Caltha.] I. EANUNCULACEAE. 21 



1. C. Novae-Zelandiae, Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 12, t. 6. A small 



tufted perennial herb, lin.-5in. high. Rootstock stout, with fleshy rootlets. 



Leaves on spreading sheathing petioles iin.— lin. long; blade ovate-oblong, 



retuse, cordate and aurieled at the base, the auricles usually folded and 



appressed to the upper surface of the leaf, erenulate. Scapes |in.— 5in. long, 



naked, 1-flowered. Stamens with unequal filaments. Carpels 5—8 or more, 



gibbous; style short, hooked. — Handbk. N.Z. Fl. 9. C. marginata, Col. in 



Trans. N.Z.I, xxiii. (1890) 382. 



NORTH Island : Ruahine and Tararua Ranges, &o. SOUTH Island : In alpine situations, 

 Nelson to Southland. STEWART Island: Summit of Rakiahua, &o. 2,000tt. to 5,000ft. Oct. to 

 Jan. 



When growing under the shelter of shrubs this plant presents a delicate appearance, with long 

 petioles and short sheaths ; but when growing in exposed situations the petioles are short, stout, with 

 ample sheaths, and the blade is much thicker. Stewart Island specimens are less than Jin. high 

 Flowers yellow or whitish. 



•NIGELLA, Linn. 

 Sepals 5, imbricate, petaloid, fugacious. Petals 5, small, 2-fid at the apex. 

 Carpels 3, 5, or more, more or less coherent, dehiscing internally at the apex when 

 ripe. Seeds numerous. Annual herbs with pinnatisect cauline leaves. 



*N. damascena, i., S^. P/. 584. Annual, slender, 6in.-10in. high. Leaves 

 pinnate ; leaflets dissected ; segments filiform or capillary. Flowers terminal, with 

 a dissected leafy involucre. Carpels 5, coherent for nearly their entire length : each 

 carpel is spuriously 2-celled, owing to the separation of the outer wall into two 

 layers. Styles persistent, free. 



NORTH Island : Auckland Isthmus and other places. Sparingly naturalised. Fennel- 

 flower. Dec, Jan. Europe. 



•AQUILEGIA, Linn. 

 Sepals 5, petaloid, imbricate. Petals 5, spurred behind ; lower stamens abor- 

 tive. Carpels 5, many-ovuled. Follicles 5, erect, many-seeded. Embryo minute. 

 Herbs with paniculate fiowers and ternately-divided leaves. 



'■'• A. vulgaris, L., Sf. PI. 583. Eootstock stout. Stem lft.-2ft. high, 

 slender, paniculately branched. Eadical leaves on slender petioles, 2-ternate ; leaf- 

 lets large, lobed or crenate, usually glabrous. Flowers in lax corymbs, pendulous. 

 Petals obvolute, with a curved spur, convolute at the tip. Follicles erect, hairy. 



NORTH Island : Sparingly naturalised near Auckland and Wellington, &c. Columbine. 

 Oct. to Dec. Europe. 



Oedee IL— magnoliaceae. 



Tribe— WINTEREAE. 



Flowers regular, perfect. Sepals and petals in 2 or 3 or several series, 

 imbricated, fugacious. Stamens oo, hypogynous, with thick filaments and adnate 

 anthers. Carpels few ; ovules 2 or more, attached to the ventral suture. 

 Stigma sessile. Fruit a small drupe, a follicle, or a berry. Seeds few, glossy, 

 with copious endosperm ; embryo small. Aromatic exstipulate trees or shrubs, 

 with alternate leaves. 



The order contains numerous species with showy fiowers and handsome foliage ; some species 

 attain a large size and afford valuable timber. The preceding description refers to the tribe Winterae 

 alone, which contains the only genus represented in the colony. 



