TUJJ ART ALJJUM OF Aii' IC ZKALANll FLUKA. 



45 



(iKNUS II 



HECTOllELLA {Uook. F.) 'I'hc HectoivUa. 



OkNKKIC C'HARArTHB.- a slllitU (li'llSflv lllfli'd, ^;Illlirc)U9, 

 lilose-likc iiliint. Leaves most, deiiselv iinbrirated nil rmiiicl llie 

 stem, eoriiieeoua, entire. Flowers almost sessile, iinioiifjist tlie 

 uppermost leaves, white. Sepals 2, short, coiieiwe, truncate, 

 eontinuous with the very short, hroad. Hat |iedieel. I'i'tiils 5, 

 united at the very base, erect, veined, obtuse, thiekencil below 

 the tip. Stamens 5, inserted on the tube of the coralla. 



alternate with the ])elals ; lilumcnis lis long as the petnln ; 

 anthers linear-obloiif;, 2-eelled. Ovary ovoid, nicinbranous, 

 viincd, narrowed into an erect style; stigmas 1-3, linear, 

 thii-lienccl. papillose inlernally. Ovules 4-5, erect from the 

 base of the till, amphilru|ions, fiinicle, slender. Fruit un- 

 known. - lliimlljuulc iif Xfw Zialaml Flora, p. 27. 



Desckiption, etc. — A remarkable genus, allied to no other, but approacliing in 

 habit to Lyallia of Kerguelen Land. The genus is nanunl in compliment tfj Sir James 

 Hector, P.G.S., during whose adventurous expedition to (he Otago Alps it \vas dis- 

 covered. 



1. HECTORELLA C(ESPITOSA {Rook., F.) The Tufted Hectorclla. 



Specific Chabacter. — Stems 1-l.V in. high, most densely 

 tufted, and with the leaves on them nearly as thick as (lie 

 finger. Leaves excessively numerous and clo.scly imbricate, 

 spreading, broadly triangular-ovate, iin long, much dilated 



and juemluiinons Itelow the middle, coriaceous above, with 

 thiekened marginsand keel, ^cins ret icidateil. Flowers several, 

 from amongst the le;tvcs al llie ti])S of the stems, nearly i in. 

 long, white. — Handbook of Xeiv Zealand Flora, p. 'J7. 



Description, etc., Eig. 10, Plate No. G. — This beautiful and curious alpine is found 

 abundantly on Mount Alta, in the Middle Island, where it may be seen in patches on 

 steep, rocky places at an altitude of 5,000 feet. It was first discovered l)y Sir James 

 Hector, P.G.S., in 1862, during his visit to the Otago Alps, in pursuit of alpine i)lants, 

 and in the cause of science generally. A marked feature in this truly beautiful plant is 

 the arrangement of the flowers, which are pure A\hite, in circles at the ends of the 

 branches ; many of these class of plants, which are known as " Patch Plants," liaving 

 only one terminal flower on each branch. Tlic artist, in depicting this alpine gem, has 

 happily given life to the subject, and clearly shews this distinctive feature. 



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