66 VIII. ELATINEAE. \Elatine. 



ovate to obloug-triangular-ovate with a broad base, most densely imbricating, 

 membranous at the base, coriaceous and keeled above, with thickened margins 

 and tips ; veins reticulated. Flowers often unisexual, the staminate being 

 smaller than the others, very shortly pedunculate, formiug a ring amoTigst the 

 outer apical leaves. Peduncles with two small bracts. Sepals concave-truncate. 

 Petals much longer than the sepals. Capsule globular, membranous, equalling 

 the sepals. Seeds 2-1-, rounded-ovate, smooth, shining, scarcely compressed. — 

 Hook. f. in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 1046. 



SOUTH Island: Canterbury : Mount Cook, F. G. Glhbs ! Mount Alta, Mount Aspiring, &a.. 

 Hector and Buchanan ! Hector Mountains, Danstau Mountains, Mount Gardrona and high peaks 

 to the west, Petrie 1 5,000ft. to 6,000ft. 



Mr. Buchanan distinguishes the plant with longer narrower leaves as H. elongata in Trans. 

 N.Z.I, xvi. (1883) t. 35, restricting H. caespitosa to the plant witli ovate-deltoid leaves. Hooker's 

 drawing in Ic. PI. shows an intermediate form; but every degree of variation may be found on 

 examining a series of specimens. The capsule was first described by F. v. Mueller in the Vict. JSfat. 

 for Aug. 1890. 



Order -VIIL-ELATINEAE. 



Sepals 2—5, free, imbricate. Petals 2—5, free, hypogynous, imbricate, 

 rarely 0. Stamens 2-10, hypogynous, free. Ovary superior, 2-5-celled. 

 Styles 2—5, free from the base ; stigmas capitate. Ovules several, attached to 

 the inner angle of each cell, anatropous. Capsule septicidal, the valves falling 

 and leaving most of the dissepiments with the seeds attached to the axis. 

 Seeds straight or curved, with a crustaceous testa and terete embryo. Radicle 

 superior. Endosperm 0. Herbs, usually aquatic, rarely woody at the base, 

 with opposite stipulate leaves and small flowers. 



A small order, comprising 2 genera ; both widely distributed. Species, 30. 



1. ELATINE, Linn. 

 Flowers 2- 3- or 4-merous. Sepals membranous. Ovary globose. Cap- 

 sule membranous. Small glabrous aquatic herbs with minute axillary solitary 

 flowers. Seeds cylindrical or oblong, longitudinally striated and transversely 

 barred or wrinkled. 



Species, about 10. Pound in ponds, streams, and lakes throughout the temperate and sub- 

 tropical regions of the earth. 



1. E. americana, Amott in Edin. Journ. Nat. and Geogr. Sc. i. (1830) 

 431 ; var. australiensis , Benth., Fl. Aust. i. 178. Stems lin.-6iu. long, often 

 matted, creeping and rooting at the joints when growing on mud, elongated in 

 water, bright-green or reddish, slightly succulent. Leaves shortly petioled, 

 ovate obovate or broadly oblong, obtuse, usually with a few distant iutra- 

 marginal glands. Stipules minute, usually fugacious. Flowers minute, ses- 

 sile, 3-merous. Sepals obtuse. Petals longer than the sepals. Stamens 6. 

 Styles 3, divergent. Seeds 8-10 in each cell, slightly curved, with 6-8 

 longitudinal ridges, closely and transversely wrinkled or barred. — E. ainerl- 

 cmia, Arnott in Edin. Journ. Nat. Sc. i. (1830) 431; Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 27, 

 and Handbk. 28; F. Muell., 2nd Cens. Austr. Pi. 14. E. gratioloides , 

 A. Cnnn., Precurs. u. 610. 



