120 
XXXVIII. RUBIACEAb 
\Nertera. 
Hairy or villous. Leaves cordate-ovate, long petioled . ... 3. N. dichondrafolia. 
Hispid or glabrate. Leaves ovate or oblong, short petioled . . 4. N. setulosa. 
1. IVF. depressa, Banks and Sol. ; — FI. N. Z.i. 112. Perfectly glabrous. 
Stems creeping and rooting, tufted, 6-10 in. long, 4-gonous. Leaves i-l 
in. long, broadly ovate, acute or obtuse, coriaceous or almost fleshy ; petioles 
as long as the blade or shorter. Stipules very small. Flowers minute, ses- 
sile, T l p in. long. Calyx-limb 4-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped. 
Middle Island : Wai-au-au mountains, alt. 3000 ft., Travers. Southern Island, 
Lyall. Lord Auckland’s group, J. D. H. Also found in Tasmania, Tristan d’Acuuha, 
and the Andes of South America, from Mexico to Fuegia. 
2. BJ. Cuiminghamii, Hook. f. FI. N. Z. i. 112. Altogether very 
similar to N. depressa, but smaller, more slender, with more acute leaves. 
Calyx-limb obscurely 4-lobed. Corolla shortly funnel-shaped. Stamens erect. 
Northern Island: Bay of Islands, common in moist places; Taupo plains, Colenso. 
This appears also to be a Philippine Island plant. 
3. H. diehondraefolia, Hook. f. FI. N. Z. i. 112. t. 28 A. Stems 
slender, creeping, hairy or villous, a span to 2 feet long. Leaves | in. 
long, broadly ovate-cordate, acute or apiculate, membranous, more or less hairy 
above, glabrous below ; petiole slender, as long as the blade. Flowers very 
small and fruit as in N. depressa. — N. gracilis, Eaoul, in Ann. Sc. Nat. ; 
Geophila (?) dicliondrcrfolia, A. Cunn. 
Northern and Middle Islands : common in damp places. Very variable in size and 
hairiness. 
4. N. setulosa, Hook. f. FI. N. Z. i. 112. t. 28. B. Small, hispid or 
glabrate ; stem rigid, wiry, slender, 2-3 in. long ; branches erect or ascend- 
ing. Leaves ^ in. long, broadly ovate or oblong, obtuse, with stiff white 
hairs on the upper surface, glabrous below ; petiole short ; stipules small, 
notched. Flowers white, inconspicuous, as long as the leaves. Calyx-tube 
hispid. Corolla very slender, 4- or 5-toothed. Filaments long, exserted ; 
anthers pendulous, linear-oblong, 2-lobed at the base. Styles very long. 
Drape small, hispid. Embryo veiy minute. 
Northern Island : Ahuriri and head of Wairarapa valley, Colenso. 
3. GALIUM, Linn. 
Slender, weak, prostrate, erect or climbing, often hispid herbs ; stems 4- 
angled. Leaves whorled, entire or ciliated. Flowers minute, white or yellow, 
on axillary, simple or branched peduncles. — Calyx-tube globose ; limb 0. Co- 
rolla rotate, 3- or 4-partite ; lobes valvate. Stamens 3 or 4 ; filaments short ; 
anthers didymous. Ovary 2-celled ; styles 2, short, with simple or capitate 
stigmas ; ovules 1 in each cell. Fruit minute, of 2 dry, 1-seeded carpels. 
A very large European and Oriental genus, found also in most other parts of the world. 
Leaves 4-nate, linear-lanceolate 1. G. tenuicaule. 
Leaves 4-nate, oblong, mucronate 2. G. umbrosum. 
1. G. tenuicaule, A. Cunn. ; — FI. N. Z. i. 113. Stem straggling; 
branches 4 in .-3 ft. long, glabrous or scabrid. Leaves whorled in fours, 
\ in. long, oblong- or linear-lanceolate, awned or acuminate, scabrid on 
