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N at. O e d . IX. LINEzE, DC.
Gen. I. LINUM, lAnn.
Mores pentameri. Sépala integra. Styli 3 -5 .
The species of Flax are very numerous iu all the southern parts of Europe, eighty-flve being enumerated by
M. Planehon (who has lately monographed the whole genus. Hook. Lond. Joum. Bot. vol. vu. p. 166, etc.). Very
few are natives of the Southern hemisphere; only two of Anstraha and Tasmania, of which one is the following
New Zealand species. The latter has five sepah, and five white or bluish deciduous petals. Stamens five. Ovary
five-ceUed, with five styles united into one, their apices alone being free and recurved. (Name from Lm, thread,
in Celtic.)
1. Linnm mmoyynum, Forst.; perenne, caule erecto v. decumbente folioso, foliis linearibus lauceolatis
oblongisve, stybs 5 coabtis apice bberis recurvis. Forst. Prodr. BC. Prodr. A. Rich. Flora. A. Cunn.
Prodr. Hooh. Bot. Mag. t. 3574i.
Afw.a. grandiflonm, Banks et Sol.; erectum, corymboso-ramosum, multifloruiüy floribus magnis.
Var. 0 . diffusuw.; minus, decumbens v. ascendens, ramis 1-floris, floribus pams.
H a b . Coasts of the Northern, JEddle, and Southern Islands, abundant. Banks and Solander, etc.
Nat. name, " Eanhuia,” Colenso; “ Kaho,” Cunn.; “ Nao,” M Unille. (Cult, in England.)
This common and heautifhl plant sometimes forms a shrub a foot high, at others a small herb of only a
few inches; in its common state, it resembles an Engbsh flax-plant in its habit and stature, its white or pale blue
fu=-aciou3 flowers, and tougb bark; but differs in being perennial. Tbe leaves are three-nerved, and vary much in
form from narrow and linear to oblong, and the flowers in size from one-fourth to nearly an inch across. 1 am not
aware that the experiment of cultivating it for its fibre has ever been made. The var. a is an exceedingly handsome,
erect, woody, branching, large-flowered plant; whereas var. 3 is a smaU, often simple-stemmed herb. 3-6 iiicbes
high: between these aU intermediate states may be found.
N at. O r d . X. MALVACBzE, Juss.
Gen. I. HIBISCUS, Unn.
Calyx involnceUo polyphyllo cinctus. Petala aiquaba. Stigmata 5. Carpella 5, m capsulam 5-locu-
larem coabta, locubcide debiscentia; valvis intus medio septiferis; loculis polyspermis.
A very large genus of chiefly tropical plants, but of which a few species inhabit either temperate zone; of these
the New Zealander is a conspicuous and widely diffused example, being found in Europe (Italy. Camiola, and the
Caucasus), the Cape of Good Hope. Affghanistan, and the Himalaya Mountains, and also in tropical India. It is
possibly frtroduced into these islands ; but I have no good reason for supposing so. (Name in Greek.)
1. Hibiscus Trionum,T.-, erectus, suffrutescens, bispido-pflosus, foliis petiolatis palmato-S-5-lobatis
basi cordatis, lobis oblongis linearibusve orenato-serratis v. sinuato-lobatis obtusis mfenonbus sajpe mdi-
visis, lobo intermedio fobis superioribus prtscipue elongato, involncelli fobobs setaceo-bnearibus, calyce
membranáceo subuiceolato inflato 5-lobo hispido venoso, floribus mediocribus flavis, capsula submembra-
nacea hispida. Unn. Sp. PI. BC. Prodr. Bot. Mag.t.ZQI. Unn., A. Cunn. Prodr.
H a b . Northern parts of tbe Northern Island; on both coasts, Cunningham, Colenso. Middle Island,
South Wanganui, Lyall.
Malvacees}]
Allan Cunningham doubts this plant being indigenous, which Mr. Colenso does not; and I have given it the
benefit of the doubt. Time will afford suificient evidence, for if introduced it has already spread so rapidly that it
will soon be over all the warm parts of the Northern Island. It may easily he recognized by its beautiful large
yellow flowers, with a deep purple eye; it forms a hispid, almost shnibby stem, a foot or two high; with variously
cut or lobed leaves, which are almost smooth.
Gen. I I . PLAGIANTHUS, Forst.
Flores polygamo-dioici v. hermaphroditi ? Calyx campauulatus, 5-lobus, lobis valvatis. Petala 5, basi
in tubum coabta. Stamina 00; filamentis in tubum (tubo corolte continuum) coabtis, superne pentadelphis
V. bberis; antheris 1-locularibus, bilobis, rima longitudinali centrab debiscentibus. Ovarium 1- rarius 2-3-
loculare; loculis 1-ovulatis; stylo erecto; stigmatibus 2-3, brevibus, obtusis. Capsula 1-S-cocca, irregulariter
dehisoens; cocéis 1-spermis. pendulum, embryone ourvato. Asterotrichion, W&fesc/i. Blepharantliemum,
Endl.
Shnihs, with a very tough bark, more or less covered with stellate pubescence. Leaves altemate or fascicled, with
caducous stipules, variable in form, both as relates to the genus and individual species. Flowers axillary, solitary,
fascicled or paniculate; usually small, white. Calyx broadly campanulate or almost tubular, with five valvnte lobes.
CoroUa membranous. Petals five, obliquely obovate or linear, united into a short tube, which bears that of the stamens.
Staminal tube long or short; the filaments sometimes combined tln*oughout their length, at others obscurely
united into five fasciculi. Anthers numerous in the male flowers, one-celled, two-lobed, the valves meeting and
splitting down the middle, each rolling back. Ovaiy generally one-celled, ivith a straight style, and one to three
stigmata, sometimes two- rarely three-celled. Capsule turgid, one- to three-celled, or of as many one-seeded cocci;
bursting irregularly or longitudinally on one side.—This appears to be a very natural genus, and well defined by
its fruit; it consists of New Holland, Tasmanian, and New Zealand plants, and is allied to Sida, through S. pulchella.
The characters of Plagianthus, Blepharanthemum, and Astei'otrichion of Endlicher and Klotzsch, are more or less incomplete
and inaccurate, the figures in Bot. Mag. t. 3271, 3396, being quite accurate, as is Allan Cunningham’s character,
except that the flowers are not usually hermaphrodite. (Name from TrXayiop, oblique, because of the generally
unequal-sided petals.)
1. Plagianthus hetulinus, aA. Cunn.; arboreus, bermaphrodito-dioicus, ramulis foliisque stellato-pubes-
centibus, foliis gracile petiolatis membranaceis ovatis acuminatis rhombeisve (junioribus forma variis) irregulariter
et obtuse duplicato-serratis interdum obscure lobatis basi acutis v. obtusis, paniculis axillaribus
multifloris folio longioribus fructiferis effusis, floribus parvis, calyce hemisphEerico, petalis lineari-oblongis
anguste linearibusve, tubo stamineo J'elongato, capsula ovato-rotundata cana calyce coriáceo persistente
suffulta, rima laterali dehiscente l-sperma. P. betulinus et P. urticinus, A. Cunn. Prodr.
H ab. Northern and Middle Islands; not uncommon. Bay of Islands, A. Cunningham, etc. East
Coast, Colenso. Akaroa, liaoul. (Cultivated in England.)
A lofty tree, 70 feet when full grown (according to A. Cunningham); also commonly forming a very straggling
bush, with variously cut membranous leaves, more or less lobed or toothed, and cordate at the base. Bark rich dark
brown, very tough. Leaves and branchlets more or less densely covered with stellate hairs. Petioles very slender,
4 - f inch long. Leaves 1-2 inches long, ovate, blunt or sharp at the base, coarsely doubly serrate or crenate. Panicles
many-flowered, 3-6 inches long, effuse, pubescent. Flowers small, white. Petals variable in shape, narrower in
the male flowers, which have longer staminal tubes and included styles (P. w'ticinus, A. Cunn.). Capsule globose,
with a pointed top, seated in the persistent coriaceous veined calyx, 1-2 lines long, white with appressed hairs, one-
seeded. Seed oily, red-brown, with undulated cotyledons.
2. Plagianthus divaricatus, Porst.; frutex glaberrimus, vage divaricatim ramosus, foliis sparsis fascicu-
4.