Chkeseman. — Ne\v Species of Phtiifs. 175 



Art. XXIII. — New Species of Plants. 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum. 



[Bead before the Auckland Institute, 22nd November, 1910.] 



1. Lepidium tenuicaule T. Kirk var. minor Cheesem. n. var. 



Planta pumila, depressa ; caulibus brevissimis, 1-2J cm. lougis ; foliis 

 iiumerosibus, omnibus radicalibus. 



Hob. — North Island : Titahi Bay, near Wellington ; B. C. Aston/ 

 A curious little plant, differing from all the specimens of L. tenuicaule 

 that I have seen in the much-reduced size, the stems never exceeding an 

 inch in length. The whole plant is also much more thick and fleshy than 

 is usual in the typical state. I have not seen ripe fruit, but the flowers 

 appear to match those of the ordinary form. Mr. Aston is the first to dis- 

 cover the species in the North Island. 



2. Chordospartium Cheesem. gen. nov. 



Arbor vel frutex parva, aphylla ; ramis junceis pendulis, squamulis ad 

 nodos minimis. Flores purpurei, in racemos multifloros dispositi. Bracteae 

 et bracteolae parvae. Calycis dentes breves, subaequales vel superiores 

 minores. Vexillum orbiculatum, reflexum, in unguem brevem contractum ; 

 alae dolabriforme-falcatae, liberae, vexillo breviores ; carina incurva, ob- 

 tusa, vexillum subaequans. Stamen vexillare liberum, caetera in vaginam 

 connata ; antherae uniformes. Ovarium sessile, sericeum, 3-5-ovulatum ; 

 stylus incurvus, apice inflexus, intus longitudinaliter barbatus ; stigmate 

 minuto terminali. Legumen brevem, turgidum, rhombeo-ovoideum, in- 

 curvum, indehiscens. Semen solitarium, estrophiolatum ; radicula elongata, 

 biplicata. 



Chordospartium Stevensoni Cheesem. species unica. 



A leafless shrub or small tree, sometimes attaining a height of 20 ft. or 

 more, with a trunk 6-8 in. in diameter. Branches long, slender, pendulous, 

 terete or subcompressed, grooved ; branchlets jL in. diameter, glabrous, 

 marked with distant nodes, each node with a minute scale. Leaves not 

 seen. Racemes springing from the nodes of the branchlets, single or in 

 fascicles of 2-5, |-1^ in. long, very many-flowered ; rhachis densely 

 woolly ; pedicels very short ; bracts and bracteoles minute. Flowers ^ in. 

 long, purple, with darker lines on the standard. Calyx densely woolly, cup- 

 shaped, minutely 5-toothed. Standard orbicular, reflexed, narrowed into 

 a very short claw at the base. Wings dolabriform, falcate, obtuse, shorter 

 than the keel. Keel incurved, obtuse, equalling the standard. Upper 

 stamen free ; the others connate into a sheath. Ovary sessile, densely 

 silky, linear-oblong, gradually narrowed into the style ; ovules 3-5 ; style 

 long, slender, incurved, longitudinally bearded on the inner side above ; 

 stigma minute, terminal. Pod about i in. long, more or less silky, short, 

 turgid, ovoid or orbicular-rhomboid, straight in front, rounded at the back. 

 Seed solitary, transversely oblong'; radicle long, with a double flexure. 



Hah. — South Island : Foothills of the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains, 

 near the mouth of the Clarence River; altitude, 1,500-2,500 ft. : 31 r. George 

 Stevenson ! 



