Colobanthus.| CARYOPHYLLE. 69 
Like Mr. Kirk, I have not seen any South Island specimens that I can refer 
to this species, although small forms of C. acicularis have frequently been mis- 
taken for it. C. Benthamianus appears to me to constantly differ from 
C. acicularis in the shorter and more strict leaves, with much shorter acicular 
points, and in the broader and shorter sepals, which can hardly be called 
acicular, and barely exceed the capsule. In C. acicuwlaris the sepals are nar- 
tower, and have long acicular apices much exceeding the capsule. 
7. C. acicularis, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fil. 25.—A pertectly 
glabrous densely tufted rigid and shining plant, forming green or 
brownish rounded tufts 3-6in. diam. and 1-3in. high. Leaves 
very numerous, densely imbricated all round the branches, }—$in. 
long, linear-subulate, often curved, broad and sheathing at the base, 
gradually narrowed into very long acicular points, channelled above, 
convex and smooth below. Flowers almost sessile amongst the 
uppermost leaves, than which they are shorter. Sepals 5, narrow 
linear-subulate, narrowed into long acicular tips, at least 4 longer 
than the capsule.——Kirk, Students’ Fl. 62. 
Sourn Isuanp: Dry rocky places in the mountains, abundant through- 
out. Altitudinal range from 1500 ft. to 6000 ft. 
Well characterized by the robust stems and branches, long leaves with 
remarkably long acicular points, almost sessile flowers, and long sepals, which 
much exceed the capsule. 
8. C. canaliculatus, 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 
357. — A small densely tufted much-branched plant, forming 
rounded cushions 3-4 in. diam. and 2in. high, occasionally more 
laxly branched and open. Leaves in opposite pairs with broad 
connate sheathing bases, $-1in. long, rigid or chaffy, spreading, 
subulate, graduaily narrowed into an acute or shortly acicular tip, 
deeply channelled above, convex below, margins thickened. 
Flowers +in., terminating short lateral branchlets in the axils of 
the uppermost leaves. Sepals 5, broadly ovate, acute or subacute, 
margins thin and almost translucent. Stamens 5, longer than the 
sepals.. Hypogynous disc reduced to a thickened line. Capsules 
equal to or rather shorter than the sepals. — Students’ Hl. 61. 
C. squarrosus, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 534. 
Sourn Istanp: Nelson—Mount Owen, on limestone rocks, alt. 4000 ft., 
T. F.C., W. Townson! Otago—Buchanan ! 
A well-marked plant, the chief characters of which are the short spreading 
chaffy leaves, either acute or very shortly acicular, the short stout lateral 
peduncles, and the broadly ovate sepals. 
9. C. Buchanani, 7’. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 358, 
t. 27p.—Apparently a laxly tufted plant 2-3in. high, with slender 
erect stems. Leaves not imbricating, loosely spreading, 4-4 in. 
long, linear-subulate, sheathing at the base, membranous, concave 
above, convex below, gradually narrowed into short acicular points. 
Peduncles axillary, slender, usually rather longer than the leaves. 
Flowers +-4+in. long. Sepals 5, linear-subulate, acuminate, half as 
long again as the short capsule.—Students’ Fl. 62. 
