76 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. | Ficoidee. 
ribus 1-floris folio brevioribus, floribus 4-meris, sepalis obtusis, petalis longioribus albis obovatis obtusis, 
glandulis hypogynis linearibus cuneatis, carpellis 4 turgidis, stylis brevibus recurvis polyspermis. DC. 
Prodr. v. 3. p. 382. Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 535 (glandulis omissis). Bulliarda, D’Urville. Fl. Antarct. 
v. l. p. 15. e£ v. 2. p. 278. B. Magellanica, De Cand. Crassula moschata, Forster. 
Has. Northern Island; east and south coast, Colenso. Middle Island, common. 
Much the largest species of the genus, of a red-brown colour, having conspicuous though small white flowers, 
on solitary axillary peduncles shorter than the leaves. Stems 2 inches to a span long, simple or sparingly branched. 
Leaves small, uniform, succulent, 2—4 lines long, oblong, spathulate or linear-oblong, blunt, often throwing out roots 
at the axils. Flowers 2 lines across. Sepals four, obtuse, half as short as the spreading, obovate, obtuse, white 
petals. Glands at the back of the ovaria linear, wedge-shaped, truncate. Capsules many-seeded.—This is a very 
abundant and widely-diffused southern plant, found at Fuegia and Cape Horn, Kerguelen’s Land, Auckland and 
Campbell’s Islands; but not hitherto in Tasmania, whose southern coast it however probably inhabits. 
NAT. On». XXXIII. FICOIDEA, Juss. 
Gen. I. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, Z. 
Sepala 4-5, plus minusve inter se et cum ovario connata. Petala plurima, linearia, multi- v. pauci- 
seriata. Stamina plurima; filamentis plurimis. Ovarium superum v. inferum v. semisuperum, 1-00-locu- 
lare; stigmatibus plurimis, distinctis ; ovulis perplurimis ; funiculis capillaribus, placentis liberis confluenti- 
busve insertis. Capsula 1-00-locularis, multivalvis. Semina plurima. 
The only New Zealand species is a very succulent, smooth, prostrate, sea-side herb, woody towards the root, 
with opposite, linear, three-angled, fleshy leaves, and many-petalled flowers, on a stout erect peduncle. Sepals five, 
united together, and with the ovarium below, free above. Petals very numerous, linear, blunt. Stamens in many 
series, inserted along with the petals on the calyx. Ovary sunk in the fleshy calyx, about eight-celled. Sigmas five, 
subulate. Capsule turbinate, eight-celled, bursting at the top into as many slits, which radiate from the centre. 
Seeds small, black, very numerous, attached to the inner angle of the cells.—This immense genus is typical of a 
desert country or soil, and is nearly confined to the Cape of Good Hope: two species only are found in Australia, 
and one of these in New Zealand; a few inhabit the Atlantic Islands, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. They 
have long been favourites in cultivation, from the beauty of their flowers and curiously-formed leaves. (Name from 
peonuBpia, mid-day, and avdos, flower; from many species flowering at mid-day.) 
1. Mesembryanthemum australe, Sol.; caule semitereti prostrato, foliis oppositis curvis levibus 
linearibus v. lineari-oblongis obtusis triquetris glaucis punctatis, scapo compresso foliis equilongo sursum 
clavato. Sol. in Ait. Hort. Kew. DC. Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr. 
Has. Northern Island; common along the coasts, Banks and Solander, ete. 
Stems 6-12 inches long, semiterete, giving off here and there short axillary branches, and opposite, fleshy, 
triangular leaves, 1-13 inch long, which are curved, smooth, glaucous, dotted, variable in thickness from 1-3 lines. 
Peduncles 3-2 inches long, compressed, swelling upwards into the turbinate calyx. Flowers pale reddish, very 
variable in size, 1-3 inch. Petals numerous, linear.—There is a Cape of Good Hope species (from Somerset), 
M. crassifolium, L., which I cannot, from dried specimens or from De Candolle’s descriptions, distinguish from the 
New Zealand one. I have not compared them alive, and they are too succulent and difficult to distinguish by short 
characters to admit of their being united by the only examination I can make. This is an abundant Australian and 
Tasmanian plant. 
