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N a t . O m . IX. LINEaE, DC.
Gen. I . L IN U M , L in n .
Flores pentameri. Sépala integra. S ti/li S -5 .
The species of Flax are very numerous in all the southern parts of Europe, eighty-five being enumerated by
M Planchón (who has lately monographed the whole genus. Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. vol. vu. p. 16B, etc.). Very-
few are natives of the Southern hemisphere; only two of Anstraha aud Tasmania, of which one is the following
New Zealand species. The latter has flve sipak, and five white or bluish deciduous petak. Siamens five. Omry
five-eeUed, with five styles united into one, their apices alone being free and recurved, (Name from Im , thread,
in Celtic.)
1. Linum monogynum, F o rs t.; perenne, caule erecto v. decumbente foboso, foliis linearibus lanceolatis
oblongisve, styHs 5 coalitis apice Hberis recurvis. Forst. Prodr. BC . Prodr. A . R ich . Flora. A . Cunn.
Prodr. Hook. B o t. Mag. t.? J> li.
V a r .a , grandiflorum. B an k s e t S o l.; ereotum, corymboso-ramosum, multiflorum, flonbus magnis.
Var. diffusum-; minus, decumbens v. ascendens, ramis 1-floris, floribus parvis.
H a e. Coasts of tb e N o rth e rn , Middle, and Southern Islands, ab u n d an t. Ba n k s and Solander, etc.
N a t. name, “ E au h u ia,” Colenso ; “ K aho,” Cunn. ; “ N ao ,” I f U rville. (Cult, in England.)
This common aud beautiM plant sometimes forms a shrub a foot high, at others a small herb of only a
few inches ; in its common state, it resembles an Enghsh flax-plant in its habit aud stature, its white or pale blue
fugacious flowers, and tough bark ; but differs in being perennial. The leaves are three-nerved, and vary much m
f o L from narrow and linear to oblong, and the flowers in size from one-fourth to nearly an meh across. I am not
aware that the experiment of cultivating it for its fibre has ever been made. The var. a is an exceedingly handsome,
erect, woody, branching, large-flowered p lan t; whereas var. ,3 is a smaU, often simple-stemmed herb. 3 -6 mches
high : between these all intermediate states may be found.
N a t . O r d . X. MALVACEAE, Jms.
Gen. I . H IB ISC U S j L in n .
Calyx involuceUo polypbyllo cinctus. Pe ta la sequaha. Stigmata 5. Carpella b, in capsulara 5-locu-
larem coahta, locuhcide dehiscentia; valvis in tu s medio septiferis; loculis polyspermis.
A very large genus of chiefly tropical plauts, but of which a few species inhabit either temperate zone ; of these
the New Zealander is a conspicuous and widely diffused example, being found in Europe (Italy. Camiola, and the
Caucasus), the Cape of Good Hope, Affghanistan, and the Himalaya Mountains, and also in tropical India. I t is
possibly introduced into these islands ; but I have uo good reason for supposing so. (Name in Greek.)
I . Hibiscus P r im u m ,\i.; erectus, suffrutescens, bispido-pilosus, foliis petiolatis pab n a to -3 -5 -lo b atis
basi cordatis, lobis oblongis linearibusve crenato-serratis v. sinuato-lobatis obtusis infenoribus siepe mdi-
visis, lobo intermedio foliis superioribus p re c ip u e elongato, involucelli foliolis setaceo-lmearibus, calyce
membranaceo suburceolato inflato 5-lobo Hspido venoso, floribus mediocribus flavis, capsula submembranacea
Hspida. L in n . Sp. P I. BC . Prodr. B o t .M a g .t.% m . U n n ., A. Cunn. Prodr.
H ab. N o rth e rn p arts of tb e N o rth e rn Is la n d ; on b o th coasts, Cunningham, Colenso. Middle Island,
South Wanganui, Lya ll.
Allan Cunningham doubts this plant being indigenouSj which Mr. Colenso does n o t; and I have given it the
benefit of the doubt. Time will afford sufficient evidence, for if introduced it has already spread so rapidly that it
will soon be over all the warm parts of the Northern Island. I t may easily be recognized by its beautiful large
yellow Jloicers, with a deep purple eye; it forms a hispid, almost shrubby stem, a foot or two h ig h ; with variously
cut or lobed leaves, which are almost smooth.
Gen. I I . P LA G IA N T H U S , Forst.
Flores polygamo-dioici v. hermaphroditi ? Calyx campanulatus, 5-lobus, lobis valvatis. Pe ta la 5, basi
iu tubum coalita. Stamina 0 0 ; filamentis in tu b um (tubo coroUrn continuum) coalitis, superne pentadelphis
V. liberis; antheris 1-locularibus, bilobis, rim a longitudina li central! dehiscentibus. Ovarium 1- rarius 2 -3 -
loculare; loculis l-o v id a tis ; stylo e re c to ; stigmatibus 2 - 3 , brevibus, obtusis. Capsula 1-3-cocca, irre g u lariter
dehisc ens; coccis 1-spermis. pendulum, embryone curvato. K.si&xoix\d\\OT\, Klotzsch. Blepharanthemum,
Fhidl.
Shrubs, with a very tough bark, more or less covered with stellate pubescence. Leaves alteniate or fascicled, with
caducous stipules, variable iu form, both as relates to the genus and individual species. Flowers axillary, solitary,
fascicled or panicidate; usually small, white. Calyx broadly campanulate or almost tubular, with five valvate lobes.
Corolla membranous. Petals five, obliquely obovate or hnear, united into a short tube, which bears that of the stamens.
Staminal tube long or sh o rt; the filaments sometimes combined throughout their length, at others obscurely
united into five fasciculi. Anthers numerous in the male flowers, one-celled, two-lobed, the valves meeting and
splitting down the middle, each rolling back. Ovuiy generally one-celled, with a straight style, and one to three
stigmata, sometimes two- rarely three-celled. Capsule turgid, one- to three-celled, or of as many one-seeded cocci;
bursting irregularly or longitudinally on one side.—This appears to be a very natural genus, and well defined by
its fm it; it consists of New Holland, Tasmanian, and New Zealand plants, and is allied to Sida, through S.pulchella.
The characters of Plagianthus, Blepharanthemum, and Aste¡-otHcUon of Endlicher and Klotzsch, are more or less incomplete
and inaccurate, the figm-es in Bot. Mag. t. 3271, 3396, being quite accurate, as is Allan Cunningham’s character,
except that the flowers are not usually hermaphrodite. (Name from tAayLos, obligue, because of the generally
unequal-sided petals.)
1. P lag ian th u s hetulinus, A. C u n n .; arbóreas, hermaplirodito-dioicus, ramulis foliisque stellato-pubes-
centibus, foliis gracile petiolatis membranaceis ovatis acuminatis rliombeisve (junioribus forma variis) irre gulariter
e t obtuse duplicato-serratis in te rd um obscure lobatis basi acutis v. obtusis, panicuHs axillaribus
multifloris folio longioribus fructiferis effusis, floribus parvis, calyce hemisph^rico, petalis lineari-oblongis
anguste linearibusve, tubo stamineo d elongato, capsula o vato-rotundata cana calyce coriáceo persistente
suffulta, rima lateral! dehiscente 1-sperma. P . betulinus e t P . u rticin u s, A . Cunn. Prodr.
H ab. N o rth e rn an d Middle Is la n d s ; n o t uncommon. Bay of Islands, A . Cunningham, etc. E a st
Coast, Colenso. Akaroa, Raoul. (Cultivated in England.)
A lofty tree, 70 feet when full grown (according to A. Cunningham); also commonly forming a very straggling
bush, with variously cut'membranous leaves, more or less lobed or toothed, and cordate at the base. Barh rich dark
brown, very tough. Leaves and branchlets more or less densely covered with stellate hairs. Petioles very slender,
inch long. Leaves 1 -2 inches long, ovate, blunt or sharp at the base, coarsely doubly serrate or crenate. Panicles
many-flowered, 3 -6 inches long, effuse, pubescent. Florvers small, white. Petah variable in shape, narrower in
the male flowers, which have longer staminal tubes and included styles {P. urticinus, A. Cunn.). Capsule globose,
with a pointed top, seated in the persistent coriaceous veined calyx, 1-2 lines long, white with appressed hairs, one-
seeded. Seed oily, red-brown, with undulated cotyledons.
2. Plag ian th u s divaricatus, P o r s t .; frutex glaberrimus, vage divaricatim ramosus, foliis sparsis fascicu-
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