branous, with 2 rounded auricles at the tip. Scape very short, much overtopped by the leaves, bearing 1 or 2 pale-coloured 3–8-flowered heads. Flowers crowded, ⅛ in. long. Perianth-segments equal, lanceolate, acuminate, with scarious margins. Stamens 6, almost as long as the perianth-segments. Capsule equalling the perianth or rather longer than it, ovoid-trigonous. Seeds numerous, ovoid, obtuse, finely reticulated.—Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 80; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 291; Buchen. Monog. Junc. 286.
South Island: Otago—Lake district, alpine, Hector and Buchanan (Handbook). Auckland and Campbell Islands: In boggy places, Hooker. Antipodes Island: Kirk!
I have seen no specimens but Mr. Kirk's, which have the habit of J. novæ-zealandiæ. Professor Buchenau appears to doubt the identity of the New Zealand plant with the South American J. scheuchzerioides, to which it was referred by Hooker. I have had no opportunity of comparing specimens.
15. J. novæ-zealandiæ, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 264.—Stems very slender, much branched, densely tufted, often forming large patches, creeping and rooting at the base, erect above, 1–6 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the stem and sheathing it for the greater part of its length, very slender, filiform, terete, striate, pith with transverse joints; sheathing base long, membranous, with 2 rounded lobes at the tip. Flowers 110 in. long, chestnut-brown, in 2–5-flowered fascicles; fascicles either solitary and terminal or 2–3 superposed. Perianth-segments ovate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, usually chestnut-brown, margins broad, membranous, hyaline. Stamens 6, equalling the perianth-segments or slightly exceeding them. Capsule ⅛–⅙ in. long, nmch longer than the perianth, broadly ovoid-trigonous, obtuse, shortly mucronate, dark chestnut-brown or almost black, smooth, shining. Seeds minute, ovoid, pale-brown; testa minutely reticulate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 291; Buchan. Monog. Junc. 289.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Mountain-swamps from the Ease Cape and Taranaki southwards, abundant. Sea-level to 4,500 ft. December–March.
16. J. pusillus, Buchen. in Abh. Nat. Ver. Bremen, vi. (1879) 395.—Very similar to J. novæ-zealandiæ in habit and general appearance, but paler, rather smaller, and still more slender. Leaves longer or shorter than the stems, capillary, terete, striate, pith with transverse joints; sheaths thin and membranous, with hyaline margins and 2 rounded lobes at the top. Flowers pale-coloured, small, about 112 in. long, solitary or in 2–3-flowered fascicles; fascicles seldom more than one. Perianth-segments lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or subacute, pale-green; margins membranous. Stamens 6, equalling the perianth-segments or rather longer. Capsule 110 in. long, slightly exceeding the perianth, narrow ovoid-trigonous, shortly beaked, pale, smooth.
