416 AIZOACEAE. [ Mesembryanthemum. 
long, very fleshy, linear, acutely triquetrous, smooth, equal-sided or 
laterally compressed. Flowers Idin. diam.; peduncles 1-3 in. long, 
thickened upwards, winged. Calyx-tube turbinate, $in. long or more ; 
lobes unequal, the 2 larger ones often as long as the tube. Petals 
spreading. Styles 6-10. Capsule 6-10-celled.—DC. Prodr. in (1828) 429; 
Benth, Fl. Austral. iii (1866) 324; T. Kirk Students’ Fl, (1899) 184 ; 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 191. 
Norra Jsnanp: Coast near Napier; Castle Point, 7. Kirk! December— 
February. A common plant in Australia and Tasmania, also found in California 
and Chile. I have seen no indigenous specimens. 
2, TETRAGONIA Linn. 
Herbs or undershrubs. Stems trailing or erect. Leaves alternate, 
petiolate, flat but more or less succulent. Flowers axillary, solitary or 
few together. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary and often produced above 
it, terete or angled; lobes 3-5. Petals wanting. Stamens inserted on the 
calyx-tube, variable in number, solitary or few or many. Ovary inferior, 
2-8-celled ; styles as many as the cells; ovules solitary in each cell, 
pendulous. Fruit indehiscent, globose or obconic, often horned or tuber- 
culate; endocarp hard or almost bony; epicarp coriaceous or fleshy. 
A small genus of about 25 species, most of which are natives of South Africa, a 
few only being scattered over the coasts of America, Australasia, and parts of Asia. 
Leaves 1-4in. Fruit turbinate, hard, angular, horned above .. 1. 7. expansa. 
Leaves 3-2in. Fruit globose, succulent, not horned .. os 2, &. trigyna. 
1. T. expansa Murr. in Comm. Gotting. vi (1783) 183—A more or 
less succulent minutely papillose herb." Stems 1-2 ft. high, decumbent 
or suberect, glabrous or sparingly puberulous. Leaves 1-4 in. long, ovate- 
rhomboid or triangular, obtuse or subacute, suddenly narrowed into the 
petiole, quite entire or very obscurely sinuate. Flowers small, yellowish, 
solitary or rarely 2 together, sessile or on very short peduncles. Calyx- 
tube broadly turbinate; lobes about as long as the tube, broad, obtuse. 
Stamens 12-20, irregularly inserted. Ovary 3-8-celled; styles the same 
number. Fruit about 4in. long, hard and dry, almost turbinate, angular, 
usually furnished at the summit with 2-4 prominent teeth or horns.— 
A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 320; A. Cunn. Precur. (1839) n. 523; Raoul 
Choix (1846) 48; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 77; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 
84; Benth. Fl. Austral. iii (1866) 325; T. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 185 ; 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 192. TT. halimifolia Forst. f. Prodr. (1786) 
n, 225. 
KERMADEC IsLANDS, NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS, STEWART IsLaAND : Not uncommon 
along the coasts; seldom found inland. Kokihi. November—February. 
This has long been cultivated in Europe as an edible plant, under the name of 
*“ New Zealand spinach.’’ It is also a native of Australia and Tasmania, Norfolk Island 
and Lord Howe Island, Japan, and extra-tropical South America. 
2. T. trigyna Banks and Sol. ex Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 77.— 
Stems 1-8 it. long, branched, trailing or frequently climbing, terete, woody 
at the base. Leaves ?-2in, long, broadly ovate-rhomboid or rounded- 
ovate, obtuse, abruptly narrowed into the petiole, fleshy, usually covered 
with transparent papillae. Flowers small, yellowish, solitary or rarely 
ia 6 — 
