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VIII. ELATINEiE. 
Order VIII. ELATINEiE. 
Small water-plants, rarely shrubs, mostly prostrate, with usually opposite 
stipulate leaves. Flowers small or minute, hermaphrodite, regular. — Sepals 
2-5, free, imbricate. Petals 2-5, free, hypogynous, imbricate. Disk 0. 
Stamens as many as the petals or twice as many, hypogynous, free. Ovary 
free, 2-5-celled ; styles 2-5, stigmas capitate ; ovules numerous in the 
angles of the cells. Capsule septicidal, the valves falling away and leaving 
the seeds attached to a central column. Seeds straight or curved, with terete 
embryo and no albumen. 
A small Order, scattered over various parts of the world, as is the only New Zealand 
genus. 
1. ELATINE, Linn. 
Aquatic, creeping, glabrous, small herbs, with pellucid-dotted leaves, 
and minute, axillary, solitary flowers. — Sepals membranous, obtuse. Ovary 
globose. Capsule membranous, the septa either disappearing or persistent on 
the axis. Seeds oblong or cylindrical, longitudinally striated and transversely 
wrinkled. 
The species are found in ponds, lakes, etc., in various parts of the world, including 
Britain. 
1. E. americana, Arnott ; — FI. N. Z. i. 27. A minute, glabrous, 
prostrate, matted aquatic. Stem rather succulent, creeping, sometimes elon- 
gated, and 1-8 in. long. Leaves small, ^ in. long, obovate-oblong, obtuse, 
quite entire, shortly petioled. Flowers minute, sessile, 3-merous. Calyx 
persistent. Capsule with the septa disappearing. Seeds slightly curved. 
— E. gratioloides, A. Cunn. 
Dior them Island, probably common : hogs at Hokianga, R. Cunningham; also found in 
Tasmania and Australia, the Feejee Islands and North and South America. 
Order IX. HYPERICINEiE. 
Herbs shrubs or trees, with opposite, simple, quite entire or glandular- 
toothed, often pellucid-dotted, exstipulate leaves. Flowers regular, herma- 
phrodite. — Sepals 5, imbricate. Petals 5, hypogynous, imbricate. Disk 0. 
Stamens indefinite, hypogynous, free or polyadelphous, filaments filiform. 
Ovary 3-5-celled, or 1-celled with inflexed margins to the carpels; styles as 
many as carpels, filiform, free or connate, stigmas terminal ; ovules nu- 
merous, in 2 series in the axis of the cells, or on the inflexed edges of the car- 
pels. Fruit usually capsular. Seeds exalbuminous. 
A large Order, widely distributed, as is the only New Zealand genus, which is also. -a 
British one. 
1. HYPERICUM, Linn. 
Sepals and petals 5. Stamens very numerous, all free or connected into 
bundles. Ovary 1- or 3-5-celled. Capsule septicidal. Seeds not winged, 
with a straight embryo. 
Erect. Leaves snhcordate, with revolute margins 1. H. graminenm. 
Procumbent. Leaves oblong or obovate 2. H. Japonic urn. 
