2 
who had cultivated Lyall’s plant side by side with S. polaris in the Christchurch 
Botanical Gardens, described it as a distinct species, relying principally on the 
upper surface of the leaves being nearly-glabrous and devoid of the long and 
stout bristly hairs so conspicuous in 8. polaris. In 1885 Mr. T. Kirk, who had 
good opportunities of studying S. Lyallii in a wild state in Stewart Island, 
pointed out that it departed from the characters of Stilbocarpa in the 2-celled 
ovary and the globose fruit not hollowed at the apex. He therefore considered 
that it should be transferred to Avalia, and this view was maintained in the 
“ Students’ Flora.” In 1898 Dr. Harms, in “ Die Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien,” 
restored it to Stilbocarpa, placing it in a separate section, to which he applied 
the name of Kirkophytum. At the present time this view is generally accepted 
by botanists who are familiar with the plant. 
Stilbocarpa Lyallii, according to Kirk and Cockayne, is fairly abundant as a 
coastal plant in Stewart Island and on the small islands in Foveaux Strait. 
Mr. Kirk has also recorded it from Coal Island, in Preservation Inlet; but as it 
was “identified from the deck of a passing steamer” a slight element of doubt 
attaches to this locality. While very similar to S. polaris in habit and appearance, 
S. Lyallic differs markedly in possessing strongly arcuate stolons sometimes 
almost 3ft. in length. According to Mr. Kirk, “these at first are suberect, 
but gradually become inclined or arched until the terminal bud comes in contact 
with the ground, when roots are given off, and a new plant is speedily developed.” 
In this way a single plant soon forms a large patch covering several square yards. 
The differences in the glabrous under-surface of the leaves and the 2-celled ovary 
have already been mentioned. 
A third species of Stilbocarpa is the plant discovered on the Snares by 
Mr. Kirk in 1890, and described by him under the name S. Lyalli, var. robusta. 
He states that it is ‘the most striking herbaceous plant on the island,” and that 
“it is sometimes 3 ft. high or more, with noble orbicular reniform leaves over 2 ft. 
in diameter. It differs from the typical form in wanting the remarkable stolons 
of that plant, in the petioles being very stout, flat on the upper surface and concave 
beneath, giving a plano-convex section, and in their being nearly solid imstead 
of terete, thin-walled, and fistulose. The flowers also, although forming equally 
large masses with the type, are individually smaller, and invariably of a dull pale- 
yellow hue, never lurid; but there is no structural difference, although it must 
be admitted that at first sight the plant appears to depart widely from the type.” 
Notwithstanding the opinion thus expressed by its discoverer, it appears to me 
that the plant fully deserves the rank of a species. This is also the opinion of 
Dr. Cockayne, who has had opportunities of examining it in its native home, and 
who has proposed for it the name of S. robusta. 
The following synopsis of the species of Stidlbocarpa may be of service :— 
A. Stiupocarpa. Ovary 3-4-celled. Fruit hollowed at the apex. 
Stolons not developed. Upper surface of leaves more or less clothed with stout bristly 
hairs. Flowers yellowish-green with a purplish centre D6 5c .. L. S. polaris. 
B. KirkopHytum. Ovary 2-celled. Fruit globose, not hollowed at the apex. 
Stolons not developed. Upper surface of leaves glabrous or nearly so. Flowers 
yellowish - Be a at ae S ah .. 2. 8. robusta. 
Arcuate stolons strongly developed. Upper surface of leaves glabrous or nearly so. 
Flowers reddish-purple .. Ra Se be on ay .. 3 S. Lyalla. 
Prats 70. ‘The leaf that of Stilbocarpa Lyallii ; the inflorescence and dissections from S. polaris. 
Specimens from plants cultivated in the garden of the late Mr. H. J. Matthews, Dunedin. (Nore.—lIt 
was intended to figure S. Lyallit alone, but through an accidental mistake the inflorescence of S. polaris 
was sent to the artist.) Fig. 1, flower-bud (x 5); 2, male flower (x 5); 3 and 4, anthers, front and 
back view (x5); 5, female flower (x5); 6, longitudinal section of same (x5); 7, fruit, nearly 
ripe (x 5); 8, longitudinal section of ripe fruit (x 5); 9, seed (x 8); 10, longitudinal section of same. 
