74 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND, [Scleranthee. 
Gen. II. MONTIA, Z. 
Sepala 2-3. Petala 5, libera v. basi coalita, membranacea. Stamina 5, petalis opposita et basi in- 
serta. Ovarium l-loculare; stylo recto, 3-fido. Capsula ut in Claytonia. Semina 1-3. 
A small, succulent, suberect or creeping, marsh or water-plant, forming pale green tufts, with narrow, opposite 
leaves, and small, axillary, pedicellate, white flowers. Sepals two, rarely three. Petals five, slightly united at the 
base, or free. Stamens three to five, inserted into the base of the petals. Ovary sessile, ovate, with a short three- 
cleft style. Capsule one-celled, three-valved, one- to three-seeded.—The only plant of this genus is very abundant 
in all temperate and cold parts of the world, from the Arctic Circle to Cape Horn, Kerguelen's Land, Tasmania, 
Lord Auckland’s Group, and Campbell’s Island. It has no character of importance to distinguish it from Clay- 
toma, than which it is a very much smaller plant. (Name in honour of Joseph de Monti, a Bolognese professor 
and botanist.) 
1. Montia fontana, L. DC. Prodr. Fl. Antarct. 
Has. Alpine parts of the Northern Island, Colenso, Sinclair, ete. Common in the Middle and 
Southern Islands, Raoul, Lyall. 
Extremely variable in size. Stems much branched, a few lines to 5 inches long, laxer and longer in water, 
tender, succulent. Leaves 2 lines to 2 inch long; narrow, linear or spathulate, blunt or sharp. Peduncles shorter 
than the leaves, curved and pendulous when in fruit. Flowers about a line broad across the petals. 
NAT. Ord. XXXI. SCLERANTHEA, Link. 
Gen. I. SCLERANTHUS, Z. 
Calyx tubulosus, 4—5-fidus, coriaceus, persistens; tubo urceolato, lobis erectis. Petala 0. Stamina 
1-5, fauce calycis inserta. Styli 2. Capsula evalvis, l-sperma. Semen funiculo capillaceo e fundo loculi 
orto suspensum. 
Small, rigid, tufted plants, of a harsh wiry habit, with opposite, subulate, serrulate, or entire leaves, and incon- 
spieuous green flowers, placed in the New Zealand species in pairs on a short peduncle, that elongates when in fruit, 
and bears four persistent bracteze at the top. Calyx a small, coriaceous, four- to five-lobed tube, with one stamen 
inserted half-way up, and no petals. Ovary with two styles, and one ovule, suspended from a long cord that rises 
from the base of the cell.— This genus is found in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. (Name from 
okAnpos, hard, and avos, flower ; from the indurated perianth.) 
1. Scleranthus biflorus (Mniarum, Auct.); dense ceespitosus, floribus geminis quadrifidis monandris 
pedunculo communi per paria sessilibus basi 2-bracteolatis, folis serrulatis v. integerrimis. Mniarum, 
Forster. Brown. DC. Prodr. A. Rich. Fl. Nov. Zeal. A. Cunn. Prodr. M. pedunculatum, Lad. FI. 
Nov. Holl. v. 1. p. 8. t. 9. Ditoca muscosa, Banks et Solander, et Gertner. 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands; chiefly on the east coast; not uncommon. Nat. names, 
Northern Island, “ Kohu-Kohu," R. Cunn.; Middle Island, “ Naéréoré,” D' Urville. 
Stems seldom more than an inch long, densely leafy, growing in compact tufts. Leaves 4-4 inch long, rigid 
and wiry. Flowers at first sessile amongst the leaves; the peduncles are afterwards elongated to 4 inch, and are 
stout and erect.—I see no grounds upon which to separate this genus from Scleranthus, to two Tasmanian species of 
which the present is very closely allied. The leaves vary much in New Zealand and Tasmanian specimens of this 
species, both in length and in the degree of serrulation of their margins. 
