Campanulacee. | FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 159 
Nar. Ord. XLVIII. CAMPANULACEA; Juss. 
Gen. I. WAHLENBERGIA, Schrad. 
Calycis limbus 3-5-fidus. Corolla campanulata, 3-5-loba. Filamenta basi vix dilatata. Stigma 2—3- 
lobum. Capsula 3-locularis, apice 3-valvis. 
Smooth or pubescent, erect, simple or branching herbs. Calya tube obovate ; limb of three to five segments. 
Corolla bell-shaped, generally five-cleft. Stamens five; the filaments not dilated at the base. Stigma simple or 
three-cleft. Capsule with three cells, opening at the top by three valves. Seeds very numerous.—A very large 
genus, found in the tropics and warmer temperate zones of both hemispheres; especially abundant at the Cape of 
Good Hope. The species are often extremely variable, the New Zealand and Australian ones especially. (Named 
in honour of G. Wahlenberg, an eminent Swedish botanist.) 
1. Wahlenbergia gracilis, A. Rich.; glaberrima v. hispido-pilosa, caule gracili striato v. angulato sim- 
plici v. e basi ramoso erecto v. inferne decumbente, ramis apice sub-l-floris, foliis sessilibus v. petiolatis 
linearibus lanceolatis oblongisve acuminatis radicalibus inferioribusve oppositis petiolatis spathulatis in- 
tegerrimis sinuatis dentatisve plerumque siccitate crispatis cartilagineo-marginatis, floribus 3—5-fidis, corolla 
ovario breviore v. longiore, capsula subglobosa oblonga v. obconica. A. Rich. A. Cumn. Prodr. DC. 
Prodr. Campanula gracilis, Forst. Prodr. Brown, Prodr. Bot. Mag. t. 691. Campanula polymorpha, 
Banks et Sot. MSS. et Ic. 
Var. a; caule hispido e basi ramosissimo, ramis gracilibus in pedunculos 1-floros capillares abeuntibus, 
foliis anguste linearibus acuminatis integerrimis undulatis crispatisve. 
Var. 8; caule glabrato laxe ramoso, foliis inferioribus oppositis petiolatis elliptico-oblongis superiori- 
bus linearibus sessilibus. 
Var. y; caule simpliciusculo glabrato v. piloso, foliis inferioribus petiolatis lineari-oblongis lanceola- 
tisve supremis sessilibus. 
Var. 8. capillaris ; minor, caule capillari simplici paniculatim ramoso v. e basi ramosissimo glabro v. 
piloso, foliis linearibus lineari-oblongisve, pedunculis elongatis gracillimis, floribus parvis seepe trifidis, 
corolla ovario subgloboso breviore. Br. Prodr. p. 561. 
Has. Throughout the Islands; abundant in dry and exposed situations, Banks and Solander, ete. 
(Cultivated in England.) 
This is perhaps the most variable annual in New Zealand, where it is well known as a common and troublesome 
garden-weed. It is a very widely-diffused plant, being abundant in Australia and Tasmania, and India; and found 
also in New Caledonia. Stems simple, branched from the base, or throughout their whole length, in a paniculate manner; 
the branches terminating in long, generally slender peduncles; smooth or hispid with stiff white hairs, leafy or with 
very few leaves, Stems 1 inch to 2 feet high, generally slender, angled or striated. Leaves usually linear, sessile, sharp, 
toothed or waved, or crisped, or quite entire, margin often cartilaginous and white; lower ones sometimes spathulate, 
toothed, and petioled. Flowers extremely variable in number, size, and length of the corolla, calyx lobes, and ovarium, 
three and five being the prevailing numbers of lobes and stamens, and the length from 3 lines to 3 inch. — Corolla 
bell-shaped, white or blue, usually small, 2 lines or 4 inch long, sometimes large, especially in Tasmania, where 
it forms a large blue bell 3 inch across the mouth. Capsule extremely variable in size and shape, 1 line to ž inch 
long, nearly globose or oblong, or linear-obconic.—The variety capillaris looks very distinct at first sight, from its 
extremely slender habit, very small flowers, and globose capsule, but I find it passing into the larger state of the 
plant, as Mr. Brown has indicated, by referring Tasmanian specimens of it to his W. gracilis. The flowers are 
never nearly so large in New Zealand as in Australia. 
