42 



THE ART ALBUM OF NEW ZEALAND FLORA. 



5 .C. MUSCOIDES (Sook., F.) 



A perfectly glabrous, moss-like, densely-tufted, bright-green plant ; soft, and rather 

 flaccid in texture, forming large patches. Plowers minute, sunk amongst the leaves. 

 Found in the Lord Auckland Group, and Campbell Island, on rocks near the sea. 



GENUS IV. 

 SPERGULARIA. {Pets.) The Sand Spurrey. 



Generic CnARACTEE. — Spreading dichotoinously- 

 branolied, perennial herbs, ivith linear leaves, scarious stipules, 

 and white or rose-coloured peduneled flowers. Sepals 5, 

 spreading. Petals 5, obtuse, or 0. Stamens 5 or 10, hypogy- 



nous. Ovary subglobose. Styles 3. Capsule 3-valvcd. Seeds 

 compressed, often winged. — Handbook of New Zealand 

 Flora, p. 25. 



Description, etc. — This is a small Britis h genus, of which species are scattere 

 over many temperate and warm parts of the globe, especially near the sea, and in waste 

 places. The genus consists of small weedy herbs, with opj)osite or fasciculate-whorled, 

 setaceous, or more or less cylindrical, fleshy leaves, and lilac or pink flowers. 



1. SPEEGULARIA RUBRA (Pers.) var. Marina. The Pink-flowered Spergularia. 



Specific Character. — A rather succulent, excessively- 

 branched, prostrate or sub-erect annual herb, with perennial 

 root, more or less pubescent, with viscid down. Stems and 

 branches terete, 1 in. to a span long. Leaves linear, |-1 in. 

 long, quite entire. Flowers numerous, axillary and terminal, 

 on long slender pechmcles, 7V-I in. long, which are often patent, 



or reflexed. Flowers very variable in size, i-i in. long. Sepals 

 green, with a white membranous border. Petals shorter tlian 

 the sepals, sessile, often very pale. Stamens 5. Seeds with a 

 broad membranous wing. — Handbook of yew Zealand Flora, 

 p. 26. 



Description, etc.. Pig. 8, Plate No. 6. — This herb is common on the sea shore in 

 places throughovit the Islands. It is also found under various forms in all temperate 

 and many tropical localities. The field weed, Spevgula arvensis, or Corn Spurrey, which 

 is closely allied to this herb, is very common in Britain. According to Don, the botanist, 

 this plant is grown on the Continent of Europe to serve as jiasture for cattle, as it imparts 

 a fine flavour to mutton, and enriches the milk of cows. Another ally, ^S*. piUfera, has, 

 of late years, been grown in English gardens as a substitute for grass on lawns. Its 

 foliage is of a pleasant green colour, and delicate texture; it soon establishes itself, and 

 possesses the recommendation of retaining its verdure in the dryest and hottest seasons. 

 The latter advantage it owes to the fact that it belongs to a class of plants which evapo- 

 rate their moisture slowly, whilst its long fibrous roots descend to a sufiicient dejith to 

 be little affected by drought. The New Zealand species, S. rubra, is a very handsome 

 little plant, with large pink or white flowers, and linear leaves. It delights in the sandy 

 shores and waste places of the coast line throughout both Islands. 



