Colobanthus.] YI. CAEYOPHYLLEAE. 61 



channelled, about one-third longer than the capsule. Disk very narrow. — 

 C. Billardieri, v&v. platypoda, F. Muell. in Veg. Chath. Isds. 11. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : chiefly in lowland districts. Mount Canael to Stewart Island. 

 CHATHAM Islands. Often rare and local. Most plentiful on shingly beaches. 



This is readily distinguished from C Billardieri by its rigid habit, and especially by the apicu- 

 late cartilaginous sepals, which are longer than the capsule. I venture to refer the plant collected 

 by Buchanan at Mount Camel to this species, although I have not seen specimens. 



Var. multlcaulls. Bigid, much branched from the base. Branches naked below. Leaves 

 somewhat lax, spreading, linear-subulate, apiculate, about Jin. long. Peduncles scarcely exceeding 

 the leaves, slender. Sepals narrow-ovate, acute or mucronate, equalling the capsule. SOUTH 

 Island : interior of Otago, Buchanan! I have only a few scraps of this interesting form, picked from 

 amongst other plants in Mr. Buchanan's herbarium. 



4. C. canaliculatus, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z.I, xxvii. 357. A small 

 tufted much-branched plant, k\x\. high. Branches spreading. Leaves patent 

 or slightly recurved, j^g^in. long, canaliculate with stout marginal nerves, sharply 

 apiculate. Flowers ^-in. long, on very short stout peduncles, axillary or ter- 

 minating short lateral branches. Sepals 5, ovate, acute or subacute, equalling 

 the capsule. Disk thickened. 



SOUTH Island : Central Otago, Buchanan ! I have but few specimens of this curious plant. 



5. C. repens, Colenso in Trans.' N.Z.I, xix. (1886) 260. A small plant- 

 Branches creeping, matted, 3in.— 4in. long. Leaves about ^in. long, subulate, 

 with acicular tips, not rigid, spreading, green. Scapes slightly exceeding the 

 leaves. Sepals 4, broadly ovate, shorter than the capsule, slightly margined. 



NORTH Island : near Norsewood, Hawke's Bay, Colenso. 



I have not seen specimens of this, which appears to be intermediate between 0. Muelleri and 

 0. quitensis, 



6. C. brevisepalus, T. Kirk I.e. 357, t. 27e. Tufted, rigid, iin.-lin. 

 high, much branched. Leaves densely imbricated, j^^in.— yi^in. long, linear- 

 subulate, with a broad base, concave above, rounded beneath, obtuse, mucronate. 

 Flowers terminal, sunk amongst the leaves. Sepals 5, narrow-ovate, convex or 

 almost keeled, mucronate, slightly exceeding the capsule. 



SOUTH Island : Mount Mouatt, Awatere, 4,000ft., T. K. Otago : Gorge Creek and Kurow, 

 PetrieJ 



7. C. Benthamianus, Fenzl. in Ann. des Wien Mus. i. 49. Densely 

 tufted, about lin. high. Leaves densely imbricated, rigid, ^-in.— Jin. long, chan- 

 nelled above, with short acicular points, rounded below. Peduncles very short. 

 Flowers exceeding the terminal leaves. Sepals 5, ovate-subulate, mucronate, 

 rigid, equalling or slightly exceeding the capsule. Disk reduced to a mere line. 

 — F. Muell., 2nd Cens. Austr. PI. 46; C. Moore, Handbk. Fl. N.S.W. 100; 

 Phil., Cat. PI. Vase. Chil. 87. C. subulatus, Hook, f., Fl. Antarc. i. 13, and ii. 

 247, t. 293; Handbk. N.Z. Fl. 25; Benth., Fl. Austr. i. 160. C. pulvinatus, 

 F. Muell. in Trans. Phil. Soc. Vict. i. 201, and PI. Vict. 213, t. 11. Saffina 

 subulata, D'Urville, Fl. Ms. Mal. in Mem. Soc. Linn. par. iv. 618 (not of 

 Wimm). Sagina muscosa, /3 squarrosa, and y laricifolia, Banks and Sol. MSS. 

 in Herb, Mus. Brit, 



