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spathulatis obtusis integerrimis, corolla pilosa v. glabrata, staminibus 4. Tricboloma elatiuoides,
BC. Prodr. v. 1 0 ._ p .4 2 6 . Lobelia submersa, A . Cunn. Prodr. fid . Herb. Reward.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d , common in wet places, Cunningham, Colenso, etc.
Gen. V I. L IM O SE L LA , L .
Calyx campanulatus, 5-dentatus. Cbfulfe tu b u s brevis, subro tato -camp an u latu s; limbo 5-fldo. Sta-
4 ; an th e ra ram loculis confluentibus. S ty lu s b rev is; stigmate incrassato, breviter bifido.
2- (raro S-) valvis; valvis integris, dissepimento tenuissimo incompleto placentifero libero pandlelis.
A genus of very small delicate flaccid plants, growing in marshes, sometimes under water, generally iu temperate
climates. The only New Zealand species is also found in Europe. Tasmania, Australia, tho Ealldand Islands,
Kerguelen’s Land, throughout North and South America, and is a native of England: it is thus characterized.
Everywhere quite smooth. Stems none or creeping; throwing out white fibrous roots and fascicles of leaves.
L aves 4 -1 4 inch long, linear or subulate, blunt or dilated at the apex. Peduncles solitary, or several from the
roots, short. Plowers very minute, white. Calyx bell-shaped, five-toothed. Corolla obscurely two-lipped, between
rotate and bell-shaped ; limb five-toothed or -lobed. Stamens fo u r; anther-cells confluent. StyU sh o rt; stigma
thickened. Capsule rounded, often on a curved pedicel, two-valved, partially two-celled; valves entire, parallel to
the dissepiment. (Name from limus, a marsh ; in allusion to the place of growth.)
1. Limosella i ■a, Lin n ., var. te n u ifo lia ; foliis linearibus lineari-subulatisve obtusis dilatatisve,
coroUæ lobis ovaU-oblongis tubo calycis multoties brevioribus. Fl. An ta rc t. p . 334. L . tenuifolia, N u tta ll;
B en th . in BC . Prodr. v. ? . p . 4 2 7 . L . austraUs, B r . Prodr. p . 443.
H a b . T h roughout th e Islands. Common in wet places, Sinclair, etc. E u ap u k e Islan d , L y a ll. (A
native of England.)
Gen. V I I . V E EO N IC A , L .
Gafya; 3 -5 -p a rtitu s . Corolla ro ta ta v. breviter campanulata, 4 -lo b a ; laciniis patentibus, lateralibus
sæpe angustioribus. S tamina 2, ad latera laciniæ superioris inserta. S ty lu s elongatus ; stigmate subcapita
to. Capsula compressa, bisulcata ; carpellis dorso loouUeide dehiscentibus, marginibus inflexis columnæ
placentiferæ adhærentibus v. ab ea septicide solutis; v. capsula septicida cum columna placentifera biparti-
bihs. B en th . in BC . Prodr.
One of the most extensive and beautiful genera of New Zealand plants, abounding in all the Islands, and forming
a greater proportion of the Flora in them than in any other part of the world. Species are found in all temperate
climates, and in some tropical mountains, but in very different proportions. In Europe and North Africa they
abound, but are scarce throughout America. Many are found in North Asia, a few in the Himalaya, in Australia,
and Tasmania, none in Norfolk Island or in the Pacific Islands. Of the shrubby species, many are very well
marked ; others run very much into stirpes and varieties. Although the species hybridize with great facility, they
cannot be said to be quite so puzzling on the whole as the other great New Zealand genera, especially BpUobinm
and Coprosma. There are probably too many species made, in the first group especially. The size of the
flowers is a conspicuous but deceptive character, as Mr. Bentham informs me, who has observed the perennial European
species to present two varieties, one with large blue and the other with smaller pink flowers.— Small trees
shrubs, or creeping herbs, with opposite exstipulate leaves, and racemose, often blue, flowers. Calyx generally
four-partite. Corolla rotate or campanulate with a very short tube, deeply four-lobed ; lateral lobes generally
smaller than the others, sometimes with the lower lobe smaUost. Stamens two ; filaments slender ; anthers two-
celled. Style slender, with a small capitate stigma. (Name from iepa eistm., tU sacred picture ; because the flowers
of a European species were said to bear a representation of our Saviour.)
§ a. Shrubs with coriaceous, perennial, decussate, glabrous, entire (not toothed) leaves, in rather remote pairs.
Racemes axillary, many-flowered. Capsule scpticidal ; valves bifid.
1. Veronica Macroura, Hook, f i l ; fruticosa, glaberrima, ramis te retib u s, foliis sessilibus obovato-oblongis
lanceolatisve, racemis axiUaribus densifloris puberulis, sepalis oblongis obtusis v. subacutis, capsula
calyce vix duplo longiore. B e n th . in BC . Prodr. v . 8. p . 4 5 9 .
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . E a st Cape, Wangarei, Cook’s Straits, etc., Colenso, etc.
A shrub 1 -6 feet high. Branches terete. Leaves 1 4 -2 4 inches long, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, or lanceolate,
sessile, hardly acute, with a faint white edge. Racemes opposite, axillary, strict, pubescent or smooth, longer
than the leaves, blunt. Plowers very numerous and densely crowded, 4 incb long. Corolla of a beautiful blue,
shortly tubular. Oalyx lobes 1 line long, oblong, blunt. CapsuUs smaU (4 inch), crowded on curved or pendulous
racemes ; pedicels recurved or spreading, or all curved one way ; valves acute, not twice as long as the calyx lobes.—
This species approaches very closely some states of V. salicifolia.
2. Veronica speciosa, E . Cunn. ; fruticosa, glaberrima, ramis crassis te retibus, foliis late obovato-
oblongis breve crasse petiolatis basi obtusis tru n c atis cordatis v. in petiolum angusta tis, racemis subtermi-
nalibus brevibus obtusis latis densifloris, raclii stric ta crassa, sepahs ovatis acutis tubo corollæ amplæ
brevioribus, capsula calyce plus duplo longiore. Bo t. Mag. t. 405 7 et sub 34 6 1 . B en th . I. c.
H a b . N o rth e rn and Middle Islands. By th e sea coast, Hokianga , Cunningham. Ship Cove an d P o rt
Nicholson, LyaU. N a t. name, “ T iti ran g i,” Middle Islan d , L y a ll. (Cultivated in En g lan d .)
A large shrub, one of the most beautiful when in flower, also the largest-leaved of the genus. Branches terete.
Leaves rather crowded, 8 -4 inches long, obovate, blunt, narrowed into the very short thick petiole, or blunt or cordate
at the very base. Racemes quite glabrous, short, broad, not much longer than the leaves ; rachis stout. Sepals ovate,
acute, shorter than the tube of tbe corolla. Corolla very large, nearly 4 inch across, a beautiful wine-purple, with
stout filaments and large anthers. CapsuUs densely crowded, 3 -4 lines long, thi-ice as long as the sepals.
3. Veronica Bieffenbachii, Benth. ; fruticosa, glaberrima, foliis lineari-oblongis subobtusis basi parum
an g u sta tis amplexieaulibus, racemis axiUaribus folio longioribus glabris, sepalis lanceolatis acutis corollæ
tubo brevioribus, capsula ovoidea subacuta calyce subtriplo longiore. Benth. I. c.
H a b . Chatham Islan d , Bieffenhach.
I have only seen one specimen of this plant, which entirely resembles V. speciosa in most respects, but the
leaves, though as long, are narrower, the raceme longer, flowers smaller, pale blue. It quite resembles what a cross
between P. Macroura and V. speciosa might be supposed to yield.
4 . Veronica salicifolia, Forst. ; frntescens v. subarborea, ramulis glabris ju n io rib u s subcompressis,
foliis subsessilibus amplexicaulibusve lanceolatis acutis integerrimis compressis, racemis densifloris glandu-
loso-pubescentibns glabratisve foliis longioribus densifloris acuminatis, sepalis oblongo-lanceolatis acutis
acuminatisve corollæ tu b o brevioribus, capsula calyce subduplo longiore. Forsl. Prodr. B a n k s et Sol. 2 IS S .
et Ic. Endl. Ann. Mus. Find. v . \ . t. 14. A . Ounn. Prodr. B en th . I. c. V. Lindleyana, P a x t. Mag. Bo t.
R¡a:, fi. s tr ic ta ; capsulis minoribus acutioribus, calyce h irsutiore. R . stricta. B a n k s et Sol. M S S .
Benth. I. c.
H ab. Th roughout th e Islands, very abundant. Ba n k s a n d Solander, etc. F l. all th e year round.
(Cultivated in England.)
A very common shrub or small diffusely-branched tree, everywhere quite smooth, except the raceme, which is
often pubescent. Leaves sessile or half-clasping the stem, 8 -6 inches long, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute or
acuminate, very variable in length and breadth. Racemes sometimes 10 inches long, and slender, with numerous