1 2 FLORA ANTARCTICA. [Auckland and 



(though described as one-celled) are in reality didyrnous and 2-celled ; they first open down each side and then 

 across the connectivum at the top, always remaining partially 2-celled. Filaments often very long, half an inch 

 and upwards. The styles are also slender, and when highly magnified exhibit throughout their length minute 

 papillae. Ovary (or female flower) 2-4-celled, pedicellate. The flowers are generally solitary ; the males in the 

 axils of the upper, and the females in those of the lower leaves, with a small abortive leaf-bud in the opposite 

 axil. 



IX. MYRTACE^E, Br. 



1. Metrosideros (Agalmanthus) lucida ; arborea, foliis oppositis petiolatis ellipticis utrinque 

 acuminatis integerrimis glaberrimis coriaceis rigidis enerviis inferne glanduloso-punctatis (glandulis 

 luteis) marginibus revolutis, floribus 3-5 ad apices ramulorum breviter pedunculatis umbellatis, calyce 

 turbinate- sericeo, lobis late ovatis subacutis, petalis obovato-oblongis spathulatisve calycis limbo 

 duplo longioribus apice ciliatis, filamentis petalo subtriplo longioribus. — Menz. MSS. in Herb. Hook. 

 A. Rich. Fl. Nov. Zeal. p. 333. A. Cunn. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Zeal. I. c. vol. iii. p. 1 14. M. umbellata, Cav. 

 Ic. vol. iv. tab. 337. Smith in Rees's Cycl. vol. xxiii. DeC. Prodr. vol. iii. p. 225. Agalmanthus um- 

 bellatus, Hombr. et Jacrj. Voy. au Pol. Sud, Bot. tab. 1. sine descript. Melaleuca lucida, Forst. 

 Prodr. n. 216. 



Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; from the sea to an altitude of 500 feet. Abundant. (Not seen 

 in Campbell's Island.) 



Originally discovered by Sir J. Banks and Dr. Solander at Totarra nui in the North Island of New Zea- 

 land, and a very fine drawing of it, made during Captain Cook's first voyage, is preserved in the British Mu- 

 seum. It was again found by Forster during Cook's second voyage, in Dusky Bay, and by him first published. 

 Mr. Menzies also gathered it at the latter locality. I am at a loss to conceive how the specimens came into 

 the possession of Felix Nee, from whose collection Cavanilles figured and described the plant under the name 

 of Metros, umbellata, as a native of Port Jackson. The figure given by the latter author is very characteristic, 

 except that the peduncles are represented as too long and slender. In the plate accompanying the late French 

 expedition of Admiral D'Urville, the sketch of the entire plant does not do justice to that which constitutes the 

 largest tree on Lord Auckland's group, and the most abundant, skirting the whole line of sea-coast with a broad 

 belt of evergreen flat-topped forest wood. The single trees are fiom 20-40 feet high, inclined, with trunks 

 2-3 feet in diameter, often flattened, seldom erect, covered with a pale reddish bark, which flakes off like that 

 of the birch. From the trunks and lower branches there are often sent out large tufts of dry root-like pro- 

 cesses, which run along the surface, and are covered with a loose thick and spongy light brown cuticle. The 

 branches are spreading and ascending, from the inclemency of the climate and violence of the winds forming 

 stag-headed trees, whose tops are perfectly flat, as if cut with a scythe. The ultimate branches, which bear a 

 few leaves, are angular and covered with a loose white papery cuticle, which turns yellow in drying. The leaves 

 are of a lurid but shining green, more yellow on the under surface, and there covered with large yellow glands. 

 Petals when young white with red tips, in the more expanded state crimson, as are the stamens. The inflores- 

 cence in this, as in all other New Zealand species, is in umbels or corymbs. The Myrtacete, which in North 

 America do not attain a higher latitude than 26°, and in Europe only one reaches the 46th degree, in the south- 

 ern regions are amongst the most Antarctic plants, being most abundant in Tasmania, lat. 42-44° S. ; in New 

 Zealand, throughout the islands as far as 50^° S., and in South America accompanying other plants as far as 

 o6° S., where that continent terminates in the South Polar Ocean. 



