212 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. [Chenopodiacez. 
Has. Abundant throughout the Islands, Banks and Solander, ete. 
Very nearly allied to R. fimbriatus, Br., of Port Jackson. I think the R. cuneifolius, Camp., of Lord Auck- 
land’s Group (Fl. Antarct. p. 67), is probably a young state of the same, with blunter leaves. 
Nat. Oz». LXX. AMARANTHACEA, Juss. 
Gen. I. ALTERNANTHERA, Forsk, 
Perianthium, 5-partitum. Stamina 5, omnia v. 3 fertilia, in cyathulum ovario brevius coalita; an- 
there l-loculares. = Siylus brevissimus; stigmate capitato.  Utriculus obreniformis, compressus, semine 
amplior. 
A large genus of often weedy herbs, found chiefly in the Tropical regions; one species, 4. sessilis, Br., is very 
widely diffused in the Old World, and found in New Zealand, New Holland, and Tasmania. Stems glabrous or with 
two lines of hairs, prostrate, branched, 3—4 inches long. Leaves opposite, linear-obovate or oblong, blunt, quite 
entire, fleshy, 3-1 inch long, pubescent at the axils, Flowers white, minute, in globose sessile axillary heads. 
Perianth five-parted; segments acuminate, glabrous. Stamens five, two of them with empty anthers; filaments 
united into a cup. Utriculus compressed, broadly obovate, with one compressed seed. (Name from alterna and 
anthera, in allusion to every other filament only bearing an anther.) 
1. Alternanthera sessilis, Br.; glabra v. ramis bifariam pilosis, foliis breve petiolatis lineari-oblongis 
lanceolatisve obtusis integerrimis carnosulis, capitulis parvis sessilibus folio multoties longioribus, perianthio 
albido bracteis duplo longiore, utriculo obcordato. Br. Prodr. Mog.-Tand. in DC. Prodr. Wight, Icon. 
4. 627. A. denticulata, A. Cunn. Prodr. vie Br. Prodr. 
Has. Northern Island; in boggy places, not unfrequent, Colenso, etc. Nat. name, “ Mahurie,” 
Raoul. 
Nar. Ong». LXXI. CHENOPODIACEA, Juss. 
Gen. I. CHENOPODIUM, £. 
Perianthium 3-5-partitum. Stamina 2-5. Stylus 2—-4-fidus. — Utriculus membranaceus, depressus, 
perianthio haud mutato tectus. Testa seminis crustacea; embryone annulari. 
Erect or prostrate, green or reddish, often succulent herbs; common by the sea and in waste cultivated places ; 
with erect or prostrate stems, and very small clustered insignificant, green flowers. Perianth five-parted (rarely 
three- or four-). Stamens two to five. Style bifid to quadrifid. Utriculus membranous, depressed. Seed solitary, with 
a crustaceous shining coat. Zimbryo annular, curved round a mealy albumen, not spiral.—The genus is found all 
over the world, as are some of the individual species, and is very variable in habit and foliage. (Name from yn», a 
goose, and rovs, a foot ; in allusion to the form of the leaf in the species called ** Goose-foot.”) 
§ a. Seed horizontal, rarely (in C. glaucum sometimes) vertical. 
1. Chenopodium žriandrum, Forst.; herbaceum, caule basi suffruticuloso ramoso, foliis parvis gracile 
petiolatis late rhombeo-triangularibus ovatis orbiculatis v. rarius oblongis subhastatisve obtusis integerrimis 
basi sinu lato subeordatis glauco-cinereis glaberrimisve viridibus, racemis spicatis laxis aphyllis, calyce fruc- 
tifero late aperto, staminibus 2-4, stylo 2-3-fido, semine punctato utriculo adherente. Forst. Prodr. A. 
Rich. Flor. Mog.-Tand. l. c. 
Haz. Northern and Middle Islands. Common as far south as Otago, Forster, ete. 
