Laing. — Revised List of the Norfolk Island Flora. 35 



( JONVOLVULACEAE. 



150. Ipomoea bona-nox L., M. 72. (= /. ambigua Endl., E. 108 ; 



I. carinata, E. 107.) 



A beautifully scented nocturnal flowering creeper, now quite rare. It 

 will probably be soon extinct tm the island if it is not cultivated. 



William's Water and back of Mount Pitt. 



Lord Howe, and widely spread in the tropics, but perhaps indigenous 

 only in tropical America. 



151. Ipomoea congesta R. Br.. M. 74. (=/. cataractae Endl.. E. 106, 



M. 73.) 



1 am quite satisfied that there are not two distinct species, /. cataractae 

 and /. congesta, on the island. Mr. Maiden writes to me thus on the subject : 

 "The two species seem to be very similar (we have only one, I. congesta, 

 in the herbarium), but the}' are placed in D.C.'s Prodromus in two different 

 sections — i.e., I. cataractae is placed in section Cephalanthae, which has almost 

 capitate clustered flowers (floribus aggregato-capitatis) ; I. congesta is placed 

 in a section ' int eg ri folia,' which has not capitate flowers (floribus non-capi- 

 tatis). I. cataractae seems to be more hirsute, though the hairs are silky, 

 and the leaves are mostly obscurely 3dobed ; /. congesta is a softly tomen- 

 tose climber with entire leaves, though the leaves an- cordate in both. The 

 proportion, size of calyx and corolla, is different. Endlicher describes the 

 corolla in /. cataractae as twice as long as the calyx, while the corolla in 

 I. congesta is three or four times as long as the calyx. Backhouse describes 

 I. cataractae as having large purple flowers shot with red ; /. congesta has 

 brilliant carmine flowers." 



Now, there is a species of Ipomoea occurring in the Cascades which is 

 undoubtedly the plant called by Endlicher I. cataractae. It occurs not 

 uncommonly between the Cascades and Steels Point, and in the section of 

 the island lying immediately behind this portion of the coast-line. I 

 examined many specimens of it in a fresh state on the island, and satisfied 

 myself that in spite of certain variations it represented only one species. 

 The leaves are softlv villous, almost tomentose on both sides, though some- 

 times on the upper surface the hairs are sparse. They are usually entire, 

 though perhaps occasionallv obscurely 3-lobed. The corolla is two or three 

 times as long as the calyx. The flowers vary in colour from white to carmine, 

 and are frequently shot with red. There are usually one to three flowers 

 attached to short pedicels, which are borne on a longer peduncle. The 

 flowers are certainly not capitate. In all these points I see nothing to 

 separate the plant from /. congesta. Further, /. congesta is recorded from 

 the island without collector's name by Maiden. It only remains to find 

 which specific name — cataractae or congesta — has priority, and this belongs to 

 /. congesta, published in 1810. I. cataractae was not published till 1833. 



Australia. Polynesia. 



152. Ipomoea pes-caprae Roth., M. 75. 



Recorded only by Maiden. I got a young plant with leaves character- 

 istic of this species, but it was too immature for certain identification. 

 New Caledonia, Kermadecs, Lord Howe, Australia, tropics. 



153. Ipomoea palmata Forst., M. 76. ( = Z. pendula R. Br., E. 105.) 



Most abundant everywhere, particularly on the outskirts of the bush ; 

 sometimes with white flowers. 



Kermadecs. Lord Howe, New Zealand, Australia, and tropics. 



2* 



