T. Kirk. — On Zannichellia and Lepilteua. 499 



fruits are curved achenes, tipped with slender styles, and 

 arranged in fascicles of from three to six. In European spe- 

 cimens the dorsal margin of the achenes is more or less 

 crenulate or rarely spined, but this character is not strongly 

 marked in the New Zealand specimens. A plant with the 

 achenes more than three in a fascicle may safely be referred 

 to Zannichellia ; rarely, owing to suppression, the achenes may 

 be reduced to three or two, when the genus must be deter- 

 mined by the monoecious or diceoious habit. The cotyledon 

 is twice folded in Zannichellia. 



The only habitats in which Z. 'paliistris has at present 

 been observed in the colony are Mercer, Rangiriri, and other 

 places in the Lower Waikato ; Waikaremoana, Whangape, 

 and Waihi Lakes : T. Kirk. East Cape district : W. Colenso 

 (Handbook). Makararoa Stream, Hawke's Bay : T. K. 

 Waikouaiti Lagoon, Otago : D. Petrie ! 



The only species observed in the colony is Z. palicstris, 

 which varies considerably in the shape of the fruits and the 

 length of the styles. The Rangiriri plant has rather turgid, 

 almost sessile carpels, which closely approach the form known 

 in Europe as Z. polycarpa, but the styles are longer ; usually 

 the carpels are carried on short pedicels. 



Lepilcena is characterized by dioecious flowers, the males 

 solitary in the axils of the leaves, and consisting of three, or 

 rarely two, sessile anthers, each seated in a minute perianth 

 at the apex of a very short peduncle, the whole invested 

 by the dilated and sheathing bases of two opposite leaves. 

 The anthers are two - celled, the cells opening by slits on 

 the outer face, and are monadelphous, cohering dorsally, 

 so that they resemble a six - celled anther. The pollen is 

 produced in great profusion, and appears to be discharged 

 in the water before the full development of the female 

 flowers; but further observations are required on this point. 

 The female flower consists of three free carpels, which may be 

 sessile or shortly stipitate : they spring from the apex of a 

 very short peduncle with minute teeth. The perianth consists 

 of three membranous bracts, and is closely invested by the 

 dilated and scarious bases of the floral leaves. The fruits are 

 three in number, rarely two ; sessile, or on rather long 

 pedicels, usually with long slender styles : the dorsal margin 

 is quite entire. 



L. preissii, F. Mueller, has only been found in the Wai- 

 kato River near Churchill, where it occurred in considerable 

 quantity and in great luxuriance, some of the slender stems 

 exceeding 18in. in length. As it was late in the season (24th 

 April) when collected, only fruiting specimens were obtained, 

 with two or three imperfect female flowers. The male flowers 

 have not been observed. 



