Druce (9b 2-657 ~rol<0 N Arann denses Cowk- nov. YCCe 
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: ~ f 2 awd = 7 OF iene oe ° 
IN. natal llc bt _WN aq" We Ls 
Nertera. | RUBIACEAE. 877 
9. NERTERA Banks and Sol.er Cae~ 17 ES 
Small slender creeping perennial herbs. Leaves opposite, glabrous or 
sparsely pilose. Stipules small, interpetiolar. Flowers solitary, axillary or. 
terminal, sessile’ or very shortly pedicelled, hermaphrodite. Calyx-limb 
truncate or very obscurely 4-toothed. Corolla tubular or funnel-shaped, 
4—5-lobed ; lobes valvate. Stamens 4 or 5, inserted at the base of the 
corolla-tube ; filaments long, filiform; anthers large, far-exserted, usually 
pendulous. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, filiform, free nearly to the base, 
hirsute ; ovules solitary in each cell. Drupe globose or ovoid, fleshy, con- 
taining 2 1-seeded pyrenes. 
A small genus of 10 or 11 species, found in Australia and New Zealand, Java, the 
Philippine Islands, Andine and Antarctic South America, and Tristan d’Acunha. 
Perfectly glabrous. Leaves broad-ovate. Drupe globose .. 1. N. depressa. 
Perfectly glabrous. Leaves broad-ovate. Drupe pyriform .. 2. N. Balfouriana. 
Perfectiy glabrous. Leaves narrow-ovate . 3. N. Cunninghamit. 
Hairy or villous. Leaves cordate-ovate. Corolla short, $ in. long 4. N. dichondraefolia. 
Hispid. Leaves ovate or oblong. Corolla long, 4-4 in., tubular 5. N. setulosa. 
1. N. depressa Banks and Sol. ex Gaertn. Fruct. 1 (1788) 124, t. 26.— 
A slender glabrous perennial, very variable in size, often forming broad matted 
patches ; stems 2-12 in. long, creeping and rooting at the nodes. Leaves 
+-4in. long, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, acute or obtuse, rounded 
or truncate or almost cordate at the base, quite glabrous; petioles equalling 
the blade or shorter. Stipules small. Flowers very small and incon- 
spicuous, solitary, terminal, sessile. Calyx-limb truncate or nearly so. 
Corolla ~,1in. long, broadly funnel-shaped, 4-lobed. Drupe globose or 
broader than long, red.—Forst. f. Prodr. (1786) 89; A: Cunn. Precur. 
(1838) n. 481; Raoul Choix (1846) 46; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i (1844) 23 ; 
Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 112; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 120; Benth. Fl. Austral. 
ii (1866) 431; 7. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 246; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 
(1906) 264; Cheesem. Bot. Subantarct. Is. N.Z. ii (1909) 412. N. montana 
Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii (1896) 595. 
Nort Istanp: Ruahine Mountains, Colenso, B. C. Aston / Kaimanawa Mountains, 
B. C. Aston! Tararua Mountains, Petrie ; Cape Turakirae (Cook Strait), B. C. Aston. 
South Istanp, StEwarr IsLtanp, AucKLAND IsLanps: Abundant throughout, chiefly 
in mountain districts. Ascends to 4500 ft. October—January. 
Also found in Australia and Tasmania, South America, and Tristan d’Acunha. 
The leaves very rarely have a few sparse hairs on the upper surface. 
2. N. Balfouriana Cockayne in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xliv (1912) (Proceedings) 
50.—A perfectly glabrous creeping perennial herb, often forming much- 
branched patches. Leaves broadly oblong or suborbicular, 4-in. long 
by almost as much in width, rounded or cuneate at the base; petiole 4in. 
long, channelled above. Flowers not seen. Drupe pyriform, }4 in. long, 
orange-red. 
SourH Istanp: Canterbury—Waimakariri, Rakaia, Ashburton, and Rangitata 
Valleys, creeping on Sphagnum cushions, Cockayne, R. M. Laing; Mount Cook district, 
Petrie. 2000-3000 ft. N.W ye ef | 
I have seen no specimens of this, and the above description will doubtless require 
enlargement when a full suite has been obtained. Dr. Cockayne remarks that the 
drupes are sometimes produced in such profusion as to quite hide the leaves, the plant 
thus forming a very beautiful object. This is also the case with N. depressa. 
" or * -- ’ 
Sée- trans S°1:1926: TI 
3 on i Se Se 
TH BNGeet es Te 
