300 | JUNCACEAE. | Juncus, 
1 have seen no specimens of this from the mainland of New Zealand, but those 
gathered by H. Hamilton on Macquarie Island exactly correspond with others 
collected by Aston on Auckland Islands and by Kirk on Antipodes Island. But they 
all differ from Buchenau’s fine plate in the Pflanzenreich in being much smaller, less 
branched, and having much less conspicuous leaf-sheaths. Buchenau appears to 
doubt the identity of the New Zealand plant with the South American, but does not 
state how they differ. J. scheuchzerioides is very closely allied to J. pusillus and 
J. novae-zealandiae, and small specimens, especially when in young flower, may easily 
be confused with either of them. 
In the “Flora Antarctica’? Hooker describes a var. inconspicuas, which is 
distinguished by its small size and minute leaves, which far exceed the solitary flowers. 
Hooker quotes Campbell Island as a habitat, but in the Pflanzenreich Buchenau limits 
it to the South American forms, and maintains it as a separate species. 
16. J. novae-zealandiae Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 264. — Stems 
very slender, much branched, densely tufted, often forming large patches, 
creeping and rooting at the base, erect above, 1-6 in. high. Leaves longer 
or shorter than the stem and sheathing it for the greater part of its length, 
very slender, filiform, terete, striate, pith with transverse joints ; sheathing 
base long, membranous, with 2 rounded lobes at the tip. Flowers 4 in. 
long, chestnut-brown, in 2-5-flowered fascicles: fascicles either solitary 
and terminal or 2-3 superposed. Perianth-segments ovate or ovate- 
lanceolate, obtuse, usually chestnut-brown, margins broad, membranous, 
hyaline. Stamens 6, equalling the perianth-segments or slightly exceeding: 
them. Capsule 3-$in. long, much longer than the perianth, broadly 
ovoid-trigonous, obtuse, shortly mucronate, dark chestnut-brown or almost 
black, smooth, shining. Seeds minute, ovoid, pale-brown ; testa minutely 
reticulate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 391; Buchen. Monog. Junc. (1890) 
289; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 732; Buchen. Pflanzenr. Heft 25. 
(1906) 172. 
NortH AND SoutH Istanps, Stewart Istanpy: Mountain-swamps from the East 
Cape and Taranaki southwards, abundant. Sea-level to 4500 ft. December—. 
March. 
17. J. pusillus Buchen. in Abh. Nat. Ver. Bremen, vi (1879) 395.— 
Very similar to J. novae-zealandiae in habit and general appearance, but 
paler, rather smaller, and still more slender. Leaves longer or shorter than 
the stems, capillary, terete, striate, pith with transverse joints; sheaths 
thin and membranous, with hyaline margins and 2 rounded lobes at the top. 
Flowers pale-coloured, small, about 74 in. long, solitary or in 2-3-flowered 
fascicles ; fascicles seldom more than one. Perianth-segments lanceolate 
or ovate-lanceolate, acute or subacute, pale-green ; margins membranous. 
Stamens 6, equalling the perianth-segments or rather longer. Capsule 
io in. long, slightly exceeding the perianth, narrow ovoid-trigonous, shortly 
beaked, pale, smooth. Seeds smaller and narrower than in J. novae- 
zealandiae.—Monog. Junc. (1890) 290; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. (1906) 
732; Buchen. Pflanzenr, Heft 25 (1906) 172. J. capillaceus Hook. f. FI. 
Nov. Zel. i (1853) 264; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 291: Fl. Tasm. ii (1860). 
65, t. 1348; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 132 (not of Lamarck). 
Nortu AnD Soutra Istanps: Swampy places from the Bay of Plenty southwards, 
not so common as J. novae-zealandiae. Sea-level to 4000 ft. December—March. 
There is little to distinguish this from the preceding species, except the smaller 
size, the smaller paler-coloured flowers, and the narrower capsule, which is frequently- 
scarcely longer than, the perianth. T have several states that appear to be quite inter- 
mediate. It is also found in south-eastern Australia and Tasmania. 
