Plate 164.— CHENOPODIUM TKIANDHUM. 



Family CHENOPODIACE^.] [Genus CHENOPODIUM, Linn. 



Cheno podium triandrum, For.sl. Prodr. n. 129 ; Gheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 580. 



Seven species of Chenopodium are recorded as inhabitants of New Zealand, 

 but it is highly doubtful whether all of them are indigenous. C urbicum and 

 C. amhrosioides are known in many countries as weeds of way-sides and cultivations, 

 and as they are never found out of such situations in New Zealand it seems most 

 reasonable to look upon them as introductions received by way of Australia and 

 the Bay of Islands in tlie early days of the Dominion. C. carinatum, which is a native 

 of Australia and New Caledonia, was originally found in New Zealand by Allan 

 Cunningham " on the sandy shores of the Bay of Islands," and can still be noticed 

 in similar habitats in the North Auckland Peninsula. But it is more commonly 

 seen as a weed in rich warm cultivated soils, and probably should be placed in the 

 same category as the two preceding. The nativity of the four remaining species — 

 C. triandrum, C. glaucum, C. detestans, and G. pnsillum. — cannot be questioned. 



C. triandrum was origmally discovered by Banks and Solander in Mercury 

 Bay during Cook's first voyage, and was figured in the series of plates of New 

 Zealand plants prepared more than 140 years ago under the direction of 

 Dr. Solander, but never actually published. It was also gathered by the 

 Forsters in Queen Charlotte Sound during Cook's second voyage, and was 

 described by George Forster in his " Prodromus " under the name it still bears. 

 In 1827 it was collected by D'Urville in Astrolabe Harbour, Nelson, and since 

 then has been observed in many localities on the coast-line of both the North and 

 the South Islands, from the Bay of Islands to Foveaux Strait. 



C. triandrum is a prostrate or trailing plant, usually found on the faces of 

 maritime cliffs or in sandy nooks at their bases. Occasionally it may be observed 

 inland — for many years a large patch existed near the summit of Mount Wellington, 

 on the Auckland Istlimus, but has become extinct of late years. It has been 

 recorded by Mr. Petrie from various saline localities in Central Otago, at consider- 

 able distances from the sea, where it occurs in company with other well-known 

 coastal plants. It very closely resembles Rhagodia nutans, but the bright-red fleshy 

 fruit of this latter plant is unmistakable and at once separates the two species ; 

 and, in addition. Rhagodia has much more woody stems and branches, the leaves 

 are thicker and usually smaller, and generally more or less cordate at the base, and 

 the flowers are not nearly so numerous. 



Plate 164. Chenopodium tria)idrum. drawn from specimens collected on the Little Barrier Island. 

 Fig. 1, flower with two stamens (x 10) ; 2, flower with one stamen ( x 10) ; 3 and 4, front and back 

 view of anther (x 12) ; 5, ovary and styles (x 15) ; 6, ripe fruit (x 8) ; 7, section of same, showing 

 seed ( X 8) ; 8, seed ( x 8) ; 9, embryo ( x 8). 



