Colobanthus. | CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 425 
Var. alpinus 7’. Kirk l.c. — Larger, forming tufts sometimes 4in. diam. Leaves 
1-2in., with acicular tips. Peduncles 2-4 in. long in fruit. Sepals ovate, acuminate, 
rather longer than the capsule. 
Norra Istanp: From Mount Egmont, Tongariro and Ruapehu, and Mount 
Hikurangi, southwards along the Kaimanawa Mountains, the Ruahine Range, and the 
Tararua Mountains. SoutH ISLAND, Stewart Istanp, CHATHAM ISLANDS, AUCKLAND 
AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS, ANTIPODES IsLAND, Macquarie ISLAND : Altitudinal range 
from sea-level to 5000 ft. 
O. crassifolius is usually considered to be the same as a Victorian and Tasmanian 
plant. But Dr. Skottsberg, who is well acquainted with the genus, has lately reaffirmed 
Pri its distinctness. He unites the New Zealand plant with the Fuegian and Antarctic 
f ©. crassifolius, and I am following his views in this place. 
«i ® 2 : - . . . . . 
Aone Wvdch C. crassifolius is separated from C. quitensis by the different habit, acicular tips 
1K. 11S z2to the leaves, pentamerous flowers, and pointed sepals. From C. Muellert it can be 
* “distinguished by the grassy and often flaccid leaves and shorter sepals, which last are 
not acicular; but some forms are very difficult to place. 
2 Ohne Rrnia i 
ie| 1% 7) biG 6. OG. Muelleri 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii (1895) 356.—A small 
densely tufted perfectly glabrous plant, }-I}in. high. Leaves rigid, carti- 
laginous, spreading, often recurved, }-2in. long, linear-subulate, broadiy 
channelled above, convex below, narrowed into short acicular tips. Ped- 
uncles terminal or lateral, }-3in. long, stout, often hidden among the 
leaves. Sepals 5, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, suddenty narrowed into carti- 
laginous points with acicular tips, about } longer than the capsule.— 
Students’ Fl. (1899) 60; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 67. ©. Billardieri 
var. brachypoda F. Muell. Veg. Chath. Is. (1864) 11. 
? Var. multieaulis 7. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 61.— Rigid, much branched, 
branches naked below. Leaves rather lax, spreading, linear-subulate, din. long. 
Peduncles about as long as the leaves. Sepals narrow-ovate, acute or mucronate, 
equaliing the capsule. 
Norra anp Sourn Istanps, Stewart Istanp, CuarHam Istanps: The typical 
form not uncommon from Manaia (Taranaki), Mrs. F. Mason! and the Kast Cape 
southwards, usually on cliffs and shingly beaches. Var. multicaulis : Interior of Otago, 
Buchanan ! 
A puzzling plant. As characterized above, it 1s distinguished from C. Billardiert 
by the rigid habit, harsh often cartilaginous leaves, and especially by the rigid acicular 
sepals, which are much longer than the capsule. The var. multicaulis is only known 
from a mere scrap collected somewhere in Central Otago by Mr. Buchanan, and probably 
does not belong to this species. 
7. ©. brevisepalus 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvu (1895) 357, 
t. 27k,—A small densely tufted much-branched plant, forming compact 
rounded cushions 1-2in. diam. Leaves densely imbricated, straight or 
curved, smooth and shining, $-tin. long, base broad and membranous, 
sheathing the stem, suddenly narrowed into the upper part, which is 
subulate, concave above, convex below, obtuse and almost tumid at the tip, 
abruptly produced into a short acicular point. Flowers terminal, sunk 
amongst the leaves. Sepals 5, ovate-subulate, convex or almost keeled, 
equalling or slightly longer than the oblong capsule.—Students’ Fl. (1899) 
61; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 68. 
Sourn Istanp: Marlborough—Mount Blairich, J. H. Macmahon ! Mount Mowatt, 
T. Kirk! Canterbury—Lake Heron and Mount Arrowsmith, Cockayne ; Mount, Dobson 
and other mountains near Lake Tekapo, 7’. F. C. Otago—Kurow, Speargrass Fiat, 
Cromwell, Queenstown, Petrie! Eyre Mountains, Poppelwell. Aseends to 6000 ft. 
This appears to be a well-marked form, recognized without any difficulty by the 
-short densely imbricated leaves with obtuse tips furnished with a fine hair-point. 
