Stellaria.] - CARYOPHYLLACEAR. 421 
2. §. deeipiens Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i (1844) 7.—A ypale-green mach 
and loosely branched decumbent herb, forming matted. patches. Leaves 
1-2in. long, orbicular or orbicular-ovate or broadly obovate, rather fleshy, 
acute or apiculate, with a callous tip, narrowed into a broad and slightly 
ciliate petiole. Peduncles axillary, usually 2-flowered, generally longer than 
the leaves ; a pair of bracts at the fork of the peduncle and another on one 
of the pedicels. Flowers small, rather larger than those of S. parviflora. 
Sepals 5, oblong-ovate, obtuse or subacute. Petals 5, 2-cleit to the base, 
shorter than the sepals, often wanting. Capsules 4 longer than the sepals, 
oblong-ovoid, deeply 6-valved. Seeds dark red-brown, tuberculate.—Ie. 
Plant. (1844) t. 680; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 23; 7. Kirk Students’ FI. 
(1899) 57; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 63; Subantarctic Is. N.Z. u 
(1909) 401. : 
Var. angustata 7”. Kirk l.c.—Leaves narrower than in the type, linear-lanceolate, 
acute or acuminate. 
AUCKLAND AND CAMPBELL IsuaANDS: Woods near the sea, not uncommon, Hooker, 
1. Kirk! Chapman! Macquarreisnann, A. Hamilion. Var. angustaia: ANTIPODES 
Isnanp, 7. Kirk! 
A larger plant than the preceding, with more fleshy stems and leaves, larger flowers, 
and larger and more coarsely tuberculate seeds. It much resembles the European 
S. media, but can always be distinguished by the less-developed inflorescence and by 
the absence of the pubescent line on the branches. 
3. S. minuta 7. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 57.—** Annual. Stems $-1 in. 
high, narrowly winged, branched, glabrous, ciliate. Leaves ovate, acuminate 
or acute, narrowed into a short broad petiole; apex callous. Pedunceles 
axillary, 1-2-flowered, with a pair of bracts at the base of the naked 
pedicels, not diverging. Sepals broadly oblong, obtuse. Petals 5, shorter 
than the sepals, 2-fid nearly to the base. Stamens 8, rarely 10. Capsule 
not seen.’”—Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 64. 
Soutn Istanp: Mount Stokes, 3000 ft., J. H. Macmahon / Westport, on the sea- 
beach, Dr. Gaze (a scrap only). Try OH 
The specimens of this in Mr. Kirk’s herbarium are few and imperfect, and I have 
consequently reproduced his description. He remarks that it is “ distinguished from all 
forms of S. parviflora, S. decipiens, and S. elatinoides by the broadly obtuse sepals, and 
from S. media by its solitary or geminate flowers and the absence of the hairy line on 
the stems and branches.’’ it looks to me much like a reduced form of S. parviflora. 
Vr } 
4, §. elatinoides Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 25.—A small glabrous 
pale-green herb; stems 1-3in. long, branched, decumbent at the base, 
ascending or-suberect at the tips. Leaves 4,-4 in. long, linear or linear-. 
oblong, acute or subacute, narrowed into a short flat petiole. Flowers 
small, j,in. diam., axillary and solitary, sessile or on short peduncles. 
Sepals ovate-lanceolate or subulate-lanceolate, acuminate, with white 
scarious margins. Petals absent in all the flowers examined. Stamens 
5orl0. Capsule ovoid, as long as the sepals, 6-valved to the middle. Seeds 
6-12, red-brown, covered with large rounded tubercles—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 
(1864) 23; 7. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 58; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 
(1906) 64. : 
North IstaAnD: Hawke’s Bay—Lake Rotoatara and Cape Kidnappers, Colenso. 
Souta IsnAnp: Canterbury—Tussock-flats near Ashburton, H. H. Allan! Otago— 
Pemtroon, Sowburn, Tuapeka Mouth, Speargrass Flat, Petrie / November. 
Easily recognized by the small size, narrow leaves, acuminate sepals, almost sessile 
flowers, and coarsely tubercled seeds. The above description is drawn up from 
Mr. Petrie’s Otago specimens, the plant not having been seen in the North Island since 
Mr. Colenso’s original discovery of it more than sixty years ago. It is very closely 
allied to the Tasmanian S. multcflora, if, indeed, not a form of that species. | 
ACM, bs 
