li I ill
Il 1
A very small, smooth, mconspicuons plant, inches high, tufted, suberect or creeping. Leaves 2-3 lines
long, rather succulent, linear-oblong. Ilowers sessile or shortly pedunculate, in the axils of the leaves, large for the
size of the plant. Sepals pale green, with white borders. Petals 0 in any of my specimens, but may probably be
found in others. Capsule globose, with few (usuaRy four) large pale yellow-brown seeds, covered with large
tubercles, wliich microscopic character is perhaps the best.—I have this species from Tasmania, where it approaches
very closely the S. multiflora of that island; but it is a muob smaRer plant, more flaccid, and the peduncles are
shorter.
3. Stellaria decipiens, Hook. fil.; glabra, laxe csespitosa, caule decumbente ramoso, foliis petiolatis
ovatis obovatisve acuminatis in petiolum latum subciliatum angustatis, pedunculis sepalis mquilongis
axillaribus 1 - 3-floris medio bracteolatis folium superautibus v. abbreviatis, sepalis ovatis subacutis glaberrimis,
petalis 0 V. bipartitis, staminibus sub-8, stylis 3. Fl. Antaret. v. l . p . 7. Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 680.
H a b . Northern Island, Colenso.
ITie original S. decipiem was found in Lord Auckland’s Group and CampbeU Island, and I have introduced it
here from finding a New Zealand specimen out of flower in hlr. Colenso’s coRection without a ticket. From the
two fomer plants, it may be known by its greater size, ovate or obovate pointed leaves, and larger flowers; and
from S. media, by wanting the hairs on the stem and calyx. I have never seen the seeds.
4. Stellaria sp. ? caubbus flexuosis nodosis rigidis suberectis scaberubs, foliis parvis ad nodos fasciculatis
bneari-subulatis glaberrimis curvis dorso profunde canaliculatis, peduncubs rigidis fructiferis elongatis,
floribus majusculis.
H a b . Middle Island; Nelson, Bidwill.
I have but veiy imperfect specimens of this plant, which is quite unbke any described species. Stems rigid,
2-3 inches long, round, wiry, scabrid, many-jointed. Leaves in tufts at the joints, \ inch long, subulate, rather
blunt, smooth and shining; their margins so reflexed as to leave a deep furrow at the back. Peduncles of the old
fruit 1 - l i inch long. Sepals 2 Rnes long. Capsule six-valved, longer than the sepals.
Gen. II . AKENAEIA, Linn.
Sépala 5. Pétala 5, integra. Stamina 5-10. Styli 3. Capsula 1-locularis, 3-6-valvis, polysperma.
The only New Zealand species is found throughout the North Temperate and Arctic latitudes, as also in
AustraRa, Tasmania, South OhRi, and the Cape of Good Hope. The genus to which it belongs is a very extensive
one in the Northern hemisphere, being present in every flora of Europe, Northern Asia, and North America;
and has many species common to all these countries, especiaRy mountain ones. It becomes comparatively rare in the
Himalaya, and though extremely abundant in the CordiRera of North America, is hardly found in South America.
A few species are Rttoral, and such are the most widely diffused. A. media is one of these, and the only plant ol
the genus inhabiting the South Temperate zone. (Name from arena, sand; many species affecting sandy places.)
1. Arenaria media, L., A. Rich, et A. Cunn. Prodr. Fl. Antaret. v. Z. p. 250. A. marina, Eng. Bot.
t. 958. A. pentandra, Banks et Sol. Ic. et MSS.
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands; east coast. Banks and Solander. Astrolabe Harbour,
I f Urville. Massacre Bay? Lyall. Nat. name, “ Note-nobo,” iFPrwffe.
Plant rather pubescent. Stems many, 2-3 inches long, suberect, from a stout root. Leaves numerous, Rnear,
inch long. .Sifpwles large, membranous. Fíoícers numerous, axRlary and terminal, pedunculate. oblong,
blunt, green, with a broad white margin. Petals smaRer than the sepals, white or pale pink. Seeds flattened, with
a broad white wing.
Gen. I I I . COLOBANTHUS, Fenzl.
ila 4 -5 , coriácea, ovata, v. snbulata. Petala 0. Stamina 4 -5 , filamentis basi in annulum
perigynum coabtis. Styli 4 - i . CayjSMfo 4-5-locularis, polysperma; valvis staminibus oppositis.
Rigid or succulent, generafly densely tufted, smooth herbs, with short, usually subulate or grassy leaves, and
rather large but inconspicuous sobtary flowers, on terminal peduncles. It diifers from Stellaria in habit, in the
want of petals, in its usuaUy having four sepals, few stamens, and four- to five-valved capsules ; hut is very nearly
aRied to the European genus Sagina. The species are aU natives of the Southern hemisphere, and are chiefly insular.
(Name from uoXo^oa, to mutilate, and av6as, a flower, the latter wanting petals.)
1 . GolohdJfCtxai Billardieri, Eenzl.; acaubs, Cffispitosus, foliis gramineis rigidis cuivis setaceo-elongatis
trigonis superne canabculatis basi late vaginatis, peduncubs elongatis fobo longioribus abbreviatisve,
floribus 5-meris. Fenzl. Ann. Vien. Mus. v. l . p . 48. Fl. Antaret. v. l . p . 14. Spergula apétala, Laiill.
Fl. Nov. Holl. Stellaria uniflora. Banks et Sol. Ic. et MSS.
Ha b . Northern Island; east coast. Banks and Solander, Colenso. Middle Island; Port Cooper,
Lyall. El. December.
Stems very short, numerous, tufted. Leaves grassy, but rigid, i - l i inch long, broadly sheathing at the base.
Peduncles generally as long or longer than the leaves, thickened beneath the flower, which is erect, in bne long, with
five subulate, pointed, ovate, erect, coriaceous, green sepals, and as many stamens, styles, and valves to the capsule.—
This is a rather common Tasmanian plant, and is found iu CampbeU Island also.
N at. O rd . VIII. ELATINBiE.
Gen. I. ELATINE, lin n .
Sépala 2-6. Petala 2-5, imbricata. Stamina bypogyna. Ovarium depressum, 1-5-loculare v. septis
evanidis 1-loeulare. Ovula plurima, placentis axfllaribus affixa; stybs brevibus. Capsula membranácea,
septiñ’aga. Semina plurima, anatrop.a, oblongo-cylindracea, longitudinabter striata et transverse rugosa.
The only New Zealand species is a very inconspicuous marsh-plant, apparently identical with a North
American, Australian, and Tasmanian species.—Steins herbaceous, an inch or two long, succulent, branched,
creeping. Leaves opposite, spathulate or obovate-oblong, blunt, entfre. Flowers sessile, axillary. Calyx persistent,
three- to four-cleft, or of as mauy sepals. Petals three to four. Stamens two to four. Capsule membranous,
three- to four-celled, with often evanescent dissepiments, or one-celled, three- to four-valved. Seeds cyRndrical,
furrowed aud transversely striated. (Name of doubtful origin ;—was apphed to a corn plant by the Greeks.)
1. Fh.tm.e Americana, Am.; pusiUa, repens, glaberrima, caule crassiusculo, fobis oppositis obovato-
oblongis obtusis brevissime petiolatis, floribus axillaribus sessibbus 3-meris, capsula septifrage 3-valvi,
dissepimentis evanidis, seminibus lente curvatis. Arnott, Ed. louon. Nat. Sc. v. 1. p . 430. Torrey et Gray,
Fl. N. Am. E. gratioloides, A. Cunn. Prodr.
H a b . Northern Island; bogs at liokianga, R. Cunningkaw..
I have seen no specimens but Cunningham’s, though Mr. Colenso says it is common, and probably overlooked.
It appears the same as a Tasmanian plant also found at Swan River; nor can I distinguish either from the common
North American E. Americana, which has two or three stamens, and in which, as in this, the dissepiments are
apparent in the ov.ai-y oiRy,