Epilobium. | ONAGRACEAE. 611 
29 EK. nerterioides A. Cunn. Precur. (1839) n. 541.—Usually forming 
small densely matted patches closely appressed to the surface of the 
eround. Stems shorter and firmer than in the two preceding species, 
ereen or reddish, usually glabrous, but sometimes faintly bifariously 
pubescent near the apices, 1-5 in. long, rarely more, branchlets numerous. 
Leaves opposite, crowded, broadly elliptical or ovate to orbicular, obtuse, 
shortly petiolate or almost sessile, #,—} in. long, glabrous, corlaceous or 
almost fleshy, green or reddish, under-surface often rugulose, margins 
entire or faintly denticulate, midrib conspicuous. Flowers few, remote 
from the ends of the branches, small, erect, white or pale-rose. Calyx- 
segments ovate-lanceolate, acute, not much shorter than the petals. 
Stigma clavate. Mature capsules erect or inclined, glabrous or more 
rarely faintly pubescent, $-lin. long, rarely more. Peduneles slender, 
elabrous, 1-24 in. long. Seeds obovate-oblong, testa densely papillose.— 
Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i (1844) 11. E. nummularifolrum var. nerterioides 
Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 58; Handb. N.Z. Fi. (1864) 77; Tf. 
Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 174; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 180. 
E. pedunculare var. aprica Haussk. Monog. Epilob. (1884) 303. 
Var. minimum Cockayne in Bot. Surv. Stewart Id. (1909) 43.—Stems small, 3-14 in. 
long. Leaves close-set, opposite, yo-$in. diam., sessile or nearly so, coriaceous, 
glabrous, rugose; midrib and veins conspicuous. Capsule {-;in. long, exceeding 
the peduncle, fusiform, deeply grooved. —E. pedunculare var, minimum T. Kark - 
Students’ Fl, (1899) 174. SS Re 
Var. angustum Cheesem.—Stems 2-4in. long, sparingly branched, Leaves 
remote, often deflexed, oblong to linear-oblong, entire or nearly so, hardly coriaceous. 
Capsules rather stout, $2 in. long, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs; peduncles 
long. Perhaps a distinct species. 
NortH Aanp SoutrH IsLaAnpDs, CHATHAM ISLANDS, STEWART IsLAND, AUCKLAND 
AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS, Macquarie IsLanD: Abundant from the Three Kings 
Islands and the North Cape southwards. Sea-level to 3500 ft. November-— 
March. Var. minimum: Bluff Hill and Puysegur Point, 7. Kirk / Stewart Island, 
not uncommon, Cockayne. Var. angustum : Cass River, near Lake Tekapo (Canter- 
bury), 7. F.C. 
The most widely distributed species of the genus in New Zealand, stretching 
through the whole length of the Dominion except the Kermadec Islands. Its dis- 
tinguishing characters are the small size, crowded and almost uniform coriaceous | 
glabrous leaves, and short glabrous capsules. 
23. E. purpuratum Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 77.—Stems 1-4 in. 
long, branched, prostrate and rooting at the nodes, perfectly glabrous, 
purplish- black. Leaves all opposite, crowded, horizontally spreading, 
4+-4in. long, broadly oblong or orbicular-oblong, obtuse, shortly petioled, 
thick and coriaceous, entire or obscurely minutely toothed, purplish below ; 
veins indistinct. Flowers not seen. Peduncles springing from the axils 
of the intermediate leaves, stout, 2in. long. Capsules as long as or 
shorter than the peduncles, stout, purplish-black, perfectly glabrous. Seeds 
papillose—Haussk. Monog. Epilob. (1884) 303; Barbey Gen. Epilob. (1885) 
t. 18, f. 2; T. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 174; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 
(1906) 180. 
SoutH IstaAnp: Alps of Otago, altitude 4000-6000 ft., Hector and Buchanan / 
Distinguished from all the forms of H. nuwmmularifolium and EH. pedunculare by 
the larger size, stouter habit, and purplish-black colour. I have only seen three 
indifferent specimens, but so far as they go they suit Barbey’s beautifully executed 
plate very well. 
20* 
