7 6
ribus 1 -floris folio brevioribus, floribus 4-meris, sepalis obtusis, petalis longioribus albis obovatis obtusis^
glandulis liypogynis linearibus cuneatis, carpellis 4 turgidis, stylis brevibus recurvis polyspermis. BC.
Prodr. Î). 3. 382. Hooh. Ic. Plant. ¿.535 (glandulis omissis). Bulliarda, HVrville. PL Antaret.
V. l . p . 15. et V. 2 .p . 278. B. Magellanica, Be Cand. Crassula moschata, Forster.
Hab. Northern Island; east and south coast, Colenso. Middle Island, common.
Much the largest species of the genus, of a red-brown colour, having conspicuous though small white flowers,
ou solitary axillary peduncles shorter than the leaves. Stems 2 inches to a span long, simple or sparingly branched.
Haves small, uniform, succulent, 2-4 lines long, oblong, spathulate or hueai'-obloug, blunt, often throwing out roots
at the axils. Floicers 2 lines across. Sepals foiu*, obtuse, half as short as the spreading, obovate, obtuse, white
petals. Glands at the back of tbe ovaria linear, wedge-shaped, truncate. Capsules many-seeded.—This is a very
abundant and widely-diffused southern plant, found at Fuegia and Cape Horn, Kerguelen’s Land, Auckland and
Campbell’s Islands ; but not hitherto in Tasmania, whose southern coast it however probably inhabits.
N at. O rd . XXXIIL FICOIDEÆ, Juss.
Gen. I. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, I .
Sepala 4 -5 , plus minusve inter se et cum ovario connata. Petala plurima, linearia, multi- v. panci-
seriata. Stamina plurima; filamentis plurimis. Ovarium superiim v. inferum v. semisuperum, 1-00-locu-
lare ; stigmatibus plurimis, distinctis ; ovulis perplurimis ; funiculis capillaribus, placentis liberis coufluenti-
bnsve insertis. Capsula 1-00-locularis, multivalvis. Semina plurima. *
The only New Zealand species is a very succulent, smooth, prostrate, sea-side herb, woody towards the root,
with opposite, linear, three-angled, fleshy leaves, and many-petalled flowers, on a stout erect peduncle. Sepals five,
united together, and with the ovarium below, free above. Petals very numerous, linear, blunt. Stamens in many
series, inserted along with the petals on the calyx. Ovary sunk in the fleshy calyx, about eight-celled. Stigmas five,
subulate. Capsule turbinate, eight-celled, bursting at the top into as many slits, which radiate from the centre.
Seeds small, black, very numerous, attached to the inner angle of the cells.—This immense genus is typical of a
desert country or soil, and is nearly confined to the Cape of Good Hope : two species only are found in Australia,
and one of these in New Zealand ; a few inhabit tbe Atlantic Islands, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. They
have long been favourites in cultivation, from tbe beauty of their flowers and curiously-formed leaves. (Name from
fi«rr]p.^pia, mid-day, and av6os, flower ; from many species flowering at mid-day.)
1. Mesembryanthemum australe, Sol.; caule semitereti prostrato, foliis oppositis curvis lævibus
linearibus v. lineari-oblongis obtusis triquetris glaucis punctatis, scapo compresso foliis æquilongo sursum
clavato. Sol. in Ait. Hort. Kev). BC. Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr.
Hab. Northern Island; common along the coasts, Banks and Solander, etc.
Steins 6-12 inches long, semiterete, giving off here and there short axillary branches, and opposite, fleshy,
triangular leaves, 1-lg^ inch long, which are curved, smooth, glaucous, dotted, variable in thickness from 1-3 lines.
Peduncles g—2 inches long, compressed, swelling upwards into the turbinate calyx. Flowers pale reddish, very
variable in size, inch. Fetals numerous, linear.—There is a Cape of Good Hope species (from Somerset),
M. crassifolium, L., which I cannot, from dried specimens or from De Candolle’s descriptions, distinguish from the
New Zealand one. I have not compared them alive, and they are too succulent and difficult to distinguish by short
characters to admit of their being united by the only examination I can make. This is an abundant Australian and
Tasmanian plant.
Gen. II . TETRAGONIA, L.
Calycis tubus ovario 4-gono continuus; lobis 4, obtusis. Petala 0. Stamina 4-1 2 . Styli breves,
3-8. Fi’uctus subdrupaceus, tetragonus v. prismaticus, angulis obtusis v. in cornua productis; endocarpio
osseo, 3-8-loculari; locuHs 1-spermis.
Procumbent, littoral, herbaceous plants, with alternate, petiolate, fleshy leaves, and axillary pedunculate flowers,
of which the only New Zealand species is known as “ native spinach.” Calyx of four blunt sei^als, united below to
the obconic, four-angled ovarmm lobes. Petals none. Stamens four to twelve. Styles three to eight, very short.
Fruit a terete or four-angled, obconic, hard, indéhiscent nut, with a thin, green, fleshy coat ; the angles often produced
into tubercles or horns, three- to eight-celled ; cells one-seeded.—This genus abounds at the Cape of Good
Hope, and is confined to the Southern Hemisphere, a few species being found in South America and AustraUa.
(Named from Terpa,four, and ymvta, an angle ; from the four-angled calyx.)
1. Tetragonia expansa, Sol. ; pubescens v. glabrata, caule elongato prostrato ramoso, foliis ovato-
tetragonis obtusis obscure sinuatis in petiolum angustatis, floribus axillaribus solitariis breve pedunculatis
abortu unisexualibus ? staminibus paucis numero vaiiis, stylis 3-8 recurvis, fructu immaturo urceolari
maturo tetragono v. tereti inermi v. tuberculato et cornuto 4-9-spermo. Sol. in Hort. Kew. BC. Prodr.
Ï7. 3. 452. A. Bich. Flora. A. Cunn. Prodr. T. et Banks et Sol. MSS. T. balimifolia,
Porst.
PIa b . Northern and Middle Islands; abundant along the shore in many places. Banks and
Solander, eto.
A smooth or pubescent plant, very variable in size and shape of the fruit, which is either rounded, angled,
or bears two to foiii- short spines or horns. Haves petioled, ovate, somewhat rhomboid, blunt, entire, obscui*ely
sinuate, -|-2 inches long. Flowers on short peduncles, probably dicecious, inconspicuous, 2-4 lines broad. Stamens
variable in number and insertion. Styles three to eight, recurved.—A common New Holland, Tasmanian, Norfolk
Island, South Chilian, and Bonarian plant. Endlicher, in his ‘ Norfolk Island Flora,’ remarks how variable the
fruit is, and that sometimes flowers are borne on the tubercles or horns of the nut. The nuts vary from 2 lines to
4 iuch long, and ai-e very bony inside.
N at. O r d . XXXIV. ESCALLONIEÆ, Br.
Gen. I. CARPODETUS, Forst.
Calycis tubus ovario adnatus; limbus 5-dentatus. Petala 5, valvata. Stamina 5, sub disco lato
epigyno inserta. Ovarium turbinatum, 4-5-loculare, multiovulatum, ovulis ángulo interiori loculi suspensis,
sub-2-seriatis, anatropis; stylus I, rectus; stigmate discoideo. Capsula indehiscens, coriaceo-carnosa,
depresso-sphærica, medio calycis margine zonata, sub-5-loba, 4-5-locnlaris, polysperma; semina ovoidea;
testa coriácea, foveolato-puiictata; embryone minimo, brevi, tereti, axi albuminis dense carnosi; radicula
hilo próxima.
A small, branching, pubescent tree or large bush, with altemate, petiolate, exstipnlate, serrate leaves, and terminal
or axillary corymbose racemes of small flowers. Calyx tube broadly turbinate, united to the ovary ; limb of
five small teeth. Petals five, spreading, valvate. Stamens five, inserted under a broad disc. Ovanj five-celled, with
many ovules hanging from the inner upper angle of each cell. Sttjle one, erect, terminated with a discoid stigma.
Capsule rounded, coriaceous, almost fleshy, marked round the middle with the margin of the calyx, bursting irregularly,
four- to five-celled ; cells many-seeded. Seeds small, red-brown, sm-face deeply pitted.—A curious plant, the
i a »lb