FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND.
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radicalibus plurimis 4-4 - unc. lougis longe petiolatis trifidis trilobis tripartitisve, segmentis late obovatis
V. cuneatis obtusis integerrimis v. grosse crenatis, scapis plurimis erectis demum cui’vatis teretibus appresse
sericeo-pilosis foliis plerumque longioribus, floribus solitariis paivis 2 -4 lin. diametr., sepalis 5 patenti-
recurvis pilosis, petalis 5-6 oblongis obtusis basi fovea nectarifera instructis, receptáculo piloso, carpellis
compressis marginatis stylo uncinato terminatis. Tab. Y.
Vai-. a ; sericeo-pilosa, foliis iutegris lobatis crenatisve basi cuneatis v. cordatis, scapis pliu'imis
elongatis.
Yar. jS; sericeo-pilosa, foliis 3-sectis, segmentis ovatis cuneatisve, scapis plurimis elongatis v. petiolum
ffiquantibus.
Yar. coriaceo-carnosa, pilosa v. glabrata, foliis cordatis trilobis rarius integris, scapis paucis folio
brevioribus.
H a b . Northern aud Middle Islands. East coast and interior, in various localities; also on the mountains,
Colenso. Canterbury, Lyall. Yar. 7 . Mountains; Tetiokara; Ilawkes Bay, Colenso.
A small species, never exceeding four to five inches in height, very variable in habit. Characteristic specimens
are covered with appressed or spreading silky hairs. Leaves all from the root, half an inch long or so, enthe or lobed
or divided into thi'ee segments to the base in large specimens, which then resemble R. hirtus. Scapes many, slender,
.erect, spreading laterally, and curring when in fruit. Flowers and/níi7 as in R. hirtus. In the variety y, the
whole plant is very fleshy^ with scattered spreading hairs and but few short scapes, the flowers being actually sunk
among the leaves. It appears a very different species, but I bave many specimens showing how the common form
becoming stunted and less hairy passes into the var. y.—P l a t e Y. Fig. 1, flower; 2, petal; 3, stamen ; 4 and 5,
cai-pels;—a.
** Stems generally creeping; whole plant perfectly smooth. Flowers usually solitary on scapes. Carpels smooth.
7. Ranunculus macropus, Hook. fil. ; glaberrimus, repens ?, caule crasso elongato erecto parce ramoso,
foliis longissime petiolatis flabelliformi 3-5-sectis circumscriptione late reniformibus (2-3 unc. diametr.),
segmentis elongato-cuueatis inciso-crenatis, pedunculis oppositifoliis elongatis I-floris, sepalis 5 concavis
membranaceis, petalis 5-7 obovato-cuneatis sepalis 4 longioribus abbreviatisve brevi-unguiculatis basi fovea
nectarifera instructis, cai*pellis glaberrimis receptáculo tumido insertis immarginatis, stylo recto. Hooh. fil.
in Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 634.
Ha b . East coast of the Northern and Middle Islands, growing in pools and marshes. Poverty Bay,
Colenso. Canterbury, LyaU.
Plants one to two feet long, quite smooth aud succulent. Petioles sometimes eighteen inches long. Leaves
reiiiform, 3-5-parted. Flowers small, yellow, on long peduncles from the axils of the leaves ; sepals concave, blunt ;
petals sometimes very smaR and almost wanting (as figured in the ‘ leones Plantarum’), generally five to seven,
linear-oblong, blunt, yellow. Receptacle swollen as if inflated, covered with smooth carpels that have nearly straight
styles.
8. Ranunculus incisus, Hook. fil. ; glaberrimus, caule repente surculoso parce ramoso ramis erectis
rarius simplici erecto, foliis longe petiolatis in segmentis 3-7 lineari-cuneatis inciso-lobatis palmatim sectis,
peduncuhs axillaribus elongatis unifloris, sepahs patentibus concavis obtusis, petalis 5-8 lineari-oblongis iu
unguem productis fovea nectarifera basi instructis, carpellis tumidis stylo brevi v. elongato recto v. curvato
subulato terminatis. T a b . IY.
Ha b . Northern and Middle Islands. East coast, Colenso. Banks’ Peninsula, Raoul. Canterbury
and Otago, Lyall.
A small species, very slender when 6-8 inches high, generally only 3-4. Sometimes erect, or, probably
wheu growing in wet places, with creeping snreulose stems. PetioUs 2-6 inches long, im « 1 inch broad,
divided to the base into narrow cut lobes. Tlowcrs | - 1 inch across, on erect peduncles, whreb are generally solitary
on the short erect stems. Pdah five to seven, bright yellow, very narrow, hlnnt. Carpeh turpd, with a rather
long straight or curved style. This species is closely allied to R. nm la n s .-P w !% IV. Fig. 1, flower; 2, petal,
3, stamen ; 4, pistil; 5, ripe carpel -.—all magnified.
9 Banunculas rimlaris. Banks et Sol.; parvulns, glaberrimus, repens v. subnatans, foliis longe petiolatis
3-partitis segmentis cuneatis 3-fidis 3-lobisve incisis, pedunculis oppositifolus 1-flons elongatis v.
abbreriatis, floribus parvis 2-3 lin. latis, sepalis membranaceis, petabs linearibus foveola nectarifera instructis,
carpellis plurimis immarginatis stylo recto terminatis. BC. Prodr. v . \ . p . 34. A. Cunn. Prodr.
Raoul, Choix de Plantes. .
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands, as far south as Banks’ Peninsula; abundant in marshy places
and in rivers.
A small slender, perfectly smooth species, often floating on the surface of rivers, etc. Sletm 6-8 inches long,
flexnose, rooting at the joints, where leaves and short stems are given off. Pdiolee very slender, 2-4 inches long.
Lemei 4-6 lines broad, almost orbicular in outline, cut into nan'ow cuneiform deeply trifld lobes. Stem weak,
usually as long as tbe petioles. Peduncles opposite the leaves, solitary, erect, 1 inch long. Plomen small, 2-3
lines broad, pale yellow. Carpels numerous, turgid, witli a short nearly straight style,
10. Eanuuculus aeaulis, Banks et Sol.; pusillus, glaberrimus, sarmentosus, foliis longe petiolatis cordatis
3-sectis, foliolis subpetiolatis late ovatis obtusis integris v. lobatis, scapis solitariis foliis subsequilongis,
sepalis 3-5 ovatis obtusis, petahs 6-8 spathulatis obtusis medio nectariferis, carpellis paucis turgidis stylo
recto subulato terminatis. BC. Prodr. v . \ . p. 34. A. Cunn. Prodr. Fl. Antaret. v . l . p . 4. t. 2.
H a b . Abundant in moist places. Banks and Solnnder, etc.
The smallest New Zealand species in stature; of a thiek texture. Stems creeping, as in the former species.
Leaves cut into three broad, blunt, entire or lobed divisions. Flowers on solitary scapes, which are usually shorter
than the leaves. Petals five to eight, spathulate, yellow, 1 line long, nectary forming a pit about the middle.
Carpels tew. turgid, with a nearly straight sharp style. This plant is found as fai' south as Lord Auckland’s Islands.
Carpels rough or toarted.
11. Ranunculus sessilijlorus, Br.; gracillimus^ pubescens, caulibus prostratis filiformibus, foliis petiolatis
orbicularibus v. reniformibus integris dentatis v. 3-5-partitis lobis obtusis^ floribus minimis in axillis folio-
rum superiorum sessilibus^ sepalis petalisque 5 mquilongis, carpellis compressis muricatis stylo brevissimo
uncinato terminatis. DC. Prodr. v. 1. p . 42.
H a b . Northern Island^ Colenso.
I am not aware whence Mr. Colenso procured this curious little plant: it is by far the most slender New
Zealand species of the genus. Stems, of which generally but few are given off from the root, slender, thread-like,
jirostrate. Leaves chiefly radical, always on petioles 1-4 inches long, the blade \ inch broad, more or less hairy,
entire or tbree-lobed. Stem-leaves on very short stalks, small. Flowers very minute, yellow, solitary at the axils
of the leaves, the upper one appearing terminal, the branch being hardly produced beyond it. Sepals and petals
of equal length. Carpels flattened, rough on tbe sides with small tubercles. This plant is also a native of various
jiarts of AustraUa.
Ob s. The Rammculuspinguis aud subscaposus, of Lord Auckland’s Group and Campbell’s Island, may both be
expected to be found on the lofty mountains of the hliddle Island. A twelfth New Zealand species has been discovered
by Mr. Colenso on the Rualiine Mountains, but tbe specimens are too imperfect for description. The ei’ect stems
have long hairs; leaves radical, on long petioles, much divided into branching linear segments.
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