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eucalj-ptoides, e i myrtifolia, A. Ounn. Prodr. T a ria t foliis anguste lineai'i-lanceolatis e t late obovatis, ju nioribus
oppositis p u n ctu latis margiue crispatis.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . Prom th e east coast northw.ards, GunningJiaw, etc. N a t. name, “ M aire,”
This is one of inuumerahle instances of the impropriety of adopting native names for scientific purposes,
riris plant is not the “ Mida ” of the New Zealander, as Mr. Colenso assures me, but the “ Mah-e,” and closely resembles
Eugenia Maire, the “ Maire Tawake.” I have hence not hesitated to suppress a name which conveys no
meaning to botanists in general, and can only confuse the New Zealaud student. My own experience in botanical
nomeuclatm-e lias convinced me that the practice of adopting local names for species of plants is highly unadvisable;
it has introduced confusion into the botany of eveiy country, and served no good pm-pose.
4. P l . î a.xillares,
Ih'ugja ovata.
N a t . O r d . LXXVII. URTICEÆ, J u s s .
Gen. I . T fiO P H IS , P . Browne.
Mores dioici. F l . g amentacei, bracteati. P e rianthium 4-phyllum.
solitarii. Perianthium maris. Ovarium ovatum, stylo brevi, stigmatibus 2.
contortuplicatæ.
The “ Milk-tree ” of the Nelson and Wellington colonists is described by Mr, Bidwill and Dr. Sinclair as producing
a milk which is used with tea, and is equally suitable for the purpose with that of the cow ; it is also di-unk
as It flows from the tree, and is good and sweet, but has a vegetable after-taste.—A large tree, 60 feet high, very
variable in habit, form, and foliage, often extremely like Carpodetus serratus. Branches brittle, covered with dark
brown bark. Leaves alternate, petioled. J - 2 inches long, dark green, obovate-oblong, serrate, veined. Male flowers
m sleuder catkins, which are axiUary and solitary or panicled, ofteu becoming diseased, and forming masses of
pendulous, flowerless, bracteate peduncles. Perianth minute, seated in a small bract, fonr-leaved. Stamens four.
Pemalepwers soUtaiy or few together, in very short spikes, each bracteate. Ovary ovoid. Pruit a small red berry,
terminated ivith the two stigmata. The species of this genus are iU-defined and chiefly tropical ; some have been
referred to Epicarpurus of Blume, m which Î I . Eaoul places this, but that genus is described as having the female
perianth swoUen and fleshy, and the male with two bracteolæ. (Name from io nourish.')
1. Tro p h is? opaea. Banks e t S o l.; inermis, ramulis ultimis amentisque puberulis, fobis obovatis
elliptico-oblongisve serratis. Ba n k s et Sol. M S S . e t Ic. Ep icarp u ru s microphyllus, Raoul, Choix de
Plantes, p . 14. t. 9.
H.1B. N o rth e rn and Middle Islands, B a n k s and Solander, etc. N a t. name, “ Towai,” Raoul.
Gen. I I . UBTICA , L .
Flores unisexuales, glomerati v. remoti, spiels racemisve dispositi. F l . r f . Perianthium 4 -5 -p a rtitum .
Stamina 4 - 5 . F l. ¥ . P e rianthium A-fftiyWam-, fobolis exterioribus minoribus v. 0, liberum.
Stigma sessile v. elongatum. Achenium oblongum, perianthio inclusum. Cotyledones ovatæ.
The New Zealand Nettles are simUar in general appearance to the English, but quite different specifically. As
a genus VHka is known by its small unisexual flowers, collected into little heads, or solitary, scattered along
axillary spikes or panicles. Malejl. ;— Perianth four- or five-parted. Siamens four or flve. Female Jl. :— Perianth ot
four leaflets, which enclose the ripe achenium; the latter consists of a compressed nut, with a thread-shaped long style,
or short, sessile, feathery stigma. Cotyledons ovate, plano-convex,—This genus is found in most parts "of tlie wo'rld’.
Some of the species do not sting ; those that do so, effect it by the breaking off the ends of the stings, which contain
an irritating fluid, which is consequently applied to the wound they make in penetrating the skin, producing
inflammation. (Name from uro, to burn.)
1. U rtic a fe ro x , F o rs t.; monoica^ caule erecto fruticoso te re ti ramoso, ramis incanis herbaceis petiolis
costisque setis (longe stipitatis) rigidis paten tib u s dense obsitis, foliis oppositis longe petiolatis ovatis v.
linearibus in teg ris v. basi u trin q u e lobatis acuminatis basi ro tu n d a tis v. cordatis profunde et irreg u la rite r
acute sinuato-dentatis membranaceis superne glaberrimis v. sparse setosis su b tu s glaberrimis v. puberulis,
glomerulis masculis spicatis foemineis subracemosis, racemis spicisve petiolo subæquüongis, floribus acheniis-
que parvis, stigmatibus sessilibus plumosis. A . R ich . Mora. A . Cunn.Rrodoe. U. bastata,
B a n k s et Sol. M S S . et le .
H a b . N o rth e rn and Middle Islan d s. F rom th e east coast. B a n k s a n d Solander, to th e so u th ern extremity,
L y a ll. N a t. name, " Onga Onga,” Col.
The woody branching stem, 6 -8 feet high, and long stipitate stings, at once distinguish this Nettle. The woody
branches are as thick as a crow- or goose-quill, smooth, or, as well as the leaves imderaeath, pubescent. Petioles
1 -1 ^ inches long. Leaves 3 -6 inches, very variable in breadth, entire or lobed at the base. Flowers rather larger
than in the English TI. urens, similar to them.—Mr. Colenso describes this as stinging violently, the pain lasting for
four days.
2. U rtic a australis, Hook. fil. ; herbácea, caule robusto crasso subsimplici erecto nud o v. setoso,
foliis oppositis te rnisque stipulatis longe petiolatis late rotunda to-cordatis grosse crena to-dentatis supra
glaberrimis subtus pubescentibus v. glabratis, stipulis ovato-lanceolatis integris v. bifidis, spicis simplicibus
V. paniculatis petiolo longioribus, stigmate sessili plumoso. M . Antarct. p . 68.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . We llin g to n , B idw ill.
A tall succulent herb, found also in Lord Auckland’s Group. Stem smooth, glabrous, or setose, especially at
the bases of the leaves, 3 -4 feet high. Leaves stipulate, 4 iuches broad, on petioles 3 -4 inches long, opposite or
ternate, broadly cordate, deeply toothed. Spikes branched or suhpaniculate, glabrous or more or less covered with
stings.
3. U rtic a lucifuga. Hook. fil. ; herbácea, monoica, to ta glaberrima v. setis longis sparsis instruc ta,
caule erecto parce ramoso, foliis oppositis longe et gracile petiolatis la te deltoideo-cordatis grosse dentatis
membranaceis, spicis simplicibus v. divisis, floribus eonfertis, achenio laciniis 2 interioribus majoribus
perianthii incluso rarius tubo perianthii elongato immerso, stigmate sessili. Lond. Journ. B o t. v. 6. p . 285.
Yav. linearifolia ; foliis anguste linearibus lineari-oblongisve, floribus glomeratis axillaribus vix
spicatis.
H ab . N o rth e rn Islan d . I n various places, Colendo, Sinclair, etc.
A tall slender species, sparingly branched, quite glabrous, or witb a few scattered long stings, chiefly ou the
petioles. Slems 2 feet high, weak. Leaves very variable in size, -g—3 inches long, membranous, deeply toothed,
broadly cordate, acuminate ; petioles 1 -3 inches long. Flowei's clustered in numerous spikes, which are shorter
thau the petioles. Achenia enclosed in the two outer larger leaflets of the perianth ; sometimes the perianth of the
fruit is tubular, however, and encloses the achenia.—Also found in Tasmania, where the leaves are often narrow
and hnear. The var. ^ may be a different species, but rather appears a starved weak state ; its leaves are verj'
narrow, linear-oblong or huear-elongate, 1-3 inches long, and the spikes reduced to little more than axillary
glomeruli.
Gen. I I I . A U S TRA L IN A , Gaud.
Mores monoici. F l . ¿ ad apicem pedunculi solitarii elongati axülares, solitarii v. bini. P e rianthium
(v. involuccllum) cochleare. Stamen 1. F l. ? solitarii v. 2 - 3 , subsessiles, axillares. Perianthium\agQxi^-
3 K