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Stigmata 2, hirsuta, filiformia, ad basin discreta. Bacca rotundata, carnosa, dicocca. Cocci coriacei,
1-spermi. plano-convexa, intus sulcata. Albtmen QOXiiQwm.
Creeping herbs, found in shady mossy places, with opposite entire leaves, and inconspicuous axillary flowers,
differing from Coproma .oxú^ iu the flowers being hermaphrodite. (Name from veprfpos, lowly ; in allusion to the
habit of growth.)
1. Nertera depressa, Banks et Sol.; glaberrima, caulibus repentibus, ramulis suberectis v. demissis,
foliis petiolatis late ovatis acutis, calycibus ovariisque glaberrimis, embryone majusculo. Banks et Sol.
in Gmrtner. Smith, Icon. Ined. t. 28. Ft. Antaret. p . 23.
H a b . Middle aud Southern Islands. Milford Sound, Otago, and Stewart’s Island, Lyall.
Quite smooth in every part. Stems obscurely four-angled, creeping and rooting, a span to 2 feet long, leafy at
the joints. Leaves 4-4 inch long, on petioles as long as the lamina or shorter, broadly ovate, blunt or rather sharp,
coriaceous or fleshy. Flowers sessile, axillary, very small and inconspicuous. Stamens exsei-ted ; anthers broadly
ovate. Styles 2, diverging, hairy. Berry red, fleshy, with two seeds, each enclosed iu a hard plano-convex
coriaceous nut.—This species is common in Lord Auckland’s Group and Campbell’s Island; also at Cape Horn, in
South Chili, and on the Andes as far north as Santa Fe de ]
2. Nertera Cunninghamii, Hook, fil.; tenella, glaberrima, caulibus repentibus, ramulis prostratis,
foliis parris petiolatis anguste ovatis acutis, calycis limbo obscure 4-lobo, corolla brevi infundibuliformi
4-loba, staminibus erectis, antheris late ovatis, stigmatibus divaricatis vix exsertis, baccis parvis oblongis.
N. depressa, A. Cunn. Frodr.
Ha b . Northern Island. Bay of Islands ; common in mossy places. Falls of the Wytangi River,
Cunningham, etc.
A much smaller and more delicate plant than the former, with narrower, shai-per leaves, and smaller bemes, but
otherwise so similar, that I have made a species of it with much hesitation. I have seen a specimen from the
Philippine Islands (Cuming, 943) apparently identical with this.
3. Nertera dichondræfolia. Hook. fil. ; pilosa v. villosa, caule repente ramoso, ramis prostratis, foliis
longe petiolatis late ovato-cordatis acutis apiculatisve submembranaceis inferne glabris papillosis, floribus
parvis axillaribus ut in iY. (¿ejsresia. Geophila? dichondræfolia, rf. Proifr, T a b . XXVIII. J .
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands; abundant, Cunningham, etc. Otago and Port Preservation,
A small creeping herb, with stems, branches, and leaves on the upper surface more or less hahy. Stems a span
to 2 feet long, prostrate, creeping, slender. Leaves on slender petioles as long as the lamina, which is 4 - f inch
long, very broadly ovate-cordate, acute or apiculate, rather membranous, smooth below and papillose or rugose
when diy. Flowers verj^ small, quite hke those of N. depressa, as is the fruit.—Very variable in size and amount of
hairiness.—P la te XXVIII. A. Fig. 1, stem with stipules; 2, flower; 3, ovarium cut across; 4, beny; 5, berry
cut across ; 6, nut ; 7, vertical, and 8, transverse sections of the same :—all magnified.
4. Nertera setulosa, Flook. fil.; pusilla, hispida v. glabrata, caule filiformi repente radicante, ramis
tenuibus suberectis, stipubs mimmis bidentatis, foliis petiolatis late ovatis rotundatisve obtusis ciliatis glabratisve,
floribus parvis axiUaribus, calycis tubo setoso limbo obscure lobato, corollæ tubo elongato ore campanulato
4-fìdo, lobis setosis glabratisve, filamentis longe exsertis, antheris lineari-oblongis basi bicaudatis,
stigmatibus filiformibus exsertis hirsutis, baccis setosis 2-coceis, embryone parvo. T a b . XXVIII. B.
FIab. Northern Island. East coast. PaUiser Bay, Colenso.
Stems slender, rather rigid and wiry, creeping, rooting. Branches suberect, 1-2 inches long, smooth or hispid.
Leaves on short petioles, 4-4 inch long, loosely covered with stiff white hairs, smooth helow, broadly ovate or oblong,
blunt. Stipules very small, notched. Flowers axillary, white, inconspicuous. Ovary hispid. Corolla very long and
slender, nearly as long as the leaves, five-toothed. Stamens and stigmata long, exserted. Anthers pendulous, liuear-
oblong ; lobes produced downwards into two points. Be)-ry small, hispid.—A very curious httle plant, more Hke a
Coprosma in the long tubular corolla and pendulous anthers and stigmata ; hut the flowers appear truly hermaphrodite.—
P l a t e XXVIII. B. Fig. 1 , leaf and stipule; 2 , 3 , flowers; 4 , coroUa laid open; 5 , stamen; 6 , berry;
7, transverse section of berry ; 8, nut ; 9, vertical section of the same :—all magnified.
Gen. IV. GALIUM, Linn.
Calycis tubus globosus v. oblongus; limbo 0. Corolla rotata, 4-partita, rai-ius 3-partita. Stamina
3-4, brevia. Styli 2, breves. Fructus didymus, subrotundus, siccus; carpellis 2, indehiscentibus, 1-
spermis.
Prostrate, erect, or subscandent herbs, with very slender, weak, branching, four-angled stems aud entire whorled
leaves. Flotcers very sniaU and inconspicuous, axiUary in the New Zealand species, peduuculate ; peduncles one- or
several-flowered. Calyx tube globose ; Umh wanting. Corolla rotate, three- to four-partite. Stamens three to four.
Styles two, short. Fruit small, dry, two-lobed, of two indéhiscent one-seeded nuts.—This genus is common to
most latitudes and every chmate; the species are generally local : those of New Zealand are both peculiar; as are
the Tasmanian and Australian, which are numerous. (Name from yaXa, milk, which an Enghsh species was used
to curdle.)
1. Galium tenuicaule, A. Cxmn.-, scaberulum v. glabratum, caule debiU elongato vage ramoso laxe
folioso, fobis 4-nis lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis subaristatis marginibus costaque inferne scaberubs, peduncubs
axiUaribus brevibus v. elongatis 1-3-floris, carpeUis parvis globosis lævibus glaberrimis. A. Cunn.
Frodr.
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands ; abundant in grassy situations, etc.
Stems slender, straggling or loosely tufted, 2 - 3 feet long, branched, smooth or scabrid with remote, short, stiff
liairs. Leaves in remote whorls of four, A-f inch long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate or aristate, scabrid along the edges
and midrib below. Peduncles one- to three-flowered, longer or shorter than the leaves, spreading and curved down-
wai-ds when in fruit. Fruit of two globose, smooth carpels, each smaller than a mustard-seed.
2. Galiumpropinquum, A. Cunn. ; annuum, caule debili prostrato vage ramoso ciliato v. glaberrimo,
foliis 4-nis late elliptico-ovatis mucronatis cibatis v. glaberrimis, pedunculis gracilibus 1-3-floris Mbs brevioribus
longioribusve, fructibus lævibus glaberrimis. A. Cunn. Frodr. G. umbrosum, Banks et Sol. 3ISS.
Var. a. elongata ; laxe ramosa, caule foliisque laxe cibatis.
Var. glabrata ; laxe ramosa, caule foliisque glaberrimis.
Vai’. 7 . hispidula; parvula, caule robusto ramoso foboso foliisque longe ciliato-pilosis.
H a b . Tbrougbout the Islands; abundant, Banks and Solander, etc. Var. 7 . In dry and alpine
situations.
A smaller species than the former, much more variable in size and amount of short or long hairs on the stem
and leaves. Stems 1 to 10 inches long, branching, stout, or weak and straggling amongst grass. Leaves broadly
elliptical, acuminate or aristate, often marked with pellucid oblong spots, seen by holding them between the eye and
liglit, 4-4 inch long. Peduncles one- to three-flowered, soUtary or one to three together, usually trifid. Flowm-s very
minute. Fruits globose, quite smooth.—The smab variety y is usually more hispid than the larger ones, but is
very variable in tliis respect.
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