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76 FLORA OF NEW ZE.VLAND, [Ficoideoe.
rib u s 1-floris folio brevioribus, floribus 4-meris, sepalis obtusis, petaKs longioribus albis obovatis obtusis^
glandulis liypogynis linearibus cuneatis, carpellis 4 tu rg id is , stylis brevibus recurvis polyspermis. BC.
Prodr. Î7. 3. 3 8 2 . Hook. le . P la n t. A 535 (glandulis omissis). Bulliarda, Z/ F L Aniarct.
V. p . 15. e t v . %, p . 278. B. Magellanica, B e Cand. Crassula moschata, Forster.
H a b . N o rth e rn Is la n d ; east an d south coast, Colenso. Middle Islan d , common.
Much the largest species of the genus, of a red-brown colour, having conspicuous though small white flowers,
on solitary axillary peduncles shorter than the leaves. Steinx 2 inches to a span long, simple or sparingly branched.
Leaves small, uniform, succulent, 2 -4 lines long, oblong, spathulate or linear-oblong, blunt, often throwing out roots
at the axils. Flowers 2 lines across. Sepals fom-, obtuse, half as short as the spreading, obovate, obtuse, white
petals. Glands at the back of the ovaria linear, wedge-shaped, truncate. Capsules many-seeded.—This is a very
abundant and widely-diffused southern plant, found at Euegia and Cape Horn, Kerguelen’s Land, Auckland and
Campbell’s Islands; but not hitherto in Tasmania, whose southern coast it however probably inhabits.
N a t . O r d . XXXIIL FICOIDEÆ, J uss.
Gen. I . M E S EM B R Y A N TH EM UM , L .
Sepala 4 - 5 , plus minusve in te r se et cum ovario connata. F e ta la plurima, linearia, multi- v. pauci-
seriata. Stamina p lu rim a ; filamentis plurimis. superum v. inferum v. semisuperum, 1 -0 0 -lo cu -
la re ; stigmatibus plurimis, d istin c tis; ovulis p erp lu rimis; funicuHs capillaribus, placentis liberis confluenti-
busve insertis. Capsula 1 -0 0 -lo cu laris, multivalvis. Semina plurima. '
The only New Zealand species is a very succulent, smooth, prostrate, sea-side herb, woody towards the root,
with opposite, linear, three-angled, fieshy leaves, and many-petalled flowers, on a stout erect peduncle. Sepals flve,
united together, and with the ovarium below, free above. Fetals very numerous, linear, blunt. Stamens in many
series, inserted along with the petals on the calyx. Ovary sunk in the fleshy calyx, about eight-celled. Stigmas five,
subulate. Capsule turbinate, eight-celled, bmsting at the top into as many slits, which radiate from the centre.
Seeds small, black, very numerous, attached to the inner angle of the cells.—This immense genus is typical of a
desert country or soil, and is nearly confined to the Cape of Good Hope : two species only are found in Australia,
and one of these in New Zealand ; a few inhabit the Atlantic Islands, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. They
have long been favomites in cultivation, from the beauty of their flowers and curiously-formed leaves. (Name from
mid-day, and avêos,Jioîoer ; from many species flowering at mid-day.)
1. Mesembryanthemum australe, Sol. ; caule semitereti prostrato, foliis oppositis curvis lævibus
linearibus v. lineari-oblongis obtusis triq u e tris glaucis punctatis, scapo compresse foliis æquilongo sursum
clavato. Sol. in A it. Hort. Kew. BC . Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr.
H a b . N o rth e rn Is la n d ; common along th e coasts. B ank s and Solander, etc.
Stems 6-12 inches long, semiterete, giving off here and there short axillary branches, and opposite, fleshy,
triangular leaves, 1 - l i inch long, which are cmved, smooth, glaucous, dotted, vaiiable in thickness from 1 -3 lines.
Peduncles inches long, compressed, swelling upwards into the turbinate calyx. Flowers pale reddish, very
variable in size, -l—l- inch. Fetals numerous, linear.—There is a Cape of Good Hope species (from Somerset),
M. crassifolium, L., which I cannot, from dried specimens or from De Candolle’s descriptions, distinguish from the
New Zealand one. 1 have not compared them alive, and they are too succulent and difficult to distinguish by short
characters to admit of their being united by the only examination I can make. This is an abundant Australian and
Tasmanian plant.
FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND.
Gen. I I . T E TR A G O N IA , L .
Calycis tu b u s ovario 4-gono co n tin u u s ; lobis 4 , obtusis. P e ta la 0. Stamina 4 - 1 2 . S ty li breves,
3 - 8 . Fruotus subdrupaceus, te trag o n u s v. prismá tic as, angulis obtusis v. in cornua p ro d u c tis ; endocarpio
osseo, 3 -8 -lo cu la ri ; loculis 1-spermis.
Procumbent, littoral, berbaceous plants, with alternate, petiolate, fleshy leaves, and axillary pedunculate flowers,
of which the only New Zealand species is known as “ native spinach.” Calyx of four blunt sepals, united below to
the obconic, four-angled ovarium lobes. Petals none. Stamens four to twelve. Blyles three to eight, very short.
P n i t a terete or four-angled, obconic, hard, indehiscent nut, with a thin, green, fleshy coat ; the angles often produced
into tubercles or horns, three- to eight-celled ; ceUs one-seeded.—This genus abounds at the Cape of Good
Hope, and is confined to the Southern Hemisphere, a few species being found in South America and Australia.
(Named from rerpa, four, and yxvia, an angle ; from the foui*-angled calyx.)
1. Te tragonia expausa, S o l.; pubescens v. g lab rata, caule elongato pro strato ramoso, foliis ovato-
tetragonis obtusis obscure sinuatis in petiolum angusta tis, floribus axillaribus sobtariis breve pedunculatis
ab o rtu unisexualibus ? staminibus paucis numero vai-iis, stylis 3 - 8 recurvis, fru c tu immaturo urceolari
maturo tetragono v. te re ti inermi v. tube rculato e t cornuto 4 -9 -sp e rm o . Sol. in Uort. Kew. DC. Frode.
V. Z .p . 4 5 2 . A . B ieh . Flora. A. Cunn. Prodr. T. trig y n a et cornuta. B a n k s e t Sol. M S S . T. halimi-
folia, Forst.
H a b . N o rth e rn and Middle Is la n d s ; ab u n d an t along tb e shore in many places, B a n k s and.
Solander, etc.
A smooth or pubescent plant, veiy variable in size and shape of the fruit, which is either rounded, angled,
or bears two to four short spines or horns. Leaves petioled, ovate, somewhat rhomboid, blunt, entire, obsciuely
sinuate, | - 2 inches long. Plowers ou short peduncles, probably dicecious, inconspicuous, 2 -4 hnes broad. Stamens
variable in number and insertion. Styles three to eight, recurved,—A common New Holland, Tasmanian, Norfolk
Island. South Chilian, and Bonarian plant. Endlicher, in his ‘ Norfolk Island Elora,’ remarks how variable the
fruit is, and that sometimes flowers are borne ou the tubercles or horns of tbe nut. The nuts vary from 2 lines to
I iuch long, and are veiy bony inside.
N at. O m . XXXIV. ESCALLONIErE, Br.
Gen. I . CA E POD E TUS , Forst.
Calycis tu b u s ovario a d n a tu s ; hmbus 5-deutatus. P e ta la 5, valvata. Stamina 5, sub disco lato
epigyno inserta, Ovarmm tu rb in atum , 4 -5 -lo cu la re , multiovulatum, ovulis ángulo interiori loculi suspensis,
sub-2-seriatis, an a tro p is; slylns 1, re c tu s ; stigmate discoideo. Capsula indehiscens, coriaceo-carnosa,
depresso-sphmrica, medio calycis margine zonata, sub-5-loba, 4 -6 -lo cn la ris, po ly sp erm a; semina ovoidea;
testa coriacea, foveolato-punetata ; embryone minimo, brevi, tereti, axi albuminis dense carnosi ; radícula
lulo proxima.
A small, branching, pubescent tree or large bush, with alternate, petiolate, exstipulate, serrate leaves, and te rminal
or axillary corymbose racemes of small flowers. Calyx tube broadly turbinate, united to the ovary' ; limb of
five small teeth. Petals five, spreading, valvate. Stamens five, inserted under a broad disc. Ovary five-celled, with
many ovules hanging from the inner upper angle of each cell. Style one, erect, terminated with a discoid stigma.
Capsule rounded, coriaceous, almost fleshy, marked round the middle with the margin of the calyx, bursting irregularly,
tour- to five-celled ; cells many-seeded. Seeds small, red-brown, surface deeply pitted.—A curious plant, the