg. A. Cmn. Prodr. L. grandiflora. Sweet. A. Cunn. Prodr. Sisyrincbium, Forst. Prods-.
A. Eieh. Flor. S. exaltatum, B a n h et Sol. MSS. et Ic. Ferrarla, Willd. Eenealmia grandiflora, Br.
Prod)'. Addenda suh R. paniculata.
Ha b . Throughout the Islands, abundant, B a n h and Solander, etc. Nat. name, “ Turutu,” Liiall.
(Cultivated in England.)
Very vanable m size, from 6 inches to 2 feet high, stout. Leaves rigid, acummate, f f - i inch broad. Scapes
compressed; branches alternate, arising from linear spathes, bearing umbels of three to ten pediceUate flowers.
Pedicels 1-2 inches long, from membranous spathes. Perianth, 1 inch across, often much smaller ; outer pieces obloug,
blunt, much smaUer than the inner. Capsule coriaceous, club-shaped or obovate, i - i inch long. Seeds yellowish or
brown.—I find no difference whatever between L. ixioides and L. grandiflora, except in the size of the flower, which
varies extremely.
2. Libertia micrantha, A. Cunu. ; pusiUa, foliis gramineis, scapo simplici apice pedicellisque puberulis,
perianthii foliobs subæquaUbus, capsubs membranaceis globosis trigonis. A. Cunn. Prodr. Antbericoides
pygmæa, B a n h et Sol. MSS. et Ic.
Ha b . Throughout the Islands ; in damp woods, B a n h and Solander, A. Cunningham, etc.
A very much smaUer plant than L. ixioides, with less rigid leaves, 4-6 inches long, usuaUy as high as the
scape, which is downy above, and bears a single umbel of three to eight flowers. Pedicel, pubescent, surrounded
by an involucre of as many green spathes. Perianth ^ inch across ; leaflets nearly equal in size. Capsule rounded,
membranous.
N a t . O rd . LXXXVIII. HYPOXIDEÆ, Dr.
Gen. I. HYPOXIS, L.
6-partitum, æquGe. Stamina 6. Ovarium 3-loculare, ovulis 2-seriatis; st-ylus 1 ;
Capmla 3-locularis. Semina plurima ; umbilico laterali, rostelliforrai.
Herbaceous plants, natives chiefly of the Southern Hemisphere, most abundant at the Cape of Good Hope,
also found m AustraUa, Tasmania, South America, India and its Islands. Of the only New Zealand species I hav:
J id
but one specimen l i inch high, wliich closely resembles the Tasmanian H. hygrometriea, and as this latter is very
variable, the following description may require future modification.—Aoo( bulbous, covered with matted fibres.
Leaves surrounded with a membranous sheath below, narrow linear, nearly glabrous. Scape shorter than the leaves,
one-flowered. Ferianth superior, of sLx yellow, glabrous, ovate-lanceolate pieees, l i line long, outer striped at the
back. Stamens Ú1 . Orany three-celled ; ovules many. one. with three stigmas. (Name from iero,
and o|ur, sJmrp; in allusion to the tapering base of the capsule.)
1. Hypoxis hygrometriea, Br. ? foliis anguste linearibus glabratis margine simpbcibus, scapo folio
breviore 1-floro, perianthio glaberrimo foliolis ovato-lanceolatis, stylo I brevi, stigmatibus 3, ovario obovato
basi attenuato.—AaS. Nov. Holl. v. \ . p . 82, t. 108? Br. Prodr.
H a b . Northern Island. East Coastj Colenso.
N a t . O rd . LXXXIX. SM IL A C EÆ , Dr.
Gen. I. EHIPOGONUM, Forst.
Perianthium 6-partitum, æquale, 2-bracteatum, deciduum. Stamina^ Q-, filamentis subulatis, glabris;
antheris basi biloba insertis. O r a n w 3-loculare, 3-ovulatum; stylo brevissimo ; stigmate 3dobo. Bacca
1-2-sperma. Albumen cartilagiiieum. Fhnbryo excentricus; radicula vaga.—Frútices volubiles.
A genus of one New HoUand and one New Zealand species ; the latter. A. scandens, forms a knotted-stemmed.
glabrous, climbmg shrub, rendering forests in many places impassable from its matted wire-like stems, which are
used as cords, and the root as sarsaparilla, but with doubtfG snccess.— opposite and alternate, coriaceous,
three-nerved, 3-5 inches long, petiolate, linear-ovate or oblong, subacute. Mowers in spreading axillary and terminal
racemes, pedicellate. Ì inch broad. Perianth of six linear-oblong, very small pieces. ■ Stamens six, very large, on
short filaments. Ovarg three-eelled. with one ovGe in each cell, a short style, and tlnee-lobed stigma. Prmt an
eatable scarlet one- or two-seeded berry; seeds with a pale membranous testa and almost homy albumen. (Name
from a twig, and yovu, a joint.)
1. Ehipogonum scandens, Forst.; caule inermi, foliis oppositis alternisve lineari-ovatis oblongis
lanceolatisve, racemis paniculatis, perianthio antheris ter breviore.—K rs i. Char. Gen. t. 25. A. Rich. Flor.
E. parviflormn, Br. Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr. Smüax Ehipogonum, Forst. Prodr. S. laqueans, B a n h et
Sol. MSS. et Ic.
I I a b . Northern and Middle Islauds, as far south as Otago, B a n h and Solander, etc.
Gen. II . CALLIXENE, Comm.
Perianthium coroUimun, 6-partitnm ; laciniis æqualibns, interioribus basi 2-glandulosis. Stamina 6.
Ovarium 3-loculare; ovulis panels. Stylus validas, 8-sulcus; stigmate 3-lobo. Bokca 3-loculans; loculis
oligospermis. Semiua subglobosa; testa membranacea, pGlida.—Herbæ ramosa; caule ban squamato,
superne follato ; foliis distichis, nervosis ; pedicellis \-foris.
A geuus of three very beautiful plants, of which two are found in South Chih and Fuegia, and one in New
ZeGand. The latter is a wiry-stemmcd glabrous herb, 8-10 inches long. Stem knotted, with small membranous
sheaths, rooting and creeping, flexuose above. Leaves alternate, scattered, distichous, f inch long, linear or lineai -
oblong, blunt or acute, three- to flve-nerved ; petiole short, twisted. Plmoer on a short terminal pedicel. } mch
broad'’ white. Ferianth of six ovato-lanceolate acute pieces, with obscure green glands towmrds the base of each ;
inner’rather smaUcr. Stamens six; filaments glabrous. Ovary ovoid, with a thiek style, thiee-lohed stigma, and
three fcw-ovuled cells. Berry round, three-celled, with several horny seeds, covered with a tlim membranous testa.
(Name from naXos, beautiful, and ¿evos, a stra-itge)')
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