176 XXX. ONAGEAEIBAE. [Epilobinm. 



22. E. vernicosum, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z.I, xxviii. (1895) 535. 

 Shortly suffruticose. Rootstock stout. Stems numerous, 4in.— 6in. long, de- 

 cumbent at the base, or almost prostrate, terete, bifariously pubescent. Leaves 

 opposite, or the upper alternate, dense, ascending, rarely imbricating, shortly 

 petiolate, coriaceous, shining, oblong, linear-oblong or almost ovate, usually 

 obtuse, ^in.— fin. long, obscurely denticulate or sinuate -toothed, glabrous. 

 Plowers 2-5, in the upper axils, erect, iin.-fin. in diameter, white or pink. 

 Calyx-lobes lanceolate^ acute or apiculate, glabrous, shorter than the petals. 

 Style very long, slender ; stigma often exserted, capitate, unequally rounded. 

 Fruiting-peduncles shorter than the leaves, slender. Capsule lin.-liin. long, 

 sleader, faintly grooved. Seeds smooth, very small. 



SOUTH Island : Nelson: Mount Arthur plateau, Mount Peel, Gheeseman! Gibbs ! Otago 

 Clutha Valley, Te Anau, Petrie I 3,000ft. to 5,000ft. Deo., Jan. 



A beautiful plant, with large showy flowers, and the most minute seeds of any New Zealand 

 species. 



23. E. pycnostachyum, Haussk. in Oestr. Bot. Zeitschr. xxix. (1879) 

 150. Stems numerous, 2in.— 6in. high, ascending from the apex of a subter- 

 ranean woody prostrate or inclined rhizome, quadrifai'iously pubescent. Leaves 

 opposite or alternate, sessile or shortly petiolate, ascending, flaccid, oblong, 

 cuneate at the base, acute or obtuse, glabrous or glabrate, sin-— fin. long; 

 margins with 4—6 subacute teeth. Flowers in the upper axils, erect, large, 

 white. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute, glabrous, much shorter than the corolla. 

 Stigma clavate. Capsule sessile or subsessile, equalling the leaves, shortly 

 narrowed at the apex. Seeds papillose. — -Monog. Epilob. 306, t. xxi. f. 88. 

 E. Gilliesianum, T. Kirk, MS. 



SOUTH Island : Nelson, Monro. Mount Captain Range, Waiau-ua Valley, T. E. Clarence 

 Valley, Travers I Canterbary : Whitcomb's Pass, Haast ! Arthur's Pass, Cheeseman. Otago : Lake 

 district, Hector and Buchanan I 2,000ft. to 5,000ft. Jan., Feb. 



As the plant grows on shingle-slips the rootstock is often of great length and much branched. 

 The leaves are blotched with velvel;y-brown patches, which form a pleasing contrast with the pure- 

 white flowers. Mr. Cbeeseman's specimens from Mount Arthur have broader spreading more obtuse 

 leaves on long petioles. 



24. E. brevipes, Hook. /., Fl. N.Z. ii. 328. Stems numerous, from a 

 woody rootstock, branched, prostrate, shining, purple, tips ascending, 6in.— 15in. 

 high, naked below, densely foliaceous, perfectly glabrous. Leaves all opposite, 

 coriaceous, shining, purplish-red ; petioles fin.— lin. long, spreading, elliptical- 

 lanceolate, with a thickened horny triangular apiculus, remotely denticulate. 

 Flowers erect, sessile iu the upper axils, white or pink. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, 

 thickened at the apex, nearly equalling the corolla. Stigma clavate. Fruiting- 

 peduncles very short. Capsule exceeding the leaves. Seeds minutely papillose. 

 — Handbk. 78; Haussk., Monog. Epilob. 307, t. xxi. f. 89. 



SOUTH Island : Marlborough : Upper Awatere, Monro, T. E. Taylor's Pass, Spencer ! Kai- 

 koura Mountains, McDonald. Nelson: Gorge of the Conway, Cockayne I Canterbury: Mount 

 Torlesse, Enys and Kirk. 2,000ft. to 4,000ft. Dec, Jan. 



A very handsome plant, apparently of extreme rarity. The valves of the old capsules are 

 persistent for two or three years. 



