pale-green, minutely denticulate, glabrous. Flowers in the axils of the upper leaves, few (1–6) large, ⅓–½ in. diam., white. Calyx-segments lanceolate, acute, puberulous. Petals obcordate, much longer than the calyx. Stigma capitate. Capsule 2–3 in. long. rather stout, puberulous; pedicels about twice as long as the leaves. Seeds smooth.—Monog. Epilob. 287, t. 22, f. 92 a, b; Kirk, Students Fl. 168.
North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Abundant in swampy places from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 1500 ft. November–February.
A well-marked plant, easily recognised by the slender usually simple stems, distant pale-green and glabrous leaves, large white flowers, and smooth seeds.
3. E. Billardierianum, Ser. in D.C. Prodr. iii. 41.—Stems stout, leafy, ¾–2 ft. high, decumbent and woody at the base and giving off numerous stolons, strict and erect above, simple or branched, dull-green or reddish, usually with hoary-pubescent lines decurrent from the leaves. Leaves ¾–1½ in. long, variable in shape,, ovate or ovate-oblong to linear-oblong, obtuse or rarely subacute, sessile, lower opposite and often connate at the base, upper sometimes alternate, glabrous, finely and closely denticulate. Flowers numerous, small. 16–15 in. diam., pink, crowded in the upper axils. Calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, nearly equalling the petals. Stigma rounded-elavate. Capsules 1–2½ in. long, finely and evenly hoary-pubescent; peduncles shorter or slightly longer than the leaves. Seeds minutely papillose.—Haussk. Monog. Epilob. 293; Kirk, Students Fl. 170. E. tetragonum, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 60; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 80; Benth. Fl. Austral. iii. 305, not of Linn.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands: Abundant throughout, ascending to 2000 ft. November–February. Also in Australia and Tasmania.
The distinctive characters of this species are the robust habit, usually reddish stems, broad obtuse leaves, and numerous small pinkish flowers; but some varieties approach E. junceum very closely. Professor Haussknecht distinguishes two forms: a, simplex, with an unbranched few-flowered stem and small rather remote oblong leaves narrowed at the base; and b, major, which has the stem stouter and branched, and the leaves larger, broader, and cordate at the base.
4. E. junceum, Sol. ex Forst. Prodr. n. 516.—Stems erect or ascending from a woody decumbent base, ½–2½ ft. high, leafy, terete, stout or slender, simple or branched, hoary-pubescent or tomentose or nearly glabrous. Leaves opposite or alternate, sessile, often crowded, very variable in size, ½–3 in. long, oblong-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, narrowed at the base, truncate or mucronate or acute at the apex, denticulate or sinuate-toothed, hoary-pubesceut or tomentose or almost villous, sometimes glabrescent. Flowers usually numerous towards the ends of the branches, small, purplish, 16–15 in. diam.; peduncles longer or shorter than the leaves. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute. Stigma
