Epilobium.| ONAGRARIES, 183 
rhizome, 2-8in. high, decumbent at the base and then erect or 
ascending, often reddish, simple or sparingly branched, usually with 
2 or 4 pubescent lines. Leaves opposite or the upper ones alter- 
nate, densely crowded, ascending, 4—3in. long, narrow-oblong or 
oblong-obovate, obtuse or acute, narrowed into a short petiole, 
coarsely and remotely denticulate, glabrous or nearly so; lower 
ones often much reduced in size. Flowers crowded in the upper 
axils, hardly projecting beyond the leaves, large, white, 4in. diam. 
Calyx-lobes lanceoiate, acute, much shorter than ‘the petais. 
Stigma clavate. Capsules 4—#in. long, sessile or nearly so, stout, 
glabrous, rarely exceeding the leaves. Seeds papillose. — Mouog. 
Epilob. 306, t. 21, f. 88; Kirk, Students’ Fl. 176. 
Sours Isuanp: Nelson —Clarence and Waiau Valleys, Travers! Mount 
Oaptain, Kirk! Lake Tennyson, 7’. #.C. Canterbury—-Mount Torlesse, Petrie! 
T. F. C.; Craigieburn Mountains, Cockayne! Arthur’s Pass and Upper Wai- 
makariri, 7. F. C.; Whitcombe’s Pass, Huast! Otago —Lake District, Hector 
and Buchanan. 2000-4500 ft. January—February. 
Apparently confined to dry shingle slopes.. A well-marked plant, not easily 
confounded with any other. _ The large white flowers are almost hidden by the 
1] aves, and the ripe capsules hardly protrude beyond them. 
93. EH. melanocaulon, Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 813.—Rootstock stout, 
hard and woody. Stems numerous, arcuate at the base and 
then erect, slender, rigid, wiry, simple, black or purplish-black, 
obscurely tetragonous, glabrous except 2 or 4 faint pubescent lines 
on ‘the angles. Leaves numerous, usually close-set, opposite or 
alternate, +2in. long, uniform, narrow linear-oblong, obtuse or 
apiculate, sessile or very shortly petioled, rigid and coriaceous, 
usually dark-red, glabrous, deeply and coarsely toothed or almost 
lobed. Flowers sessile in the upper axils, small, erect, in. diam., 
white or pink. Calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, acute, shorter taan 
the petals. Stigma shortly clavate. Capsules 4-1 in. long, slender, 
purplish-black, glabrous; peduncles very short. Seeds papillose. 
Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 60; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 80; Haussk. Monog. 
Epilob. 307; Kirk, Siudents’ Fl. 177. 
Var, polyclonum.—Stems much more slender, branched. Leaves distant, 
spreading, not so deeply toothed. Flowers rather smaller.—H. polyclonum, 
Haussk. Monog. Hpilob. 308, t. 20, f. 87a; Airk, Students’ Fl. 177. 
Norrs IsuanpD: Ruahine Range and mountains near Lake Taupo, Co- 
lenso! SoutH IstAnp: Abundant throughout in mountain district-. Var, 
polyclonum: Alpine localities in Canterbury and Otago, Travers! Buchanan ! 
Petrie! 
The typical form is one of the most easily recognised species of the genus, 
from the prominent characters of the numerous rigid simple purplish-black 
stems and small uniform deeply-toothed leaves. 
24. BE. rostratum, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z, inst. xxviii. (1896) 
534.—Stems numerous from a hard woody rootstock, 2-6 in. high, 
decumbent at the base and then erect, simple or branched, terete, 
wiry, grey with a short uniform pubescence. Leaves opposite or 
