So 
426 CARYOPHYLLACEAE, [Colobanthus. 
8. C. Hookeri Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. lin (1921) 425.—A small 
densely tufted moss-like plant, forming small rounded patches 1-l}in. 
high, smooth and glabrous in all its parts. Leaves closely imbricate, 
4_1in. long, strict and rigid, subulate, tapering from the base to a shortly 
acicular apex, channelled above, convex below, sometimes with a groove 
between the midrib and the margin. Flowers terminal, solitary; peduncles 
short, the flowers slightly exceeding the uppermost leaves. Sepals 5, 
ovate-subulate, thickened at the base, acute or very shortly mucronate, 
equalling or very slightly exceeding the capsule. Stamens always 5.— 
Colobanthus subulatus Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. 1 (1844) 13 (but not Sagina 
subulata D’Urv. Fl. Ins. Mal. (1826) 617); Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 25; 
nor C. Benthamianus Fenzl. in Ann. Wien Mus. i (1838) 49. 
AUCKLAND AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS: Hooker, T. Kirk! B. C. Aston !/ 
In the “ Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand” (ii, p. 402) I pointed out that the 
plate of C. subulatus given in the ‘‘ Flora Antarctica”? (ii, t. 47) represents a plant with a 
much more lax habit than the Auckland Islands or Campbell Island species, and that 
the sepals were only four in number, instead of five. I have therefore separated the 
New Zealand plant as a distinct species. 
I have not seen any South Island specimens that I can refer to this species, although 
three are quoted by Hooker. Possibly they represent small states of C. acicularis. 
9. ©. strictus Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. lui (1921) 424.—A perfectly 
glabrous and densely tufted rigid plant, forming hemispherical cushions 
1-3 in. diam. Leaves numerous, densely imbricated all round the branches, 
straight or slightly curved, strict, erect, broad and membranous and 
sheathing the branch at the base, above rigid and coriaceous and gradually 
narrowed into a straight acicular apex, channelled above, convex beneath. 
Peduncles terminating the branchlets, stout, shorter than the leaves, stiffly 
erect. Sepals 5, broadly ovate at the base, suddenly narrowed into long 
acicular points 4 as long again as the capsule.—C. Muelleri var. strictus 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. F1.(1906) 68. 
Sourn Istanp: Upper Clarence Valley, 7. F. C. ; shingly flats in the Tasman and 
Hooker Valleys, 7. F. C ; Dunstan Mountains, Petrie / Altitudinal range 2500- 
3500 ft. 
In the first edition of this work I treated this as a variety of C. Muelleri. But since 
then I have had opportunities of studying it in the Mount Cook district, where it is 
not uncommon, and have now no hesitation in constituting it a distinct species. It is 
mainly distinguished by the short strict erect leaves, and broad calyx-lobes, which 
are suddenly narrowed into long acicular points, much exceeding the capsule. 
10. ©. acieularis Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 25.—A perfectly 
glabrous densely tufted rigid and shining plant, forming green or brownish 
rounded tufts 3-6in. diam. and 1-3in. high. Leaves very numerous, 
densely imbricated all round the branches, }-3in. long, linear-subulate, 
often curved, broad and sheathing at the base, gradually narrowed into very 
long acicular points, channelled above, convex and smooth below. Flowers 
almost sessile amongst the uppermost leaves, than which they are shorter.. 
Sepals 5, narrow linear-subulate, narrowed into long acicular tips, at least 
4 longer than the capsule.—TZ'. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 62 ; Cheesem. Man. 
N.Z. Fl. (1906) 66; ll. N.Z. Fl. i (1914) t. 20a. 
South Istanp: Dry rocky places in the mountains, abundant throughout.. 
Altitudinal range from 1500 to 6000 ft. 
Well characterized by the robust stems and branches, long leaves with remarkably 
long oes points, almost sessile flowers, and long sepals, which much exceed the 
capsule. ‘ 
