2. Astelia linearis, Hook. fil. ; dioica, pusilla, caulibus cæspitosis, foliis anguste linearibus acuminatis
carinatis marginibus recurvis, scapis folio brevioribus paucifloris, bacca lineari conica trigona, stigmate
sessili, seminibus plurimis placentis parietalibus affixis.— Antarct.p. 76.
Ha b . Northern Island. Summit of Ruahine mountains, Colenso.
The smallest New Zealand species, first found in Lord Auckland’s Group, densely tufted. Leaves spreading,
1-6 inches long, hnear, silky, and villous at the base, glabrous or covered with appressed scales, or ciliated above,
keeled. Flotcers few, on short peduncles. Berry large for the size of the plant, red. Seeds obovoid, shining, not
angled.—The A. alpina of Tasmania and A. pumila of Fuegia are closely allied to this.
§ b. Perianth of the female flower often enclosing the ripe fruit. Beny trilocular. Seeds angled.
3. Astelia nervosa, Banks et Sol.; foliis anguste lineari-elongatis subulatis 2-3-nerviis argenteo-
sericeis glabratis v. glaberrimis, panícula' subcoarctata, ramis robustis; masc. perianthii infra medium 6-
partiti laciniis late lineari-oblongis subacntis, staminibus medio laciniarum insertis, antheris late oblongis ;
fcem. perianthio maris, ovario conico trigono, stylo brevi crasso, bacca 3-loculari periantliio urceolato
baccato immersa stylo crasso terminata, placentis axillaribus, seminibus atris nitidis tereti-angulatis.—
Banhs et Sol. MSS. et Ic.
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands, Banks and Solander, etc., in boggy ground. Ruahine mountains,
Colenso. Mountains above Nelson, 5000 feet, BidwiU. Middle Island, Lyall. Akaroa, Raoul
Leaves 2 feet long, very narrow, inch, generally silky, sometimes quite glabrous. Panicle a span long,
erect, with stout ascending branches. Flowers much larger than in A. Banksii. Perianth silky and chaffy, cut to
below the middle into sis broad, oblong, blunt pieces, on which the stamens are inserted. Fruit yellow, enclosed in
the fleshy perianth, three-celled. Seeds black, shining, and angled. The two lateral nerves of the leaf are sometimes
stronger than the middle one, and red.
4. Astelia Solandri, A. Cnnn.; foliis e basi lata densissime villosa longe lineari-subulatis 2-3-costatis,
paniculæ ramis brevibus v. valde elongatis; masc. densifioris, floribus breve pedicellatis, perianthii profunde
6-partiti laciniis membranaceis linearibus, filamentis elongatis, antheris lineari-elongatis ; fmm. paniculæ
ramis densifioris, floribus minoribus tubo hemisphærico limbi lobis 6 reflexis, staminibus sterilibus ore
perianthii insertis, ovario globoso 3-loculari, ovulis placentis axillaribus affixis, stylo subelongato.—ta/. Cunn.
Prodr. A. furfuracea. Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic.
Ha b . Northern and Middle Islands, on limbs of trees, etc., Banhs and Solander, Cunningham, etc.
A very distinct plant, both in male and female flower; if I am right in referring these to the same species.
Leaves covered below with a thin pellicle as in Celmisia coriacea, often 2-4 feet long, very broad, 3 inches at the
base, and there clothed with dense silky masses of snow-white wool, smooth above, silvery below, with two very
strong nerves. Panicle 6 inches to 14 foot long ; male of very stout branches 1 inch across, including the flowers ;
female branches sometimes 10 inches long. Male flowers very large, of a more membranous texture than in the
other species. Perianth divided into six Unear, blunt pieces, süky externally. Stamens with very long exserted
filaments, 4 inch long, and linear oblong anthers. Female perianth much smaller, more scarious, with a hemispherical
tube and six recurved segments. Ovary globose, three-celled, with a straight style.—I have not seen ripe
fruit. Tbe texture of the perianth of this plant is quite that of other Uliaceoe, whereas that of its congeners is more
dry and opake.
5. Astelia Banksii, A. Cunn.; dense molliter argenteo-sericea, foliis anguste lineari-subulatis sericeis
glabratisve, paniculæ masc. ramis laxis elongatis, perianthiis parvis glabratis segmentis lanceolatis acuminatis,
filamentis subulatis, antberis parvis latis, paniculæ foem. ramis brevibus confertis, perianthiis rotatis sericeis
segmeiitis acuminatis, ovario conico trigono stigmate subsessili, bacca ovoidea obtusa 3-loculari, loculis 3- 6-
speitois, seMnibus angulatis 3 apice loculi pendulis funiculis ,
7 * • PzvA.z.» ,9^7 MSS et Ic Hamelinia veratroides, Æ .
^ A B l Í n l S - S e l parts of tbe Middle Island, cominon. R « . . » . . t a » . . ,
(This or A. Ounninghamn is cultivated in England.)
leaves size of the panicles, length of their branches, and breadth and silkiness of the peiianths.
, , 1 • G »11 t h e soeeies of Adelia susceptible of revision, and strongly recommend
the g L : to the* N eV zL lttd rtudenfs attention, who should be guided in his investigation of their characters by
tbe C and t e e t o l d not be led astray by supposed speciflo differences arising from the specimens growing on
rocks or the ground, instead of on trees.
Obs I have an imperfect specimen of another New Zealand LUiaoeons plant, characterized as follows
P uC a . C e graeibt foliis danois basi vaginantibus auguste liuearibus. flore solitario, pedicello brevi, capsula
semi-matura elliptiea obtusa.
Hab. Middle Island. Canterbury plains. Ipall
- t a -
at its base, and a straight sunple style.
N a t . O r e . X C L P A LM Æ . J uss.
Gen. I. ABECA, A.
Mores monoici, sessiles in eadem spadice, spatba duplici cincti; masenli superiores plerumque foemineis
m sontb Amenea. The genns rfrera (which produces the
n t : ot. d : AGa and its islands ; but the group to which A. aaffiu belongs, and w h ic ^ a , a one-ceUed
Betel-nut) is f o / “ Zealand, Norfolk Island, and tbe Malay Archipelago. Mr. Brown distinovary,
is supposed to cmfi s^ffortUa ; it resembles tbe New Zealand species, but differs
guislied tbe Austialian allied < ^ —A. sapida is a small Palm ; trunk 6-10 feet higb, 6-8
from it T s f e e u lg ; pinnules éery narrow, Imear-lanceolate, margius replicate; nerves,
iuehes : J „iti, 1 iiote scales. Spadix glabrous, much branched, densely flowered,
r s l t h : : : , encioL iu ’two boat-shaped spathes; young inflorescence eaten. Flower, very unmerous. males