Caltha.| RANUNCULACES. 27 
T. F.C. Otago—Maniototo Plains, Roxburgh, Petrie! HE. W. Bastings! In 
muddy and watery places, often submerged. Altitudinal range from sea-level 
to 3000 ft. December—April. 
A very peculiar little species, readily known by the narrow-linear spathulate 
leaves and minute tetramerous flowers. Sir J. D. Hooker has compared it with 
the Falkland Islands R. hydrophilus, and with R. Moseleyi from Kerguelen’s. 
Islands, so far as habit and leaves are concerned. In the flowers and fruit 
it differs largely from both. 
37. R. parviflorus, Linn. Sp. Plant. 780; var. australis, 
Benth. Fl. Austral. i. 14.—A small slender hairy annual, with 
sparingly branched suberect or decumbent stems 2-5 in. long. 
Leaves small, radical and cauline, on slender petioles #-14 in. long ; 
blade thin and membranous, orbicular in outline, 3—5-toothed or 
-lobed, sometimes divided to the base. Flowers very minute, on the 
branches opposite the leaves, sessile or nearly so. Sepals fugaci- 
ous. Petals 4—5. slightly longer than the sepals. Mature achenes 
3-6, compressed, margins thin, sides covered with minute tubercles ; 
style very short, hooked at the tip.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 8; 
Kirk, Students’ Fl. 20. RB. sessiliflorus, R. Br. ex D.C. Syst. 1. 
302; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 11. 
Norru Istanp: Sheltered places on lava-streams, Mount Wellington and 
Mount Eden, &c., Auckland Isthmus; once very plentiful, but now becoming 
rare. Originally discovered by Mr. Colenso. September—November. 
A common Australian plant, and possibly introduced from thence in the very 
early days of the colony. The typical state of the species, which is a much larger 
and stouter plant, with a very different aspect, has become naturalised in fields. 
and waste places throughout the colony. 
4, CALTHA, Linn. 
Glabrous tufted perennial herbs; rootstock creeping. Leaves 
all or chiefly radical, oblong, ovate or rounded, cordate at the base 
or 2-lobed with the lobes turned upwards. Scape 1- or few- 
flowered. Sepals 5 or more, petaloid, usually deciduous. Petals 
wanting. Stamens numerous. Carpels several, sessile; ovules 
several or many, attached in 2 series to the ventral suture. 
Follicles 6 or more in a head, spreading, several- or many-seeded, 
opening along the inner face. 
A small genus of 8-10 species, found in the temperate regions of both hemi- 
spheres. The southern species belong to the section Psychrophila, distinguished 
by the turned-up basal lobes or auricles of the leaves. Both the New Zealand 
species are endemic, although closely allied to the Australian and Tasmanian 
C. introloba. 
Leaves entire or sinuate. Flowers yellow. Sepals linear- 
subulate, tapering from the base into almost caudate 
points ap a6 = ve ae .. 1. C. nove-zealan- 
aie. 
Leaves dentate. Flowers white. Sepals oblong, obtuse 
or subacute, broadest above the middle . 2. C. obtusa. 
