fetta” befor rn Pal, (down. Sort oxrx 230 
alyeo he wee Dict Pl. Phan. v- 74 WP ga 
288 CENTROLEPIDACEAE, [Centrolepis. 
shorter. Stamen 1, exserted. Carpels from 3 to 8 in each flower, super- 
posed and connate in 2 rows; styles as many as the carpels, free almost 
to the base —Benth. Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 207; T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. 
Inst. xxiii (1891) 442; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 756. 
Sourn Istanp: Otago—Bluff Hill, 7. Kirk! H. J. Matthews / December-— 
January. ; 
A common Australian and Tasmanian plant. 
ago Wise Cann R. A+) PAA . A. Woes. 4. 
A 
Be | 
D. _ GAIMARDIA Gaud, 1826. Bt opt ee, 
Densely tufted parental herbs, forming moss-like patches’ tt in * Phafpne! IQ 
bogs. Stems much branched, leafy throughout. Leaves numerous, densely 
imbricated, linear or linear- eubulate or setaceous, erect, dilated at the 
base into broad membranous sheaths. Scape terminal, shorter or slightly 
longer than the leaves. Floral bracts 2 or 3, when 3 the upper one usually 
empty. Flowers 1, or more rarely 2 to each bract. Stamen 1 to each 
flower, sometimes deficient in one of the flowers. Ovary 2-celled or more 
rarely 3-celled, the cells {or carpels) collateral, connate; styles the same 
number as the carpels, long, filiform. Fruiting carpels 2, or 1 by abortion. 
In my memoir on the botany of the Subantarctic islands of New Zealand I have 
transferred to Gaimardia three plants (G. ciliata, G. pallida, and G. minima) placed by 
Kirk in Centrolepis. As pointed out in the first edition of this work, they differ in 
the perennial densely pulvinate habit, the shape of the leaves, the flowers seldom more 
than 1 in each floral bract, and in the cells of the ovary (or carpels) being frequently 
reduced to 1. In the ‘“ Pflanzenfamilien ’’ Hieronymus keeps up the genus Alepyrum 
for their reception, a course which is likely to lead to confusion, seeing that not one 
of the species which R. Brown placed in the original genus Alepyrum is retained in it 
by Hieronymus. Until the whole family receives a careful examination it is best to 
leave the species in Gatmardia. 
— 
As now constituted Gaimardia is a genus containing 5 species, 4 of which are 
natives of New Zealand, the remaining 1 being endemic in Fuegia. 
1. Glabrows. A 
Minute ; stems }-}in, high. Carpels 2-5 to each flower .. 1. G. minima. 
Larger ; stems 3-lin. high, forming iis a peas Carpels 1-3 A 
to each flower Le - .. 2. G. pallida. 
Forming broad patches | 3 ft. across. Leaves with acicular tips. rs 
Carpels, 1-2 to each flower .. as = .4 .. 3& G. setaceay 
: 2. Sheaths densely ciliate. 
ornae patches 1-4 ft. across and often 2 in. thick. Carpels usually A. ; ‘ 
1 to each flower ... > AS oer sy .. 4 G. ciliata. . 
hiram. } | 
1. G@. minima Cheesem.— A minute glabrous densely tufted plant, 
forming flat moss-like patches. Stems very short, }4in. high. Leaves 
equalling or rather shorter than the scapes, distichous, linear-subulate, 
dilated into broad equitant membranous sheaths at the base. Scape short, 
stout. Floral bracts 2, opposite, ovate, erect, the outer one shortly awned. : 
Flowers 1 to each brace. one of them with a stamen, the other usually 
without, filament very long. Hyaline scales wanting. Carpels from 2 to 5 
to each flower, connate in 2 rows; styles as many as the carpels, connate 
at the base. —Centrolepis minima 7’. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiii (1891) 
441; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 757. <(0P- @- nea Cote 
Sour Isnanp: Westland—Shores of Lake Brunner, 7', Kirk / hiacembaee 
Te Anau, Petrie / January—March. 
Very closely allied to G. pallida, but a smaller, stiffer plant, with more numerous 
carpels to the flowers. 
See Taare 6f : 222, 
