A genus of about 30 species, chiefly Australian, but extending northwards into tropical Asia and southwards to New Zealand.
| Leaves linear-oblong, ending in a stout bristle | 1. M. novæ-zealandiæ. |
| Leaves narrow-obovate, obtuse | 2. M. montana. |
M. Hookeri, M. Cheesemanii, and M. Petriei, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst, xiv. (1882) 348, 349, are species of Veronica, and will be found described under that genus.
1. M. novæ-zealandiæ, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 737.—A small moss-like densely tufted perfectly glabrous herb, forming rounded patches an inch or two in diameter; branches short, slender, densely compacted. Leaves connate at the base, densely imbricated, 110–18 in. long, linear-oblong, suddenly narrowed at the tip into a stout bristle, quite entire, rather coriaceous, concave, nerveless; margins conspicuously thickened. Flowers solitary, terminal, minute, almost concealed by the leaves. Calyx-segments like the leaves. Corolla short and broad; lobes 4, short, obtuse. Stamens 4; filaments very short; anthers broadly obiong, didymous, included. Styles short, free. Capsule oblong, coriaceous, 2-valved at the tip, the valves pointing outwards.
South Island: Canterbury—Hill's Peak, Cockayne! Otago— Dusky Bay, on the mountains, Hector aud Buchanan. Stewart Island: Frazer Peaks, Rakiahua, Smith's Lookout, Kirk! 800–4500 ft.
Mr. Cockayne's specimens have narrower leaves with shorter bristle-points, and may prove to be a distinct species.
2. M. montana, Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. 274, t. 88 C, var. Helmsii, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 445, t. 32.—A small perfectly glabrous perennial herb, forming depressed matted patches 1–3 in. diam. Stems slender, 1–2 in. high; branches weak, straggling. Leaves crowded towards the tips of the branches, opposite, ⅛–⅙ in. long, obovate or obovate-oblong, narrowed into short flat petioles or rarely sessile, quite entire, glabrous, rather thick and fleshy, veinless, margins flat. Flowers solitary, terminal, sessile, almost concealed by the leaves. Calyx deeply 4-partite; segments equal, lanceolate, acute. Corolla-tube broad; lobes short, acute, not one-half the length of the tube. Anthers nearly sessile on the throat of the corolla, broadly ovate. Ovary ovoid; styles 2, quite free but connivent. Capsule small, compressed, 2-lobed. the outer angles produced into curved beaks.
South Island: Westland—Paparoa Range, alt. 3000 ft., R. Helms!
This appears to differ from the type, which is a native of Tasmania, in the more slender habit, usually petiolate leaves, terminal sessile flowers, and 2-lobed capsule. It will probably prove to be a distinct species.
