174 XXX. ONAGBAEIEAE. [Epilobium. 



remotely denticulate or erose-denticulate ; midi-ib and veins obscure. Flowers 



few, distant, erect. Calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, equalling the corolla. Stigma 



clavate. Pruiting-peduncles 3in.— 4in. long, slender. Capsule lin.— liin. long, 



pubescent or glabrous, drooping, ultimately erect. Seeds papillose. — Hook, f., 



Fl. N.Z. i. 57 ; Handbk. 77 ; Haussk., Monog. Epilob. 302. E. pedunculare, 



A. Cunn., Precurs. n. .536. E. penduhim, Banks and Sol. MSS. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands: from the Three Kings Islands and the North Gape to 

 STEWART Island ; CHATHAM Islands. Ascends to 3,000ft. Oct. to March. Also on mountains 

 in New Guinea, Mueller. 



Var. ovatum. Leaves all ovate, truncate at base, obtuse, submembranous. Peduncles few, 

 lin.-2in. long, slender. On moist rooks, Papakura. 



Subsp. nerterloldes (sp.), A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 541. Leaves distichous, Jin.-Jin. in 

 diameter, dense, suborbioular, sessile or subsessile, coriaceous, erose or denticulate, rugose ; midrib 

 and veins usually prominent ; margins revolute. IPeduncles long or short, glabrous or pubescent. — 

 E. nummularifolium, P nerterioides, Hook, f., PI. N.Z, i. 57; Handbk. 77. E. pedunciilare,'B.a,ussk., 

 Monog. Epilob. 303, t. xxiii. f. 96a. Prom the Three Kings Islands to STEWART Island; GHAT- 

 HAM Islands, AUCKLAND Islands, 2,000ft., T. K. MAOQUARIB Island, A. Hamilton! 



Var. minimuni. Stems Jin.-lin. long. Leaves opposite, close-set, about j'ijin. in. diameter, 

 glabrous, orbicular-ovate, coriaceous, rugose, sessile or subsessile ; midrib and veins prominent ; 

 margins revolute. Capsule Jin. -Jin. long, erect, exceeding the peduncle, stout, spindle-shaped, 

 deeply furrowed, glabrous. Seeds narrowed at the base and shortly curved, minutely papillose. 

 Preservation Inlet and the Bluff Hill, T. E. 



Var. caespltosum. Sparingly branched, puberulous. Leaves sessile or subsessile, less than Jin. 

 in diameter, suborbioular, minutely denticulate ; midrib and veins prominent. Plowers and capsule 

 not seen. Bay of Islands and Hokianga, A. Cunn. in Herb. Kew. E. caespitosum, Haussk., 

 Monog. Epilob. 301, t. xx. f. 85. 



After many years' study of these plants in the living state, I find it quite impossible to separate 

 the different forms as species, even with the aid of Professor Hausskneoht's excellent descriptions 

 and beautiful drawings. They pass into each other by the most insensible gradations. 



17. E. purpuratum, Hook., Handbk. N.Z. Fl. 77. Stems prostrate, 

 creeping, ^and rooting at the nodes, lin.— Sin. long, purplish-black, perfectly 

 glabrous. Leaves all opposite, Jin.— ^in. long including the petiole, orbicular- 

 oblong, rounded at the apex, entire or nearly so, coriaceous. Flowers not seen. 

 Peduncles slender, purplish-black, 2in. long, exceeding the slender capsule. 

 Seeds papillose. — Haussk., Monog. Epilob. 303. 



SOUTH Island : alps of Otago, 6,000ft., Sector and Buchanan ! 



1 have only seen a single specimen of this rare plant, which has not been observed since its 

 discovery more than thirty years ago. 



18. E. glabellum, G. Forst., Prod. n. 160. Stems tetragonous, decum- 

 bent, and suffruticose at base, emitting stolons, simple or branched, erect or 

 spreading, purplish, glabrous or bi- or quadrifariously pubescent between the 

 nodes and on the margins of the short petioles. Leaves opposite or the upper 

 alternate, shining, membranous or rather fleshy, glabrous, ovate or ovate- 

 oblong, obtuse, entire, denticulate, coarsely toothed or sinuate-toothed. Flowers 

 axillary, solitary in the upper axils, erect, white or pink. Calyx-lobes ovate- 

 lanceolate, acute or apiculate, glabrous. Corolla shortly exceeding the calyx. 

 Stigma obrordate. Fruiting peduncles rarely exceeding the leaves. Capsule 

 slender, glabrous. Seeds minutely papillose. — Willd., Sp. PI. ii. 316; Hook, 

 f., Fl. N.Z. i. 59 ; Handbk. 79. 



