Nertera.} RUBIACEZ. 265 
3. N. dichondreefolia, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 112, t. 28a.—A 
slender creeping herb, often forming extensive matted patches. 
Stems 4in. to 2 ft. long, branched, more or less hairy or villous with 
soft tawny hairs, rarely nearly glabrous. Leaves with the petioles 
4-3 in. long, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, acute or apiculate, 
cordate or rounded at the base, membranous, more or less hispid or 
hairy above, usually glabrous or nearly so beneath; petiole longer 
or shorter than the blade. Stipules acute. Flowers terminal, 
sessile. Calyx-limb obscurely 4-toothed. Corolla din. long, funnel- 
shaped, 4-lobed. Drupe globose, red, tin. diam.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 
120; Kirk, Students’ Fl. 247. N. gracilis, Raoul in Ann. Sci. 
Nat. ii. (1844) 121. N. ciliata, Kirk, Students’ Fl. 247. Geophila 
dichondrefolia, A. Cwnn. Precur. n. 482. 
Norte anp Sour Isnuanps, Stewart IsuaAnp: Abundant from Mongonui 
and Kaitaia southwards. Sea-level to nearly 3000 ft. October—December. 
Very variable in size, amouni: of hairiness, &c. Small specimens are some- 
times almost glabrous, while large laxly branched ones are often copiously 
villous. Mr. Kirk’s N. ciliata, which he distinguished by the ciliate leaves 
and shorter petioles, appears to me to be a trivial form only. 
4. N. setulosa, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 112, t. 288.—Very 
variable in size, more or less hispid with short stiff hairs. Stems 
creeping and rooting, 3-12in. long, putting up numerous leafy 
suberect branches 1-6in. high or more. Leaves 4+-3in., broadly 
ovate or orbicular to oblong or oblong-obovate, obtuse, membranous, 
laxly clothed with stiff white hairs; margins ciliate; petiole shorter 
than the blade. Flowers axillary or terminal, very slender, 4-3 in. 
long. Calyx-tube densely hispid; limb unequally 4~-5-toothed. 
Corolla very long, tubular, hispid, 4—5-toothed ; teeth erect. Fila- 
ments very long, wiry, far-exserted; anthers apiculate, sagittate at 
the base. Styles long. Drupe usually dry, 4-4in. long, oblong, 
obscurely ribbed, hispid.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 120; Kirk, Students’ 
Fl. 247. N. pusilla, Col. im Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 331. 
Nortu Isuanp: Auckland—North Cape district, Adams and T. F. C.; 
Kaitaia, R. H. Matthews! between Kaihu and Maunganui Bluff, Petrie ! 
T. W.C.; Patetere Plateau, 7. H. C. Hawke’s Bay—Dannevirke and Norse- 
wood, Colenso! Wellington — Wairarapa, Colenso! near Wellington, Kirk ! 
Sourn Isntanp: Otago—Plentiful, Petrie! Thomson! Srewarr IsLanpD: 
Kirk! November-January. 
Very distinct from the three preceding species, and at once recognised by 
the long tubular corolla. The Australian N. reptans, F. Muell., should probably 
be united with it. The flowers are strongly proterogynous and possibly dimor- 
phic as well. 
3. GALIUM, Linn. 
Herbs with slender quadrangular stems. Leaves in whorls of 4 
to 8, of which 2 are supposed to be true leaves and the remainder 
stipules, although all are precisely similar in size and shape. 
Flowers minute, in axillary or terminal cymes. Calyx-limb ob- 
solete. Corolla rotate, 4-lobed, rarely 3- or 5-lobed. Stamens 4; 
