274 
II. IRIDE/E. 
1. LIBERTIA, Sprengel. 
Herbs. Flowers in subumbellate panicles.- — Perianth spreading. Sepals 
linear-oblong, white or greenish. Petals larger, obovate, white. Stamens 
with filaments connate, or closely applied to the base of the style ; anthers 
ovate, versatile. Stigmas filiform. Capsule obovoid or globose, coriaceous 
or membranous. Seeds angled and deeply pitted in the New Zealand species. 
A small genus, also found in Australia, Tasmania, and Chili. The New Zealand species 
are very variable; perhaps two are confounded under L. ixioicles, or perhaps it and grandi- 
flora are hut forms of one. 
Leaves -i — 5 in. broad. Umbels panicled. Capsule in 1. I. ixioides. 
Leaves J in. broad. Umbels pauicled. Capsule J-f in 2. L. grandiflora. 
Leaves da — ^ in. broad. Umbels solitary. Capsule globose ... 3. A. micrantha. 
1. Ij. ixioides, Sprengel; — FI. N. Z. i. 252. Variable in size, from 6 
in. to 2 ft. Leaves rigid, narrow linear, acuminate, f- in. broad. Scape 
panicled above ; branches alternate, arising from membranous spathes, bear- 
ing 2-10-flowered umbels; pedicels 1-2 in. long, with membranous bracts. 
Perianth white, 1 in. diam. or less ; sepals oblong ; petals much larger. 
Capsule 'in. long, yellow or brownish, oblong or narrow pyriform. — 
Reichenbach, Ic. Exot. t. 157. 
Var a. Bracts all lanceolate. Capsule narrow, pyriform. 
Var. /S. Upper bracts ovate, acute. Capsule oblong. 
Common throughout the Northern and Middle Islands, Banks and Solander, etc. 
Var. /3. Canterbury, Lgall, Travers. Klatt (‘ Linnfea,’ 31, 383) distinguishes this (erro- 
neously called vestinides ) by the margins of the leaves being scabrid, but in all my specimens 
of both varieties they are quite smooth, or scarcely perceptibly rough. 
2. Ij. grandiflora. Sweet. Stout, 2-3 ft. high. Leaves f in. broad. 
Scapes panicled above, branches alternate, sheaths, etc. as in L. ixioides, but 
petals usually larger in proportion to the sepals, and capsule very much 
larger, A—f in. long, very turgid, broadly obovoid. — L. macrocarpa, Klatt, 
Linnaea, 31. 385 ; Renealmia grandiflora, Br. 
Northern Island, Banks and Solander ; Auckland, Herb. Sinclair. Middle Island: 
Port Cooper, Lgall. In the PI. N. Z. I erroneously regarded this as a variety of L. ixioides. 
3. Ij. micrantha, A. Cunn. ; — FI. N. Z. i. 252. Much smaller than 
the above, 4-6 in. high. Leaves rather membranous, jL—Jg- in. wide. Scape 
as long as the leaves, pubescent above, bearing a solitary 3-8-flowered umbel. 
Perianth in. diam., its leaflets nearly equal; pedicels pubescent, sur- 
rounded by a many-leaved involucre. Capsule globose, membranous. 
Northern and Middle Islands: common in damp, especially mountain woods, Banks 
and Solander, etc., ascending to 4000 ft. in the Nelson mountains. 
Order III. HYPOXIDE^l. 
Herbs, usually perennial, with tuberous, bulbous, or tufted roots. Leaves 
parallel-veined, mostly all radical. Inflorescence various. Flowers her- 
maphrodite. — Perianth superior, of 6 equal leaflets. Stamens 6 ; anthers 
opening inwards. Ovary inferior, 3-celled ; style simple, stigmas usually 3 ; 
