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54 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. | Rosacee. 
and villous, five-lobed and five-bracteate. Petals golden-yellow, obovate, 3-4 inch broad. Stamens very numerous. 
Achenia villous, numerous, dry, placed on a dry receptacle. (Named from potens, powerful; from the medicinal 
properties attributed to some species.) 
1. Potentilla anserina, L., var. B. anserinoides; foliolis parvis rotundatis sessilibus v. petiolatis. 
P. anserinoides, Raoul, Chois de Plantes, p. 28. 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands. East coast, Sinclair, Colenso. Nelson, Bidwill. Akaroa, Raoul. 
This is a smaller state, with more rounded and petiolate leaflets than is usual; but is in these respects variable. 
I have specimens from Akaroa, differing in no particular from the European. 
Gen. III. ACANA, Vall. 
Calycis tubus oblongus, compressus v. angulatus, levis v. echinatus, angulis seepissime in aristas glochi- 
diatas v.simplices post anthesin excurrentibus; fauce contracto. Petala 2—5, v. 0, distincta v. basi coa- 
lita, ore calycis inserta. Stamina 2-5.  Ovaria 1-2, tubo calycis inclusa, stylo terminali stigmateque plu- 
moso exsertis, 1-locularia, l-ovulata. Achenium calyce indurato indutum; pericarpio coriaceo v. mem- 
branaceo. 
Herbs, with woody stems, almost peeuliar to the Southern Temperate zone, where they represent the closely 
allied genus Sanguisorba of the northern hemisphere. A few species are found on the tropical mountains of 
America; and others advance as far south as Cape Horn, Lord Auckland's Group, and Kerguelen's Land. All 
have pinnated leaves, and scapes with terminal, round balls (rarely spikes) of very small flowers, which, from their fre- 
quently bearing, when in fruit, spines armed with reversed hairs, become very troublesome to sheep in the grazing 
districts of Australia. Calyx with a compressed or angled tube, no limb, and very small mouth, from which project 
one to two plumose stigmas, of as many oblong achenia, which are wholly hidden in the calyx. Petals small, four 
or five, or absent. Stamens as many as the petals. (Named from akawa, a spine, from the spinous calyces.) 
1. Acena Sanguisorbe, Vahl; caule decumbente ramoso, ramis ascendentibus foliosis, foliis pinnatis 
petiolo foliolisque subtus v. utrinque sericeo-pilosis, foliolis ovatis oblongis rotundatisve inciso-serratis, 
pedunculis sericeis, capitulis globosis sericeo-villosis, calyce 4-gono fructifero 4-aristato, aristis apice 
glochidiatis, corolla gamopetala, staminibus 2, stigmate dilatato plumoso. Vahl, Enum. DC. Prodr. 
A. Rich. et A. Cunn. FI. Antarct. v. 1. p. 9. Ancistrum Sanguisorbe, L. fil. A. anserineefolium, Forst. 
A. decumbens, Gertn. 
Var. 8. minor ; depressa, dense sericeo-vestita, foliolis parvulis. A. decumbens, Menz. in Herb. Hook. 
Fl. Antarct. l. c. 
Has. Abundant throughout the Islands, the var. 8 occupying mountainous places. Nat. names, 
“ Hutiwai," Middle Island, Zyall; “Pirikahu” and “ Piri piri,” Col. 
A creeping woody-stemmed plant, with the foliage of Potentilla, and round heads of small purple flowers on 
long scapes; more or less villous and silky in every part; very variable in size. Leaves 2—6 inches long; leaflets 
eight to ten pair, usually oblong, blunt, coarsely serrated, 4-3 inch long. Scapes elongated, erect, often bearing a 
small leaflet. Flowers in heads, which are the size of a marble or smaller, silky. Caly« four-angled, the angles 
produced after flowering into purple pin-like spines, ž inch long, barbed at the tip. Corolla of four petals, united 
at the base. Stamens 2. Style terminated by a dilated feathery stigma.—This plant is equally common in Australia 
and Tasmania, and is found in both Auckland and Campbell’s Islands. A decoction of the leaves is used as tea 
and as a medicine by the natives of the Middle Island. Lyall. 
2. Acena inermis, Hook. fil; decumbens, ramosissima, subsericeo-pubescens, foliis parvis, foliolis 
4-8-jugis coriaceis sessilibus rotundatis grosse serratis, scapis erectis pubescentibus, capitulis parvis glo- 
