capsule bursting elastically and disehai-gmg tbe seed. The New Zealand species have been referred to the genus
Erpetioa, DC., which only differs in the lower petal having a very short spar. The genus is found sparingly in
Australia, Tasmama, and F u eg ia; abundantly in the North temperate zone, and in mountainous countries generally,
especially of South America. The species, wherever they occur, are very difficult to distinguish from one another.
(Name tov in Greek, whence Viola in Latin.)
1. V i o l a H o o k , fil.; glaberrima, tenella, repens, stolonifera, stipulis subulato-lanceolatis
fiinbriato-laceris, petiolis gracilibus, foliis la te ovatis profunde cordatis obtusis crenatis, pedunculis 1 -fioris
supra medium bibracteolatis, sepalis lanceolatis accuminatis apice subserratis, petalis spathulatis inferiore
basi gibboso.
H ab. N o rth e rn and Middle Islands. M o u n t E gm o n t, Bieffenbacli; Ea stern Mountains, Colenso; and
Otago, L ya ll.
A slender smooth plant, sending out long rooting runners. Stipules deeply cut and fimbriate, the segments
with glandular apices. Feiioles and leaves very variable in length and size, the former one-half to two inches long, the
latter half an inch long, broadly cordate, blunt, crenate, membranous. Peduncles much longer than the leaves.
Plmoers white or pale blue, one-fourth to nearly two-thirds of an inch across. Very distinct from any New Zealand
and Australian p la n t; it may be recognized at once by its creeping habit and fimbriated stipules. I t is very nearly
allied to a Ceylon and Peninsular Indian species.
2. Viola Ounmnghamu, Hook, ill.; glaberrima, acaulis v. caulescens, sta tu ra variabilis, foliis omnibus
radicalibus v. e caulibus brevibus elongatisve prostratis, stipulis lineari-oblongis acutis integerrimis, petiolis
elongatis, foliis la te ovatis oblongisve rarius spathulatis basi in petiolum angustatis v. profunde cordatis
obtusis obscure crenatis, pedunculis folio mquilongis longioribusve supra medium bibracteolatis, floribus
u t in V. filica u le sed minoribus. E rp e tio n spathulatnm, A . Cunn. Prodr. non G. Don, nec Viola Sieberiana,
Spreng.
Var. a. mnlticeps; caulibus e radice plurimis brevibus, petiolis elongatis 2 - 8 uncialibus, foliis late
triangulari-ovatis basi subcordatis in petiolum angustatis.
Var. radicata; radice valido multicipite, caulibus brevissimis, pelioHs i - 2 unc. longis, fobis ovato-
spatliulatis V. subtrapeziformibus interdum minimis.
Var. 7 . g ra c ilis ; caubbus panels elongatis, petiobs 2 - 8 unc. longis gracilibus, fobis membranaceis
late ovatis profunde cordatis v. basi tru n c atis ad apicem petiob dilatatis.
H a e . N o rth e rn and Middle Is la n d s ; on th e plains and m o n n tain s; very common, A . Cunningham,
etc.
Quite as variable a plant as the Dog Violet, Vwla canina (which it a good deal resembles), is iu Europe. In
a diy soil, or in exposed places, the root becomes thick and woody; the stems are then very short aud numerous,
with many rather coriaceous leaves. In shaded and more favoured places, and amongst long grass, etc., the root
is often weaker and the stems longer, with very long petioles, and broad membranous leaves. I t is best recognized
by its never creeping or throwing out stolones or suckers, and by its entire stipules; for in stature (from 1-10
inches high), texture, size, and form of leaf, and size of flowers, it varies extremely. I t differs from V. Sieberiana of
New Holland in its wanting stolones; but the var. radicata very closely resembles another Tasmanian species.
Leaves on long petioles, broadly ovate or oblong, narrowed into the petiole, or cordate at the base, blunt,
obtusely crenate. Peduncles as long or longer than the leaf, with two bracteoles above tbe middle. Plmoers as in
V .
Gen. I I . H YM E N A N T H E R A , B a n k s.
Flores regulares. Sépala 5, imbricata. P é ta la 5, p atenti-re eurva, oblique imbricata.
subsessiba, in tu b um ooalita, oonnectivo in cristam producto dorso appendiculato. Ovarium I-lo cu la re ,
stylo brevi bifido ramis in tu s stigmatiferis ; ovubs 2 parietabbus. ila e ra I-locularis, 2- ra riu s 1 -sperma.
Semina parietibus oppositis affixa, superposita, superius horizontale, inferius pendulum ; te sta Crustacea ;
albumine copioso ; embryone cylindraceo, radioula hilo próxima.
Shrubs, of which one species is a native of New Zealand, another of Tasmania, a third of New Holland, and a
fourth of Norfolk Island. Flowers regular, small, on short peduncles, axillary or from the branches. Antlers
sessile, with a claw at the back. Fruit a small two-seeded berry. (Name from vpgv, a membrane, from the
appendage at the back of tbe anther.)
1. Hymenanthera crassifolia. Ho o k , fil.; ramulis crassis puberulis, foliis 3 lin. 2 unc. longis lineari-
spathnlatis v. rliombeo-ovatis obtusis integerrimis sinuato-dentatisve crassis coriaccis, p etab s sepalisque
eroso-dentatis. Scævola Novæ-Zelandiæ, A . Cunn. Prodr. T ab. V I I .
H ab. N o rth e rn Islan d , east co a st; on maritime rocks opposite tb e Cavallos Islan d s, 72. Cunningham.
Cape Pabiser, Colenso. Middle Islan d , Nelson, B idw ill.
A rigid woody shrub, often prostrate, sometimes erect and 3 -4 feet high, much branched, the branchlets
pubescent ; bark white. Leaves thick and leathery, so variable in form and size as often to be scarcely recognizable,
generally linear-spathulate, 1 inch long, blunt, veined when diy, in young shoots mnch larger, broader, sinuate
or toothed. Stipules very minute, ovate. Flowers very small, solitary or two or three together, from the axils of the
leaves, on short, thick, curved peduncles, which have a sheathing bract. Sepals five, fleshy, rounded, erose. Petals
linear-oblong, recurved. Stamens five, united by tbe broad connectiva into a tube, sessile; each anther terminated
by a fimbriated claw, and furnished at the back with an erect blunt linear appendage. Berries 3 -3 lines long,
oblong, seated on the persistent withered corolla, terminated by the bifid style, blue-purple, one-celled, two-seeded ;
seeds hard.—Very nearly allied to the Tasmanian H. angustifolia, Br., in which I also find a one-celled, two-seeded
berry ; but the leaves are thicker in texture, and not so narrow. The stropbiolus at the chalaza is more evident in
the Tasmanian plant.—P la t e VII. A and B, specimens in flower and fruit of the ordinary form ; C, young shoot :—
natural size. Fig. 1, leaf and stipules ; 3 aud 3, flowers ; 4, petal ; 5, stamens ; 6, the same laid open aud seen in
front; 7, ovarium; 8, longitudinal section of the same; 9, ovule, cut longitudinally; 10, ripe berry; 11, the same
cut longitudinally ; 13, seed :—all magnified.
Gen. I I I . M E L IC Y TU S ,
Dioicus V. polygamus. Flores regulates. Sepala 5, persisteutia, oblonga, obtusa, imbrica ta. P e ta la b,
lineari-oblonga, patenti-reeurva. F l. f . Stamina 5, sessilia, connectivo apice obtuso v. in appendieem
subulatam v. dilatatam producto, basi dorso ligula v. gianduia erecta in stru c to , an th eris 2-looularibus.
Ovarii rudimentum conicum. F l, ? . S tamin a squamulm dorso appendiculatas. Ovarium ovatum, stylo
erecto 3-5 -fid o v. stigmatibus 3 -5 sessilibus corouatum, 1-loeulare, ovulis paucis v. plurimis placentis
3 - 4 parietalibus solitariis v. biseriatim afflxis. Bacca globosa. Semina pauc a v. plurima, dense congesta,
an g u la ta ; te sta Crustacea v. coriacea; albumine copioso ; cotyledonibus dilatatis, plano-convexis ; radicnla
hilo proxima, cylindracea.
Large, smooth, dicecious. woody shrubs, or small trees, only known to inhabit New Zealand and Norfolk Island,
This genus has hitherto been placed in Flacourtianea ; but certainly belongs to Violariere, and is closely allied to
FLjmmanthera. Leaves large, petiolate, smooth, serrate. Flowers small, in little bundles on the branches ; each on
a slender peduncle, which bears one or more often connate bracts. Calyx of five blunt pieces, united at the base.