6 RANUNCULACEZ. [Myosurus. 
os 
The brownish colour, slender habit, minute leaflets, and small flowers dis- 
tinguish this from all others except C. quadribracteolata, to which some forms. 
approach far tooclosely. A variety collected by Mr. Petrie at Tuapeka (Otago), 
appears to be quite intermediate, and might almost be referred to either species. 
North Island specimens are usually more slender and have smaller leaflets than 
the southern ones. Some of Mr. Petrie’s Otago specimens are remarkable 
for their large foliaceous bracteoles, which are linear-spathulate and some- 
times ? in. long. 
9. C. quadribracteolata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 
329.—Stems and branches very slender, branched, trailing, 1-3 ft. 
long, glabrous except the very young shoots. Leaves few, trifolio- 
late; petioles slender, 1-2in. long; leaflets minute, 4-+in. long, 
usually linear or lanceolate, but varying to linear-oblong, ovate- 
lanceolate, or triangular-acute, glabrous, entire or one or all 3-lobed. 
Peduncles solitary or 2-3 together in the axils of the leaves, 
1-flowered, usually shorter than the petioles, pubescent ; bracteoles. 
2 or 3 pairs, connate, upper the largest, sheathing at the base, 
rounded, obtuse. Flowers purplish. sweet-scented, +-3in. diam. 
Sepals 4,-linear or linear-oblong, usually acute, silky. Anthers. 
linear. Achenes small, almost glabrous when fully ripe, narrowed 
into short plumose tails.—Kirk, Students’ Fl. 4. OC. foetida var. 
depauperata, Hook. f. Fi. Nov. Zel.i 7; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 2. 
Norrs Isuanp: Low grounds in the Hawke's Bay District ; Lake Rotoatara, 
Colenso! Petane, 4. Hamilton! between the Ngaruroro and Tukituki Rivers, 
Sturm. 
This can only be separated from the preceding by its smaller size, more 
slender habit, narrower leaflets, purplish flowers, and narrower sepals. Further 
investigation may prove both to be forms of one variable plant. 
2. MYOSURUS, Linn. 
Annual herbs, of small size. Leaves all radical, linear, entire.. 
Scapes usually numerous, naked, 1-flowered. Sepals 5, rarely 
more, minutely spurred at the base. Petals wanting in the New 
Zealand species. Stamens 5-8. Carpels numerous ; ovules solitary, 
pendulous. Achenes closely packed on a long and slender spike- 
like receptacle which usually lengthens much as they ripen, each 
with a raised nerve on the back, ending in a short persistent style. 
A small genus of only two species, one of which is widely spread in the north 
temperate zone, and is also found in Australia; the other is known only from 
California, Chili, and New Zealand. 
1. M. aristatus, Benth. in Lond. Journ. Bot. vi. 459.—Varying 
in size from 1-3in. Leaves numerous, 4, in. broad or even less, 
erect, linear or linear-spathulate. Scapes usually several, slender, 
1-flowered. Flower minute, yellowish, apetalous. Sepals 5, spur 
short. Stamens generally 5. Receptacle in fruit oblong or linear, 
¢-} in. long ; achenes with a short beak.— Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 
8; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 3; Kirk, Students’ Fl. 5. 
