Actinotus.] XXXIV. umbellifeeae. 195 



1. A. Novae-Zelandiae, Petrie in Trans. N.Z.I, xiii. (1881) 324. A 

 minute tufted herb, forming small hoary patches. Stems gin.— lin. long. 

 Leaves j^in.— ^in. in length, ciliate at the apex, entire, oblong or oblong- 

 spathulate, narrowed into a canaliculate sheathing villous petiole. Peduncles 

 l^in.— fin. long, glabrate or villous. Involucral leaves 5 or more. Flowers 3—6. 

 Calyx-limb obscure or 0. Petals 0. Stamens 2. Carpels compressed, convex 

 on the outer face, obscurely 3-ribbed, 1-seeded. Stylopodia coherent nearly 

 to the apex ; stigmas short, divergent. — A. suffocate, Rodway in Bot. Notes 

 (Tasm.) 2. Hemiphues suffocaia, Hook. f. in Lond. Journ. Bot. vi. (1847) 471. 

 H. bellidioides, var. suffocata, Fl. Tasm. i. 158, t. 36. Actinotus bellidioides , 

 Benth., Fl. Austr. iii. 369. 



SOUTH Island : Nelson : Heaphy Eiver, J. Dall ! Mount Eoohfort, Rev. F. H. Spencer ! 

 Otago : Blue Mountains, Petrie! Longwood Range, T. K. STEWART Island, Petrie and Thomson, 

 T. K. Sea-level to 3,500ft. Nov., Deo. Also in Tasmania. 



This plant varies to a great extent in the degree of hairiness, some leaves being glabrous with 

 the exception of a minute pencil of hairs at the tip. I have only seen a solitary head of perfect 

 flowers. Actinotus was originally discovered in New Zealand by the Rev. F. H. Spencer, althoDgh 

 first published by Mr. Petrie. Mr. Rodway was the first to point out its distinctive characters. 



♦BUPLEURUM, Linn. 



Oalyx-teeth 0. Petals rounded with a retuse inflexed point. Disk-lobes dilated. 

 Fruit laterally compressed, subdidymous ; commissure broad ; carpellary ridges 5, 

 filiform, winged, or ; vittae 0. Styles short, reflexed. Seed flat or concave, deeply 

 grooved in front. Perennial or annual herbs or rarely shrubs, with entire leaves, few- 

 er many-rayed umbels. Bracts leafy or small or 0. 



* B. rotundifolium, L. Annual. Stem 12in.-18in. high, listular, branched 

 above. Leaves oblong or oval, perfoliate, apiculate. Umbels small ; rays many. 

 General involucre ; partial involucre of 3-5 ovate connivent bracteoles exceeding the 

 rays. 



NORTH Island: occasionally seen in cultivated land near Auckland and Wellington, but 

 scarcely established. Thorough-wax. Dec, Jan. Europe, Western Asia. 



♦CONIUM, Linn. 



Calyx-teeth 0. Petals obcordate, inflexed at the apex. Disk-lobes depressed. 

 Fruit ovoid, laterally compressed, glabrous with obvious wavy acute ribs ; lateral 

 ribs marginal ; interstices striate ; commissure constricted ; vittae 0. Seed deeply 

 grooved in front. Styles short, reflexed. Biennial herbs, with erect branched stems 

 and 8-pinnate leaves and terminal or axUlary umbels. 



* C. maculatum, L. Stems 2ft.-5ft. high, fistular, spotted with purple, 

 foetid. Leaves large, deltoid, 3-pinnate, flaccid ; lower leaflets stalked, pinnatifid, 

 lanceolate or ovate-oblong ; segments acute. Umbels on short terminal or axillary 

 peduncles ; rays numerous. Partial involucres unilateral, attenuate, shorter than the 

 umbels: 



Highly poisonous. Easily di.-,tinguished by the crenate ridge of the fruit, the glaucous 

 spotted stem, and foetid odour. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : naturalised in many localities from Auckland to Akaroa ; 

 often abundant. Hemlock. Oct., Nov. Europe, North Africa. 



5. APIUM, Linn. 

 Calyx-teeth 0. Petals entire, acute or with a short involute point. Disk- 

 lobes depressed or conical. Fruit roundish or ovoid, laterally compressed. 



