Smilacee. | FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 253 
but one specimen 1+ inch high, which closely resembles the Tasmanian H. hygrometrica, and as this latter is very 
variable, the following description may require future modification.— oo bulbous, covered with matted fibres. 
Leaves surrounded with a membranous sheath below, narrow linear, nearly glabrous. Scape shorter than the leaves, 
one-flowered. Perianth superior, of six yellow, glabrous, ovate-lanceolate pieces, 13 line long, outer striped at the 
back. Stamens six. Ovary three-celled; ovules many. Style one, with three stigmas. (Name from óro, beneath, 
and o£vs, sharp ; in allusion to the tapering base of the capsule.) 
1. Hypoxis Aygrometrica, Br.? foliis anguste linearibus glabratis margine simplicibus, scapo folio 
breviore 1-floro, perianthio glaberrimo foliolis ovato-lanceolatis, stylo 1 brevi, stigmatibus 3, ovario obovato 
basi attenuato.— Lab. Nov. Holl. v. 1. p. 82, 4. 108? Br. Prodr. 
Has. Northern Island. Hast Coast, Colenso. 
Nar. Oz». LXXXIX. SMILACEA, Br. 
Gen. I. RHIPOGONUM, Forst. 
Perianthium 6-partitum, eguale, 2-bracteatum, deciduum. Stamina 6; filamentis subulatis, glabris; 
antheris basi biloba insertis. Ovarium 3-loculare, 3-ovulatum ; stylo brevissimo; stigmate 3-lobo. Bacca 
1-2-sperma. Albumen cartilagineum. Embryo excentricus; radicula vaga.—Frutices volubiles. 
A genus of one New Holland and one New Zealand species; the latter, R. scandens, forms a knotted-stemmed, 
glabrous, climbing shrub, rendering forests in many places impassable from its matted wire-like stems, which are 
used as cords, and the root as sarsaparilla, but with doubtful success. —Leaves opposite and alternate, coriaceous, 
three-nerved, 3-5 inches long, petiolate, linear-ovate or oblong, subacute. Flowers in spreading axillary and terminal 
racemes, pedicellate, + inch broad. Perianth of six linear-oblong, very small pieces. Stamens six, very large, on 
short filaments. Ovary three-celled, with one ovule in each cell, a short style, and three-lobed stigma. Fruit an 
eatable searlet one- or two-seeded berry; seeds with a pale memibranous testa and almost horny albumen. (Name 
from pup, a twig, and yovv, a joint.) 
1. Rhipogonum scandens, Forst.; caule inermi, foliis oppositis alternisve lineari-ovatis oblongis 
lanceolatisve, racemis paniculatis, perianthio antheris ter breviore.— Forst. Char. Gen.t.25. A. Rich. Flor. 
R. parviflorum, Br. Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr. Smilax Rhipogonum, Forst. Prodr. S. lagueans, Banks et 
Bol. MSS. et Ic. 
Has. Northern and Middle Islands, as far south as Otago, Banks and Solander, etc. 
Gen. II. CALLIXENE, Comm. 
Perianthium corollinum, 6-partitum ; laciniis sequalibus, interioribus basi 2-glandulosis. Stamina 6. 
Ovarium 3-loculare; ovulis paucis. Stylus validus, 3-sulcus; stigmate 3-lobo. Bacca 8-locularis ; loculis 
oligospermis. Semina subglobosa; testa membranacea, pallida.—Herbe ramose ; caule basi sguamato, 
superne foliato ; foliis distichis, nervosis ; pedicellis 1-foris. 
A genus of three very beautiful plants, of which two are found in South Chili and Fuegia, and one in New 
Zealand. The latter is a wiry-stemmed glabrous herb, 8-10 inches long. Stem knotted, with small membranous 
sheaths, rooting and creeping, flexuose above. Leaves alternate, scattered, distichous, ž inch long, linear or linear- 
oblong, blunt or acute, three- to five-nerved; petiole short, twisted. Flower on a short terminal pedicel, 2 inch 
broad, white. Perianth of six ovato-lanceolate acute pieces, with obscure green glands towards the base of each; 
inner rather smaller. Stamens six; filaments glabrous. Ovary ovoid, with a thick style, three-lobed stigma, and 
three few-ovuled cells. Berry round, three-celled, with several horny seeds, covered with a thin membranous testa. 
(Name from kados, beautiful, and £evos, a stranger.) 
DR 
