208 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. [Nyetaginee. 
Has. Northern Island. Summits ofthe Ruahine mountains, Colenso. 
I cannot distinguish these specimens from Auckland Island ones, nor from the P. carnosa, Br., of Tasmania, 
though that plant has usually, but not constantly, but two seeds in each cell. Tt varies very much in habit, size, 
and hairiness. Roots very stout. Leaves numerous, fleshy, spreading, lanceolate, entire or lobed or toothed, 14-2 
inches long, glabrous, or villous at the base. Scapes stout, short, hairy, two- to four-flowered. Bracts short, blunt. 
Sepals broadly ovate, blunt.—Various European species of Plantago grow both on mountain-tops and on the sea- 
shore, as seems to be the case with this plant. 
8 b. Flowers in dense spikes, 
3. Plantago spathulata, Hook. fil.; sparse villosa v. glabrata, foliis carnosis confertis stellatim paten- 
tibus obovato-lanceolatis spathulatisve obtusis integerrimis 3-nerviis in petiolum latum angustatis basi 
villosis, scapis hirsutis, spicis breviusculis densifloris, floribus omnibus confertis infimisve dissitis, sepalis 
pilosis obtusis, capsule loculis 2-spermis. 
Has. Northern Island. ast coast on rocks and in sand, Colenso. 
A rather large species, but variable in size, and in amount of villous hairs on all parts, sometimes nearly 
glabrous. Leaves numerous, spreading, 1-5 inches long, oblong-lanceolate, spathulate, blunt, quite entire, three- 
nerved. Seapes numerous, hirsute. Spikes many-flowered, 4-14 inch long. Sepals hairy. Capsule two-celled ; 
cells two-seeded. 
4. Plantago Raoulii, Dene.; glabrata, pilosa, pubescens v. subhirsuta, foliis elongato-lanceolatis 1-5- 
nerviis integris dentatis lobulatisve basi lanatis, scapis elongatis pilosis, spicis brevibus oblongo-cylin- 
draceis parvifloris multifloris, bracteis late marginatis dorso glabratis, sepalis late ovatis obtusis orbiculatisve 
glabris, corollæ lobis parvis, capsule loculis 2-spermis. Dene. in DC. Prodr. P. varia, A. Cunn, Prodr. 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands. Abundant from the Bay of Islands, Cunningham ; to Otago, 
Lyall. 
An extremely variable plant in foliage, but very constant in the flowers. Root stout or fibrous. Leaves 
1-10 inches long, pubescent, pilose, or nearly glabrous, villous at the base, linear-lanceolate or elliptical-lanceolate, 
entire, lobed, or toothed, rigid or flaccid, often narrowed into long hairy petioles. Scapes numerous, longer than 
the leaves, hairy. Spikes 3-1 inch long, more slender and smaller-flowered than in the last species. Sepals broadly 
ovate or orbicular. Capsule two-celled ; cells two-seeded.— Very nearly allied to the Australian P. varia, but the 
flowers are smaller, spike shorter, and bracts glabrous; still nearer P. Tasmanica, but the bracts have in that very 
narrow margins, which are broad in this. 
Oss. The P, Aucklandica of Auckland Island (Fl. Antaret. p. 64. t. 42) has not been gathered in New Zealand. 
Nar. On». LXVIII. NYCTAGINEA, Juss. 
Gen. I. PISONIA, L. 
Flores hermaphroditi, v. abortu dioici, Perianthi limbus plicatus, 5-lobus, persistens. Stamina 
6-10. Utriculus tubo angulato aucto clavato perianthii inclusus. Hmbryo erectus. Br. Prodr. 
A small genus, chiefly of littoral tropical shrubs or trees, with viscid cymes of fruit, sometimes armed with 
hooked spines, in which small birds get entangled. P, Sinclairii, the only New Zealand species, grows also in Nor- 
folk Island and in the Port Jackson colony (Five-finger Bay), and forms a small tree, 12-15 feet high, with oppo- 
site or ternate, very large leaves, and paniculate cymes of lurid greenish flowers. Stems and branches glabrous. 
Leaves petiolate, broadly oblong, 4 inches to a foot long, quite entire, blunt, glabrous, deep green, flaccid when dry. 
