86 FLOEA ANTARCTICA. [Auckland and 



2. Gaimardia pallida, Hook, fil.; csespitosa, rainosa., ramis brevibus fastigiatis compressis, foliis sub- 

 distichis cquitantibus lanceolato-ensiformibus acuminatis compressis fistiilosis basi ad medium vaginantibus, 

 pedunculis brevissimis flores fcemineos 1-3 stamenque luiiciun gerentibus, fructiferis folio brevioribus, ovario 

 1-3-loculari, stylis 1-3. 



Hab. Campbell's Island ; forming small pale-coloured tufts amongst other plants in springy places on 

 the hills. 



Radices fibrosse ; fibres simphces, tenues, horizontaliter patentes, spongiosse, albidae, saepe e basibus foliorum v. 

 ramorum ortae. Catties fastigiatim ramosi, 1-1 \ unc. longi, casspites densos, convexos, 2-3 une. latos formantes, 

 copiose fobosi; rami una cum foliis pateutibus compressi, -Lime, lati et ejusdein longitudinis. Folia arete imbricatn, 

 in rarnis ultiniis plurima, subdisticlie inserta, flabellatim cbsposita, basi equitantia, deinde erecto-patentia, stricta, 

 lanceolato-ensii'ormia, acuminata, vix aristata, sub 3 liu. longa, lateraliter compressa, supra obscure eoncava, basi ad 

 medium et ultra vaginantia, intus fistidosa v. junioribus laxe cellidosa, glaberrima, albida, ad apices immaturaque 

 palbde viridia, textura mollia ; vagina apertae, membranaceae, subhyalinse, obsnne reticulata", superne gradatim in 

 folium evanidae. Flores valde immatmi tantum mihi visi, inter folia summa omiiino occlusi. Pedunculus brevissimus 

 terminalis, fructiferus post anthesin elongatus, anni prasteriti ramo lateralis, compressus, anceps, foliis brevior. Glumes 

 duae, flore -| breviores, tenuissime byalinae, oblique tmncatae ? an a dissectione laeerae ? Stamen sobtarium ; jUamen- 

 tum crassum, erectum, teres ; anthera majuscula, ovoidea, undocularis, riiua longitudinab dchiscens, medio dorso 

 affixa. Ovaria 2-3 v. rarius plura, distincta v. inter se plus minusve coabta, sessdia? eoUateraJia, 1-3-locularia, stylos 

 tot quot loculos gerentia ; nunc ovarium solitarium columniforme abortivum. 



The early season in which we visited Campbell's Island was a subject of much regret, as some of the most 

 interesting, especially of the alpine plants, were detected only in a state unfit for satisfactory examination. It is 

 with much hesitation that I have referred the present to Gaimardia, in preference to erecting it into a new genus from 

 such imperfect specimens, though I have bttle doubt but that it will prove to be a new form of that interesting group 

 to which Mr. Brown's genera Desvauxia {Centrolepis, Lab.) and Alepyrum belong, but which have, with the excep- 

 tion of Gaimardia, been hitherto considered as confined to Australia. With Desvauxia it has much similarity in 

 texture, in the soft leaves, green oidy towards the extremities, and fistulose, in the simple spongy fibrous roots and 

 glistening appearance of the lower parts of the stem ; there is also a marked tendency in this plant to a union of the, 

 carpels into one pistil, with as many styles as there are ovaries. In the tufted habit, alpine and antarctic locabty, 

 short peduncle and apparent want of spatha, it agrees with Gaimardia, but differs from that genus in the sohtary 

 stamen, greater number of ovaria which are probably sessde, the latter, however, I am not inclined to consider as a 

 character of much value, as in Ms description of that genus M. Gaudichaud says, "Ovarium unicum, interdmn ovaria 

 duo, allero effoeto," and, further, I have gathered capsules of that species which are truly one-celled and dehisce down 

 one side only. In the present plant the ovaria vary from one to three, and are either one, two, or three-celled, fre- 

 quently there are three together, with as many variations in developement, and not rarely one is reduced to a simple 

 column ; at other times all are combined into a single axis. In the imperfect state of these minute organs, in the 

 only specimens I possess, I have found it impossible to decide whether or not two of the upper leaves are analogous 

 to the glumes or spatha; of Desvauxia, or whether the two hyaline scales surrounding both stamen and ovaria are 

 the only floral envelopes. 



M. Gaudichaud's genus appears to me certainly most nearly allied to the order Centrolepidem or Desvauxieee, and 

 from their near affinity to Erioeattlon in all respects but the want of as many iioral envelopes, of which several modi- 

 fications occur in the former group, I have considered them true species of Itestiarere with a reduced number of 

 parts. G. atistralis is described as having the stamens opposite the glumes ; I have only examined that plant in the 

 state of ripe fruit, wherein it appears to me that the remains of the filament alternate with the glumes and carpels. 



