1 
E 
3 
E 
| 
Sapindacee. | FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 37 
there is a very similar plant in Hooker’s Herbarium. Though so different in appearance from the following, it is 
hot easy to distinguish small states of the one from large of the other; and judging from the extremely variable 
character of H. Japonicum in India, I am strongly inclined to consider these two New Zealand plants as states of 
one very common species. 
2. Hypericum Japonicum, Thunb.; caule humifuso v. basi prostrato ascendente ramoso v. simplici 
tetragono, foliis sessilibus late oblongis obovatisve obtusis punctatis planis marginibusve revolutis, sepalis 
oblongis obovatisve obtusis acutisve punctatis integerrimis, petalis calyce vix longioribus, staminibus 
liberis, capsula globosa v. oblonga acuta calyce vix longiore. 
Var. 8. humifusum ; caulibus humifusis basi ramosissimis superne simplicibus v. divisis. H. pusillum, 
Choisy in DC. Prodr. v. 1. p. 549. A. Cunn. Prodr. Ascyrum humifusum, Lab. Fl. Nov. Holl. v. 2. 
p. 33. t. 175. 
Has. Northern Island; not uncommon. Bay of Islands, 4. Cunningham, Colenso, ete. Auckland, 
Sinclair. Var. B, in moist places. 
The ordinary state of this plant, and the var. B especially, may be known by its more procumbent slender 
habit, branching stem, broader flatter leaves and sepals, and shorter, more rounded capsules. Sometimes, in var. ß, 
the leaves and flowers are very small, 1-2 lines long, and the plant wholly procumbent; at others it ascends, be- 
comes larger, the leaves narrower, and capsules longer, passing into H. gramineum. These are points to which the 
attention of the resident must be drawn, who should not be deceived by appearances due to the place of growth, 
but collect copiously, and cultivate the varieties under different circumstances of exposure, humidity, ete. The 
extreme states of these plants (H. gramineum and Japonicum) are very different, and intermediate ones are not 
so usual in New Zealand as in India, where they are all very common. This is also a Mauritius and Madagascar 
plant. Wight and Arnott (Prodr. Fl. Penins. Ind. Or.) have indicated the close affinity between H. Japonicum 
and the European H. humifusum. There is a perfectly similar plant in Herb. Hook. from San Francisco, in 
California, and from Fort Vancouver (North-west America), labelled H. anagalloides, Cham. et Schlecht.; and 
another from Valdivia, in South Chili, called ZZ. Ohilense, Gay, Flor. Chil. (badly described). I am far from in- 
sisting on these all belonging to one species, which can only be determined by laborious investigation ; but I think it 
probable, the more especially as many of these are described without reference to any general herbarium, and 
often from very imperfect specimens. 
Nar. Ord. XV. SAPINDACEA, Juss. 
Gen. I. ALECTRYON, Gertn. 
Calye 4—b-lobus v. partitus. Petala 0. Stamina 5-8, hypogyna, eegualia, erecta; antheris filamentis 
eeguilongis, 2-locularibus. Ovarium 1, uniloculare (3-loculare, Cunn.), compressum, uni-bi-ovulatum, dorso 
productum ; stylo brevi, laterali, curvato ; stigmate simplici, acuto (3-fido, Ounn.). Capsula (bacca, A. Cunn.) 
crustacea, pubescens, oblique obovata, turgida, dorso in gibbum producta, 1-locularis, 1-sperma; semine 
arillato ; testa nitida, crustacea; cotyledonibus crassis. 
The only New Zealand species forms a lofty tree, branching above. Young branches, leaves below, and 
especially the inflorescence, covered with a velvety rusty-coloured down. Leaves pinnate, 4—10 inches long; leaflets 
alternate, petiolate, 2—3 inches long, obliquely ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, obscurely crenate, the young ones deeply 
inciso-serrate. Flowers small, in terminal panicles, 6—8 inches long, much branched; branches stout, spreading. 
Calyx hairy, of four to five small lobes. Petals 0. Stamens usually eight, with large deep-red anthers and short 
filaments. Ovary solitary, hairy, sunk amongst the copious hairs at the base of the calyx, compressed, with a short, 
flat, erect projection at the back. Capsule 4 inch long, turgid, hard and dry, pubescent, obliquely obovate and gib- 
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