Gen. IV. ASPERULA, Linn.
Omnia Galii, sed corolla infundibuliformis v. campanulata.
This genus differs from Galium in the campanulate or funnel-shaped corolla, which in the New Zealand species
is not a very obvious chai-acter.—The species are not so numerous as those of Galium, nor so very widely spread,
being chiefly abundant in the temperate and dry regions of the globe ; several are found in Australia. (Name from
asper, roiigh ; many of the species, but not the New Zealand one, being scabrid.)
1. perpnsilla, Hook, fil.; annua, decumbens, glaberrima, caulibus capillaceis curvis ramosis
ascendentibus foliosis, foliis 4-nis minimis lanceolatis acuminatis aristatis, flore terminali solitario sessili pro
planta magna, corolla campanulata 4-partita lobis suberectis obtusis, stylo erecto brevi bifido, stigmatibus
capitatis, fructu glaberrimo.
H a b . Northern Island. Foot of Tongariro, and of tbe Tai-arua range, Colenso.
A very small, perfectly smooth plant, resembling a slender Tïllæa, 1-2 inches long. Stems very slender, threadlike,
branched ; branches ascending. Leaves four in a whorl, 1-2 lines long, lanceolate, acuminate, with a bristle at
the point, smooth, often curving to one side. Mowers white, large for the size of the plant, terminal, sobtary, sessile.
Ovarium quite smooth. CoroUa campanulate, divided to the base into four linear blunt lobes. Styles united nearly
throughout their length, separate and diverging at the top, each with a capitate stigma.—This is the smallest species
of the genus I know.
N at. O rd . XLIV. COMPOSITÆ, Jim.
Gen. I. OLEARIA, Moench.
I multiflorum, heterogamum, radiatum v. discoideum. Involucrum depresso-hemisphæricum,
cavum ; squamis multiseriatis, disco longioribus. Receptaculum convexum, nudum, alveolatum v. papillosum,
subfimbrilliferum. Fl. radii si adsint 1-seriati, ligulati, foeminei; staminibus abortivis : disci tubuiosi,
hermaphroditi, 5-fidi ; filamentis brevibus ; antheris breviter caudatis. Achenium eloiigatum, costatum, glabrum
V. sericeum. Fappus duplex ; setis scabris, inæqualibus, 2-seriatis, exterioribus brevioribus.—Erutices,
Branching shrubs or small trees, generally woolly on the branchlets and underneath the leaves, which are broad,
coriaceous, alternate, petiolate, more or less toothed. Heads with or without a ray, very many-flowered. Involucre
broadly hemispherical, of many narrow imbricate scales. Receptacle naked, convex, hollow, papillose or pitted.
Mowers of the ray when present whitish, ligulate, female, with very imperfect stamens or none; of the disc tubular,
campanulate, five-cleft. Fruit elongated, smooth or silky, ribbed. Pappus of many rigid scabrid bristles, placed in
two rows, irregular in length, the outer shorter.—This very fine genus comprehends the handsomest shrubby
Composite of New Zealand, bearing large heads, which are white with a purplish or yellow eye; they are chiefly
confined to the Middle and Southern Islands, especially to the west coast; the New Zealand species are all peculiar;
a few others are found in Australia and Tasmania. It differs from Eurybia in the double pappus and much larger
heads of flowers; from Celmisia chiefly in being shrubby. (Name from Olea, an olive-tree, which some species
resemble.)
§ a. Peduncles \-jiowered. Flowers rayed.
1. Olearia operina, Hook, fil.; ramulis pedunculis bracteis foliisque subtus tomento albo laxe appresso
vestitis, foliis obovato- v. lineari-lanceolatis acutis acuminatisve obtuse crebre crenato-dentatis crassis coriaceisque
nervis superne obscuris impressis subtus inconspicuis, pedunculis validis erectis, bracteis lanatis
imbricatis ovatis obtusis, involucri squamis exterioribus latioribus dense lanatis interioribus anguste liuearibus
acuminatis glabratis, floribus radii ligulatis, acheniis profunde sulcatis sericeis.
Yar. a ; foliis lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis, radii ligulis elongatis. Arnica operina, Forst. Frodr.
Yar. yS; foliis latioribus lineari- v. obovato-lanceolatis, radii ligulis brevibus.
H a b . Middle Island. Yar. a. Dusky Bay, Forster, Menzies. Var. /3. Port Preservation, Lyall.
A small branching shrub, with the young branches, leaves below, peduncles, thefr bracts, and involucre densely
covered with a thick, loosely appressed coat of white wool, which turns yellowish in drying, and almost hides the
nerves of the leaf. Leaves crowded at the ends of the branches, spreading, very thick, coriaceous and rigid, 24-34
inches long, sharp-pointed, narrow, linear-lanceolate in var. a, broader and obovate-lanceolate in var./3, which also
bears leaves like var. a ; margins cut into many short, blunt teeth. Feduncles axillary amongst the upper branches,
shorter than the leaves, stout, erect, one-flowered, covered with closely imbricating, ovate, blunt bracts. Heads 1
inch broad, neaily 2 inches in var. a, on account of the long lignlm, which are, when spread out, nearly an inch
loug.—This beautiful plant I never knew perfectly till Dr. Lyall brought fine specimens from New Zealand. In the
‘Flora Antarctica ’ (vol. i. p. 37) I considered this to be the same as the following species, 0. semidentata, and as
belonging to the same genus with Ckilioirichum amelloides of Fuegia and the Falkland Islands (Flora Antarctica,
vol. ii. p. 304 his) ; the latter genus, however, I now retain, on account of the narrower receptacle and linear scales
amongst the outer flowers of the disc.
2. Olearia semidentata, Decaisne; fruticulus erectus, ramulis gracilibus, foliis subtus pedunculis
bracteisque lana appressa dense vestitis, foliis lineari-oblongis lanceolatisve acutis remote serratis, pedim-
culis gracilibus, bracteis paucis remotis, floribus radii ligula elongata, acheniis elongatis costatis. Decaisne,
Icon, in Toy. Venus, nullis notis adjectis.
LIa b . Chatham Island, Dieffenhach.
Apparently a smaller plant than 0. operina, with more slender branches and peduncles, more appressed and
fioccose down. Leaves 14-24 inches long, more linear and oblong, less contracted into a petiole, and much less
coriaceous than in 0. operina, sharp but not acummatc, remotely toothed. Peduncles variable in length, with a few
linear-oblong, very woolly bracts. Heads 1-14 inches broad.—The specimens figured in Voy. Venus are larger
aud have rather more lanceolate leaves than mine; they were gathered at Chatham Island, I believe.
3. Olearia angustifolia, Hook. fil.; ramis robustis, ramulis foliis subtus pedunculis involucrisque dense
lanatis, foliis confertis anguste elongato-lanceolatis longe acuminatis creberrime crenulatis subtus nervosis
crassis coriaceisque, pedunculis validis, bracteis superioribus foliaceis, acheniis sericeis costatis.
H a b . Southern Island, Dr. Lyall.
Apparently a large shrub, with stout branches, and branchlets as thick as the little finger, covered, as are the
leaves below, with a dense white tomentum. Leaves 3-5 inches long, 4 inch broad, very thick and coriaceous,
narrow, linear-lanceolate, tapering to a long sharp point, the margins very closely crenate, with small blunt teeth;
under surface marked with prominent parallel veins. Peduncles of old flowers only seen, nearly as long as the
leaves, axillary, stout, erect, covered loosely with large linear bracts below, which above become larger aud quite
like small leaves, an inch long. Scales of the old involucre linear-lanccolate; pappus rather short, brownish. Fruit
deeply furrowed and ribbed, silky.
§ b. Braciiyglossa. Floicers in terminal and axillary panicles, with short rays or none.
4. Olearia Colensoi, Hook. fil.; ramulis robustis foliisque subtus dense tomentosis, foliis obovatis
petiolatis acntis irregulariter et argute subduplicato-eroso-serratis superne impresso-venosis, paniculis 5-7-
ceplialis, capitulis pedicellatis, bracteis late ovatis concavis sericeis, involucri squamis glabratis apices versus