186 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. [ Cyrtandracee. 
The species occur as yellow matted filamentous branches, twisted together, and generally strangling the plant 
(always if an herbaceous one) which they attack. In England the genus is called “ Dodder,” and the species do 
great mischief to clover and flax crops, with which the seeds are sometimes imported from the Continent. Various 
kinds are natives of the North Temperate zone, a few of the Tropics, two species are found in Australia, and one in 
Tasmania.—The only New Zealand species has slender stems, like masses of tangled pack-thread, and crowded six- 
to ten-flowered racemes i-i inch long, of small yellow flowers + inch long. Calyx with five short blunt lobes. 
Corolla marked (as is the calyx) with oblong-linear transparent oil-canals, subeampanulate, with five recurved lobes. 
Stamens placed at the junction of the lobes of the corolla. Scales inserted below the middle of the tube, on the 
thickened filaments, which are adnate with the corolla, broadly oblong, fimbriated, united at their bases into.a thin 
membrane. Ovary two-celled, with two straight styles terminated by capitate stigmas; cells with two ovules in 
each. Capsule membranous, two-celled, two-seeded, splitting all round above the base transversely ; seeds albumi- 
nous.—The only New Zealand plant at all resembling this is Cassytha. (Name of doubtful origin.) 
1. Cuscuta densiflora, Hook. fil.; caule filiformi, racemis dense congestis 4—8-floris, calyce breviter 
5-lobo, corolla subeampanulata glandulis linearibus notata, filamentis crassiusculis, squamis late oblongis 
obtusis fimbriatis basi membrana brevissima coheerentibus, stylis 2, stigmatibus capitatis. 
Has. Middle Island. Port Underwood, Lyal/. 
Nar. Ong». LIX. CYRTANDRACEA, Jack. 
Gen. I. RHABDOTHAMNUS, Cuan. 
Calyx alte 5-fidus. Corolle tubus campanulatus; limbo 2-labiato. Stamina antherifera 4, exserta ; 
antheris in coronulam cohzerentibus, loculis divaricatis. Ovarium ovatum, in stylum elongatum desinens ; 
stigmate obtuso, obscure bilobo. Capsula demum 4-valvis; placentis utrinque seminiferis. Semina albu- 
minosa. 
The mountains of India and the Malay Archipelago are the favourite haunts of the beautiful but small natural 
family to which this genus belongs. One species is found in Australia, several inhabit the Cape of Good Hope, one 
Europe, and a few are found in other quarters of the globe.— R. Solandri forms a slender, twiggy, very much branched 
shrub, 9—4 feet high, everywhere more or less pubescent, with opposite leaves and pretty yellow and red striped 
flowers. Leaves petiolate, 3-1 inch long, broadly obovate or orbicular, repand or coarsely toothed, scabrid on both 
surfaces, dull green. Flowers pedicellate, solitary and axillary, or in terminal pairs; pedicels as long as or shorter 
than the leaves, without bracts. Calyx of five ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent, more or less united or free 
leaflets 1 inch long. Corolla 3 inch long, two-lipped, horizontal, with a bell-shaped tube; upper lip two-lobed, 
under three-lobed. Stamens four; filaments exserted, their tips arching towards one another. Anthers united. Ovary 
broadly ovate. Style long, slender, curved and dilated at the apex, truncate, obscurely two-lobed. (Name from 
paßõos, a twig, and dauvos, a shrub.) 
1. Rhabdothamnus Solandri, A. Cunn.; frutex virgatus, ramosissimus, ramis griseis pubescentibus, 
foliis oppositis petiolatis orbiculatis v. late obovatis repando-dentatis utrinque scaberulis, pedicellis folio 
eguilongis v. brevioribus solitariis binisve axillaribus et terminalibus ebracteatis, sepalis liberis coalitisve 
lanceolatis acuminatis. 4. Cunn. Prodr. Brown et Bennett, Flora Java. Columnea scabrosa, Banks et 
Sol. MSS. et Ic. 
Has. Northern Island. From the Bay of Islands, as far south as the east coast, Banks and Solan- 
der, etc. (Cultivated in England.) 
The leaf of this plant a good deal resembles that of young specimens of Carpodetus serratus, and of Trophis 
aspera, having the same lurid pale green tint. 
