long, broadly ovoid. Seeds usually 2 in each cell, trigonous; testa black, shining.—Chrysobactron Rossii, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 72, t. 44, 45. Anthericum Rossii, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 285.
Auckland and Campbell Islands: Abundant. December–January.
A most magnificent plant, excellently figured and described in the "Flora Antarctica " Sir J. D. Hooker states that he has seen a specimen between 3 ft. and 4 ft. high, having 3 crowns of leaves, and bearing no less than 7 racemes of flowers. In some localities on Campbell Island it forms so large a proportion of the vegetation, and the golden-yellow flowers are so abundantly produced, that its presence can be observed at a distance of more than a mile from the shore.
2. B. Hookeri, Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. Plant,. iii. 784.—Very variable in size, usually from 1 to 2 ft. high, but sometimes attaining 3 ft., and occasionally dwarfed to 3 or 4 in. Leaves numerous, narrower in proportion than in B. Rossii, ⅙–¾ in. broad, narrow-linear, gradually tapering upwards, channelled in front, glabrous. Scape much more slender than in B. Rossii; racemes not so dense - flowered, varymg in length from 1 to 10 in. Flowers ⅓ in. diam., bright-yellow, hermaphrodite; pedicels slender, longer or shorter than the lanceolate bracts. Perianth-segments linear-oblong, obtuse, spreadmg. Stamens ¾ the length of the segments; filaments very slender, glabrous. Capsule oblong, ¼ in. long.—Chrysobactron Hookeri, Col. in Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 817; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 255; Bot. Mag. t. 4602. Anthericum Hookeri, Col. in Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 286.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Mountain districts from Lake Taupo and Mount Egmont southwards, abundant. Sea-level to 4500 ft. October–January.
8. ARTHROPODIUM, R. Br.
Tufted perennial herbs, with fleshy fibrous roots. Leaves radical or crowded near the base of the stem, linear or lanceolate, sheathing at the base. Scape or peduncle simple or branched above. Flowers in simple or branched racemes or panicles, white or purplish; pedicels slender, jointed at the middle, solitary or few together in the axil of a scarious bract. Perianth persistent but not twisted, 6-partite; segments distinct, spreading, 3-nerved, subequal or the inner rather broader. Stamens 6, hypogynous or attached to the very base of the segments, shorter than the perianth; filaments bearded; anthers linear, erect, basifixed, introrsely dehiscent. Ovary sessile, 3-celled; ovules several in each cell; style filiform; stigma small. Capsule subglobose, loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds usually few in each cell, angular; testa black, smooth or minutely granulate.
Besides the two species found in New Zealand, both of which are endemic, there are 5 or 6 in Australia, and 1 in New Caledonia.
