4. C. viridis, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiii. (1891) 441.—Forming soft green cushions in subalpine bogs sometimes several feet in diam. and 1–2 in. thick or more. Stems very densely compacted, erect, branched, leafy throughout. Leaves numerous, erect, imbricating, with broad scarious sheathing bases, ¼–½ in. long, linear-subulate, channelled in front or terete, tip obtuse or acute, sheaths and sometimes the lower part of the lamina more or less clothed with soft white hairs. Scape terminal, usually exceeding the leaves. Floral bracts 2, alternate but close together, jointed at the base, the lower one with an obtuse often hooked point. Flowers 1 or more rarely 2 to each bract, each flower with a hyaline scale almost as long as the bract. Stamen 1, sometimes deficient in one of the flowers; filament very long. Carpel usually solitary but sometimes 2 connate in the lower flower; style 1 to each carpel, long, filiform.—C. monogyna, Kirk in Journ. Linn. Soc. xix. 286 (not of Benth.). Gaimardia ciiiata, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 85; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 295.
North Island: Base of Ruapehu, Petrie! South Island, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: Common in subalpine bogs throughout. Usually from 2000 to 5000 ft., but descands to sea-level in Stewart Island. December–March.
This appears to be a much larger plant than the Tasmanian C. monogyna, to which, however, it is certainly very closely allied. Neither it nor the two preceding species fit at all well into Centrolepis, from which they differ in the perennial densely pulvinate habit, the shape of the leaves, the flowers seldom more than one in each floral bract, and in the cells of the ovary (or carpels) being frequently reduced to one. Hieronymus, in his classification of the order given in Engler's Pflanzenfamilien, keeps up the genus Alepyrum for their reception, and probably that is the correct view to take.
3. GAIMARDIA, Gaud.
Small densely tufted perennial herbs; stems much branched, leafy throughout. Leaves numerous, densely imbricated, linear or setaceous. Scape terminal. Floral bracts 2 or 3, when 3 the upper one usually empty. Flowers 1 to each bract, sessile or stipitate. Stamens 2; filaments filiform; anthers linear-oblong. Ovary 2- or rarely 3-celled; the cells (or carpels) collateral, connate; styles the same number as the carpels, long, filiform. Fruiting carpels 2, or 1 by abortion.
A small genus of 2 or 3 species, found in antarctic South America, New Zealand, and Tasmania.
1. G. setacea, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 267.—Perennial, densely tufted and compacted, forming broad moss-like patches sometimes 1–3 ft. across. Stems very numerous, branched, erect, leafy throughout, 1–3 in. high. Leaves numerous, erect, densely imbricate, ¼–¾ in. long, linear-setaceous with acicular tips; sheaths broad, membranous, quite glabrous, entire, produced at the tip
