South Island: Otago—Manuherikia Valley, Buchanan!
A most distinct plant, of which I have only seen three imperfect specimens. The slender stems, loosely spreading membranous leaves, and axillary peduncles give it a very different aspect from that of any other New Zealand species.
4. SPERGULARIA, Pers.
Spreading or prostrate herbs. Leaves linear or setaceous, often with smaller ones fascicled in the axils so as to appear verticillate. Stipules small, scarious. Flowers white or pink, pedicelled, in subracemose cymes. Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire, rarely wanting. Stamens 10 or fewer by abortion. Ovary 1-celled, many-ovuled; styles 3. Capsules 3-valved; seeds compressed, often winged.
A genus of 5 or 6 species, widely spread in temperate or subtropical regions, chiefly near the sea-coast or in saline localities. The single New Zealand species has a very extensive range.
1. S. media, Presl. Fl. Sic. 17.—A rather succulent much-branched prostrate or suberect herb, more or less viscid-pubescent; stems 2–6 in. long. Leaves narrow-linear, semi-terete, ⅓–1 in. long, fleshy, quite entire, acute; stipules broadly ovate, acuminate, conspicuous. Flowers many, axillary and terminal, on slender glandular peduncles ⅓–1 in. long. Sepals lanceolate, with a broad white membranous border. Petals usually shorter than the sepals. Capsule exceeding the sepals. Seeds more or less flattened, often surrounded by a broad membranous wing.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 63. S. rubra var. marina, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 25. Arenaria media, Linn. Sp. Plant. 606; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 609; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 26.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Common on the coast, from the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards. October–February. An abundant plant near the sea in many parts of the world.
The allied species S. rubra, Presl., which has more slender and flatter leaves, smaller flowers, and seeds not so conspicuously margined, is naturalised in several places in both the North and South Islands, but is usually found in inland localities.
Order VII. PORTULACEÆ.
Herbs, usually fleshy and glabrous, occasionally clothed with long hairs. Leaves opposite or rarely alternate, entire, generally exstipulate. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite. Sepals 2, rarely more, imbricate. Petals 4–5, hypogynous or rarely perigynous, free or united below. Stamens either equal in number to the petals and opposite to them or indefinite, often adnate to the base of the petals. Ovary free or rarely half-inferior, 1-celled; style 3–8-fid; ovules few or many, affixed to a free central or basal placenta. Fruit a capsule, either dehiscing with as many valves as style-
