14 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. | Crucifere. 
Gen. II. NASTURTIUM, Br. 
Siliqua teretiuscula, abbreviata, curvata v. declinata. Stigma subbilobum. Calyz patens, basi sequalis. 
Semina irregulariter biseriata, immarginata; cotyledonibus accumbentibus. 
Leafy branching shrubs, with dentate or pinnatifid leaves, small yellow or white flowers, and pungent taste. 
The pods are patent or reflexed, short and curving, with the seeds in two rows in each division. The genus is 
found chiefly in the temperate climates of both hemispheres, and the New Zealand species is found in many other 
parts of the world. (Name from nasus tortus, a twisted nose, some acrid species causing sneezing.) 
1. Nasturtium terrestre, Br. ; suberecta, glabra v. pilosa, foliis integris pinnati-lobatisve plus minusve 
auriculatis, lobis confluentibus sinuato-dentatis, petalis flavis calycem «equantibus, siliquis brevibus turgidis 
oblique oblongis, pedicellis gracilibus «equilongis in stylum brevem abrupte contractis, seminibus plurimis. 
Engl. Bot. t. 1147. N. palustre, DC. N. sylvestre, 4. Rich. et A. Cunn. non Br. Sisymbrium 
pilosum, Banks et Sol. MSS. N. semipinnatifidum, Hook. Journ. Bot. v. 1. p. 246. 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands, not uncommon; Banks et Solander, etc. Native name, 
“ Chiqui,” D Urville. 
The small yellow flowers readily distinguish this, as do the very short turgid obliquely-curved pods. The state 
with entire leaves, called N. semipinnatifidum, is found in Bonaria and Tasmania, as well as in New Zealand. The 
common form (smooth or glabrous), with pinnatifid or pinnately-cut leaves, has a very wide geographical range ; in 
the old world from Upsala to the Nile, and in the new from the Arctic Sea-coast (between Cape Barrow and 
Mackenzie River, Captain Pullen) to Mexico. 
Oss. Nasturtium officinale, the common Water-cress, appears to be naturalized about Auckland, as at St. Helena 
and elsewhere; but is a native of the Northern hemisphere only. 
Gen. III. BARBAREA, Br. 
Siliqua linearis, compresso-tetragona ; valvis nervosis, muticis, concavis, subcarinatis. Semina uni- 
seriata; cotyledonibus accumbentibus. 
Stout, erect, leafy herbs (called “ Yellow Rocket” and “ Winter-cress” in England), with generally a nauseous 
acrid taste, broadly lyrate pinnatifid leaves, and racemes of yellow flowers. Pods erect on short stalks, long, flattened, 
bluntly four-angled, terminated by a short stout style. Valves strongly veined. Seeds very numerous. (Name from 
the European species having been dedicated to St. Barbara.) 
1. Barbarea australis, Hook. fil.; foliis inferioribus lyrato-pinnatifidis lobis lateralibus obovato- 
oblongis terminali ovato sinuato, superioribus integris lobatis pinnati-partitisve, floribus majusculis, 
siliquis erecto-patentibus linearibus compresso-tetragonis pedicello tereti elongato latioribus, valvis venosis, 
stylo brevi recto. 
Haz. Northern Island, Colenso. Nat. name, “ Toi,” Colenso. 
My New Zealand specimens are indifferent, and have no habitat. Mr. Colenso says it was once eaten by the 
natives to some extent, and he considers it wild. The description is made up chiefly from specimens from Tasmania, of 
apparently the same plant, which is certainly wild in that island, and grows commonly three feet high. The New 
Zealand specimens entirely resemble B. precoz in foliage, as far as I understand that plant, which, whether in books 
or herbaria, seems either excessively variable, or very difficult to define. The characters given to B. pracov by authors 
(especially those taken from the foliage) are vague and unsatisfactory; but the flowers appear always to be larger 
and the pedicels slenderer in this. In the Tasmanian plant, the last lobe of the lower leaves is usually very large 
and sinuate, two to three inches long, and there are sometimes very few pinnules. The pods are one and a half 
inch long and one to one and a half lines broad, obscurely compressed ; pedicels two lines long. Were it not that 
