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J' Stigmata 2, liirsuta, filiformia, ad basin discreta. Bacca ro tu n d a ta , carnosa, dicocca. Cocci coriacei,
1-spermi. Semina plano-convexa, in tu s sulcata. Albumen corneum.
Creeping herbs, found in shady mossy places, with opposite entii-e leaves, and inconspicuous axillary flowers,
differing from Coproma .axAg in the flowers being hermaphrodite. (Name from vfprepos, lowly ; iu allusion to the
habit of growth.)
1. N e rte ra depressa, Banks e t S o l.; glaberrima, caulibus repentibus, ramulis suberectis v. demissis,
foliis petiolatis la te ovatis acutis, calycibus ovariisque glaberrimis, embryone majusculo. B a n k s et Sol.
in Goertner. Smith, Icon. Ined. t. 28. F l. An ta rc t. go, 23.
H a b . Middle aud Southern Islands. Milford Sound, Otago, and Stewart’s Islan d , LyaU.
Quite smooth in every part. Stems obscurely four-angled, creeping aud rooting, a span to 2 feet long, leafy at
the joints. Leaves 4 -4 inch long, on petioles as long as the lamina or shorter, broadly ovate, blunt or rather sharp,
coriaceous or fleshy. Flowers sessile, axillary, veiy small and inconspicuous. Stamens exserted ; anthers broadly
ovate. Styles 2, diverging, hairy. Berry red, fleshy, with two seeds, each enclosed in a hard plano-convex
coriaceous nut.—This species is common in Lord Auckland’s Group and Campbell’s Island; also at Cape Horn, in
South Chili, aud on the Andes as far north as Santa Fe de Bogota.
2. N e rte ra Cunninghamii, Hook. fil. ; tenella, glaberrima, caulibus repentibus, ramulis prostratis,
foliis p a rtis petiolatis anguste ovatis acutis, calycis limbo obscure 4-lobo, corolla brevi infundibuliformi
4-loba, staminibus erectis, antberis late ovatis, stigmatibus divaricatis vix exsertis, baccis parvis oblongis.
N . depressa, A. Ounn. Frodr.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . Bay of Islands ; common in mossy places. Falls of th e W y tan g i River,
Cunningham, etc.
A much smaller and more delicate plant than the former, with narrower, shai-per leaves, and smaller berries, but
otherwise so similar, that I have made a species of it with much hesitation. I have seen a specimen from the
Philippine Islands (Cuming, 943) apparently identical with this.
3. N e rte ra dichondroefolia, Hook. fil. ; pilosa v. villosa, caule repente ramoso, ramis prostratis, foliis
longe petiolatis la te ovato-cordatis acutis apiculatisve submembranaceis inferne glabris papillosis, floribus
parvis axillaribus u t in N . depressa. Geophila ? dichondræfolia, A. Cunn. Frodr. T a b . X X Y I I I . A.
H a b . N o rth e rn aud Middle Is lan d s ; abundant, Cunningham, etc. Otago an d P o rt Preservation,
L y a ll.
A small creeping herb, with stems, branches, and leaves on the upper surface more or less haiiy. Stems a span
to 2 feet long, prostrate, creeping, slender. Leaves on slender petioles as long as the lamina, wbich is 4 - | inch
long, very broadly ovate-cordate, acute or apiculate, rather membranous, smooth below and papillose or rugose
when diy. Flowersxtrg small, quite like those of N. depressa, as is the fruit.—Yery variable in size and amount of
hairiness.—P l a t e XXYIII. A . Fig. 1, stem with stipules; 2, flower; 3, ovarium cut across; 4, b en y ; 5, berry
cut across ; 6, nut ; 7, vertical, and 8, transverse sections of the same :— all magnified.
4. N e rte ra setulosa. Hook, fil.; pusilla, hispida v. glabrata, caule filiformi repente radicante, ramis
tenuibus suberectis, stipulis minimis bidentatis, foliis petiolatis late ovatis rotundatisve obtusis ciliatis g labratisve,
floribus parvis axillaribus, calycis tubo setoso limbo obscure lobato, corollæ tubo elongato ore campanulato
4-fido, lobis setosis glabratisve, filamentis longe exsertis, antheris lineari-oblongis basi bicaudatis,
stigmatibus filiformibus exsertis hirsutis, baccis setosis 2-coccis, embryone parvo. T a b . X X Y I I I . B .
H a b. N o rth e rn Island. E a st coast. Palliser Bay, Colc'nso.
Stems slender, rather rigid and wiry, creeping, rooting. Branches subereet, 1 -2 inches long, smootli or hispid.
Leaves on short petioles, 4 -4 inch long, loosely covered with stiff white hairs, smooth below, broadly ovate or oblong,
blunt. Stipuks very small, notched. Ilowers axillary, white, inconspicuous. Ovary hispid. Corolla very long and
slender, nearly as long as the leaves, five-toothed. Stamens and stigmata long, exserted. Antliers pendulous, linear-
oblong ; lobes produced downwards into two points. Berry small, liispid.—A veiy curious little plant, more like a
Coprosma in the long tubular coroUa and pendulous anthers and stigmata ; but the flowers appear truly hermaphrodite.—
P l a t e XXYIII. B. Pig. 1, leaf and stipule; 3, 3, flowers; i , corolla laid open; 5, stamen; 6, berry;
7, transverse section of berry ; 8, nut ; 9, vertical section of the same ;—all magnified.
Gen. IV . G A L IUM , L in n .
Calycis tu b u s globosus v. o b longus; limbo 0. Corolla rota ta, 4 -p a rtita , rariu s 3 -p artita. Stamina
3- 4^ brevia. 2, breves. Fructus didymus, su brotundus, siccus; carpellis 2, indehiscentibus, 1-
spermis.
Prostrate, erect, or subscandent herbs, with very slender, weak, branching, four-angled stems and entire whorled
leaves. Mowers very smaU and inconspicuous. axiUary in the New Zealand species, pedunculate ; peduncles one- or
several-flowered. Calyx tube globose ; Umb wanting. Corolla rotate, tlrree- to four-partite, Siamens three to four.
Styles two. short. I n U small, dry, two-lobed. of two indehiscent one-secded nuts.—This genus is common to
most latitudes and every climate; the species are generally local: those of New Zealand are both peculiar; as are
the Tasmanian and Australian, which are numerous. (Name from yaXo, mille, which an Enghsh species was used
to curdle.)
1. Galium tenuicauU, K .G w a .- , scaberulum v. glabratum, caule debili elongato vage ramoso laxe
folioso, foliis 4-nis lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis subaristatis marginibus costaque inferne scaberulis, p e dunculis
axillaribus brevibus v. elongatis 1-S-floris, carpeUis parvis globosis lævibus glaberrimis. A . Cunn.
Prodr.
H a b . N o rth e rn an d Middle Islan d s ; ab u n d an t in grassy situations, etc.
S tem slender, straggling or loosely tufted, 2-3 feet long, branched, smooth or scabrid with remote, short, stiff
hairs. Leaves in remote whorls of four, i - f inch long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate or aristate, scabrid along the edges
and midrib below. Peiundes one- to tliree-flowered, longer or shorter than the leaves, spreading and curved downwards
when in fruit. I n i t of two globose, smooth carpels, each smaller than a mustard-seed.
2. Galium p ro p in q u im , A. Cunn. ; annuum, caule debili prostrato vage ramoso ciliato v. glaberrimo,
foliis 4-nis la te elliptico-ovatis mucronatis ciliatis v. glaberrimis, pedunculis gracibbus 1-3-floris foliis b re vioribus
longioribusve, fructibus lævibus glaberrimis. A. Cunn. Prodr. G. umbrosum, Ba n k s et Sol. 3 IS S .
Var. a. elongata ; laxe ramosa, caule foliisque laxe ciliatis.
Var. /3. g la b ra ta ; laxe ramosa, caule foliisque glaberrimis.
Vai'. 7 . hispidula ; parvula, caule robusto ramoso folioso foliisque longe ciliato-pilosis.
H a b . Thro u g h o u t th e Is la n d s ; abundant, Ba n k s and Solander, etc. Var. 7 . I n dry and alpine
situations.
A smaller species than the former, much more v.ariable in size and amount of short or long hairs on the stem
and leaves. Stems 1 to 10 inches long, branching, stout, or weak and straggling amongst grass. Leaves broadly
elliptical, acuminate or aristate, ofteu marked with pellucid oblong spots, seen by holding them between the eye and
lio-ht, inch long. Fedniwles one- to three-flowered, solitary or one to tliree together, usually tritid. Mowers very
minute. Fruits globose, quite smooth.—The small variety y is usually more hispid th.an the larger ones, but is
very variable in tliis respect.
2 E