108 Transactions. — Botany. 



from all of this genus known to me ; hence I have provision- 

 ally placed it here. I have only had a few half-withered and 

 somewhat imperfect specimens for examination, which seem 

 to have been accidentally collected with other small herbs. 



Art. VI. — Notes on a Plant (Glossostigma elatinoides) found 

 beside the Mauncjapouri Stream, Otahi. 



By Clement W. Lee. 



{Bead before the Wellington Philosopliical Society, 22nd August, 1S88.] 



Glossostigma elatinoides, Bentham. 



This plant is not uncommon in New Zealand, and I have 

 lately found it beside a stream near Patea. It seems to grow 

 so close to the water that at freshes it may be entirely sub- 

 merged. It has been reported from Auckland, Nelson, and 

 Southland. 



The plant is a perennial creeper, flowering from November 

 to March. It grows very close to the ground and very 

 thickly. 



Its botanical description is as follows :— 



Boot fibrous, springing from axils of leaves. 



Ston prostrate, smooth, green, running ; leaves and roots 

 springing from nodes lin. apart. 



Leaves opposite, 2 at each node, succulent, simple, entire,^ 

 obovate, pale-green, ^in. by -^in., petioled. 



Floicers : Calyx regular, monosepalous, inferior ; corolla ir- 

 regular, monopetalous, campanulate, 3- and 2-toothed, creamy- 

 white ; stalk lin. 



Stamens definite, 4, epipetalous ; anthers ovate, brown, 

 erect, opening longitudinally. 



Pistil leaf-like, spathulate, covered with minute spikes, at 

 times curved, over stamens. When touched gently, turns back 

 and lies against the petals ; being the same colour, it is then 

 difiicult to perceive. After being ox3ened unnaturally, closes- 

 again in about a quarter of an hour. 



Ovary superior, 1-celled (?). 



Style long ; stigma and style in one. 



The peculiarity which distinguishes this curious little plant 

 is that upon touching the pistil, which forms a kind of hood 

 over the stamens, it rises up and falls back upon the petals, 

 so closely fitting as not to be seen without trouble. This 

 action leaves the stamens exposed to view. 



Upon examination of many plants, I found that in about 

 fifteen minutes after being disturbed the pistil resumes it& 

 former position . 



