THE ART ALBUM OF NEW ZEALAND FLOE A. 



41 



It is a southern gonus ; found only in Australia, New Zealand, the Andes of South 

 America, and the Antarctic regions. It consists of ten species, five of which are indi- 

 genous to New Zealand. Most of them are found in hilly, or alpine districts, and some 

 have a remarkahly moss-like appearance. 



1. COLOBANTHUS QUITENSIS (Barfl.) The Quito Colohanthus. 



Specific Chabacter. — A small, glabrous, perennial, 

 much -branched, tufted green herb, 1-2 in. higli. Leaves 

 ehiellv radical i-| in, long, subulate, acute, but not acicular 

 (or rarely so) at the tips, concave above, convex on the back. 



quite entire. Scapes longer or shorter than the leaves, usually 

 very short. Flowers 4-nierous, 5 in. long. Sepals ovale, bhml, 

 rarely acicular at the tip. HainUiook of New Zealand Flora, 

 p. 24. 



Description, etc. — This herh is found on the mountains of Nelson, and in the 

 clefts of rocks on the Kowai River, at an altitude of 1,500 feet. Except in the rather 

 smaller leaves. Dr. Hooker says that he can find no distinction hetween this and the 

 South American variety, which is found along the Andes from Mexico to Cape Horn, 

 and also in Amsterdam Island in the South Indian Ocean. 



OTHEB SPECIES OF COLOBANTHUS. 

 2. C. BILLARDTERI {Feii::l.) 

 A small, quite glahrous, often tufted, alpine herh, with small leaves like C. quitensis, 



hut with acicular tips. Peduncles often 2 in. long. Elowers 



1 1 



8 4 



in. long, green, 



usually 5-merous. It is common throughout the Islands in alpine and hilly districts, 

 and is ahundant in Victoria and Tasmania. 



3. C. SUBULATUS {Hook., F.) 



A small, moss-like, densely-csespitose, perfectly glahrous, plant, with su.hulate, rigid, 

 shining leaves, forming tufts ahout 1 in. high. Flowers hidden amongst the leaves. 

 Sepals, 4 or 5. It is indigenous to the Middle Island, in the Lake District, Smclair 

 Range and the Awatere Valley. It is likewise found in the Alps of Victoria, and 

 ahundant Iv in Antarctic America. 



4. C. ACICULARIS {Soak., F.) The NeetUe-pointed Leaved Colohanthus. 



Fig. 7, Plate No. 6. — A small, moss-like, densely-caespitose, shining, rigid, glahrous, 

 alpine plant, forming tufts 1-2 in. high. Flowers sessile, shorter than the leaves. 

 Sepals, 5. Found in dry, rocky places — Wairau Gorge and Otago Lake District; 

 abundant. 



