Gunnera.] xxvili. haloeageae. 155 



pedicelsj forming compact spikes or heads iin. long or more, ovoid, glightly 



narrowed below. Nut ovoid, acute. In the summer both male and female 



scapes are lin.— Sin. high, stout. Male flowers on stout pedicels or sessile, with 



2 linear-spathulate eucuUate bracts ; anthers slightly mucronate. Female not 



seen. Fruiting-scapes forming erect racemes. Drupes clavate, pendulous, fleshy ; 



nut linear, narrowed at both ends. — G. densiflora, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z.I. I.e. 



(not of Hook. f.). 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : on sandy beaches. Cape Maria van Diemeu and mouth of 

 the Waitakerei River, Auckland, Cheeseman I Cape Farewell, Nelson, T. K. New Brighton, 

 Cockayne I Seventy-mile Beach, Canterbury, Buchanan ! 



The remarkable dimorphism exhibited by this species in the form of the flowers, the drupes, 

 and even the nuts, has only been observed in three of the habitats recorded here. The rhizomes of 

 the Waitakerei specimens are mostly clothed with the ragged bases of the petioles, and the plant is 

 much larger ; but the flowers have not been observed, although there seems no doubt as to its 

 identity. The short flattened hairs on the upper part of the petiole resemble those found on some 

 Oruoiferae. 



9. G. Hamiltonii, T. Kirk in Tram. N.Z.I, xxvii. 347. Rhizome as 

 thick as a goose-quill, tufted. Leaves forming dense rosettes 3in.— 4in. in 

 diameter, coriaceous, brown, glabrous or the petiole glabrescent ; blade usually 

 exceeding the winged petiole, fin.— 1 in. long, cuneate-ovate or almost deltoid, 

 acute, gradually narrowed into the short broad winged petiole ; margins 

 minutely toothed, strongly nerved beneath. Scapes unisexual. Male : flowers 

 sessile on stout scapes, not crowded. Female : spikes lin.— Ijin. long, lower 

 half naked, upper densely crowded ; bracts large, broadly ovate, laciniate ; peri- 

 anth-segments 4 ; stigma stout. " Drupes almost sunk in the fleshy peduncle." 



SOUTH Island : hills near the mouth of the Oreti River, W. S. Hamilton I STEWART 

 Island : Mason Bay, W. Traill I 



"The extremely coriaceous strongly-ribbed leaves support the foot, and, spreading from a 

 hollow centre, give the ground a bird-nested appearance." — W. S. H. Better specimens must be 

 obtained before a good diagnosis of this unique plant can be drawn. 



4. CALLITRICHE, Linn. 



Flowers minute, monoecious. Perianth or represented by a pair of 

 minute bracts. Male flowers of a single stamen, with a 4-celled anther opening 

 by lateral slits, which by confluence assume a crescentic form, and the anther 

 becomes 1-celled. Female sessile or shortly stalked ; ovary 4-celled ; styles 2, 

 filiform, stigmatic for their entire length ; ovules 1 in each cell. Fruit com- 

 pressed, 4-lobed, 4-celled, notched at the apex and separating into 4 1-celled 

 1-seeded carpels. Embryo small, terete. Endosperm fleshy or oily. Slender 

 delicate herbs, with opposite entire linear-spathulate obovate or rhomboid leaves 

 and axillary solitary or geminate flowerS. 



In stagnant waters or on damp soil. 



By some botanists all the forms are united under a single species, which is found in nearly all 

 parts of the world. Others recognise thirty or forty species. As the three New Zealand species are 

 constant in the characters indicated, and can be easily recognised, it seems preferable to consider 

 them distinct. 

 Leaves linear-spathulate, retuse. Fruits rounded or keeled . . . . .. 1. C. verna. 



Leaves obovate-spathulate, fleshy. Fruits keeled . . . . . . . . 2. 0. antarctica. 



Leaves rhomboid or rhomboid-spathulate. Fruits broadly winged . , . . 3. C. MiLelUri. 



