"Genus inter ASPHODELEAS et JUNCEAS."—Brown.
Flores polygamo-dioici. Herm. Masc. Perianthium semiglumaceum, sexfidum v. profunde sexpartitum; laciniis oblongis lineari-oblongisve, sub apice incrassatis, 3 exterioribus paulo majoribus, dorso sericeis. Stamina 6, laciniis perianthii inserta; filamentis brevibus v. elongatis; antheris brevibus, didymis, introrsis; pollen ovoideum v. angulatum, granulatuni v. minutissime echinulatum, latere unico excavaturn. Ovarium abortivum. Fl. Herm. Fœm. Perianthium ut in masculo, persistens. Stamina imperfecta. Ovarium oblongum v. globosum, obtuse trigonum v. trilobum, uni- tri- sexloculare. Ovula plurima, biserialia, ascendentia, anatropa. Placentæ in ovariis unilocularibus 3-seriales, parietales, v. summo loculi affixæ; in iis trilocularibus angulo interiore superne suspensæ. Stylus brevissimus, crassus, teres, sæpius subnullus. Stigma sessile, trilobum. Bacca turgida, globosa v. elongata, perianthio emarcido v. rarius baccato suffulta v. inclusa et stigmate plerumque coronata, interdum submembranacea uni- trilocularis, rarius 5—6-locularis, loculis 2-polyspermis. Semina ovoidea v. angulata, ad raphin incrassata v. subcarinata, in bacca uniloculari plurima, interdum pulpa immersa, horizontalia, biserialia, rarius pendula; in bacca pluriloculari ex apice loculi pendula; funiculis brevibus; umbilico nudo. Membrana seminis externa crustacea, interdum ossea, aterrima, nitida. Nucleus pendulus; membrana interior tenuis, chalaza lata orbiculari ope raphis cum umbilico junctus. Albumen dense carnosum. Embryo parvus in basi albumiuis inclusus, extremitate radiculari incrassata bilo proxima.&mash;Herbæ insularum Oceani Pacifici et Antarctici, Nova Zelandiæ Tasmaniæque incolæ, nullibi copiostæ, cæspitosa, plus minusve sericeo-paleaceæ. Caules breviusculi, foliosi. Folia elongata, plerumque carinata, trinervia. Flores racemosi, paniculati v. scapis abbreviatis bini, basi bracteolati.
1. Astelia linearis, Hook. fil.; foliis patulis lineari-elongatis acutis canaliculars appresse argenteo-paleaceis sericeis v. glabriusculis subtus carinatis, scapo perbrevi 1—2-flore, flore inferiore basi bracteato, bacca lineari-oblonga carnosa obtuse trigona 1-loculari, seminibus plurimis placentis parietalibus affixis.
Var. β. subulata; pumila, foliis lineari-subulatis.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Island; on the bare ground, not uncommon, especially on the hills in open places.
Species pusilla, polymorpha, dense cæspitosa, habitu A. alpinæ et pumilæ sed foliis multoties angustioribus, magnitudine varians. Radix lignosa, fusiformis, descendens, parce fibrosa, fibris patentibus, flexuosis, elongatis, 2;—3 unc. longis, 1 lin. diametr. Caules breviusculi, ½—3 unc. longi, densissime compacti, pluries divisi, vaginis fuscis foliorum obtecti, una cum foliis ¼—¾ unc. diametri, basi reliquiis fibrosis et squamosis foliorum vetustorum obsiti. Folia omnia radicalia, inferiora interdum recurva, undique patentia, (an obscure trifariam imbricata?) basi late vaginantia, 2—4 unc. longa (in var. β. ¼—½ uncialia), lineari-elongata v. rarius anguste lanceolata, 2—3 lin. lata, gradatim acuminata, crassa et coriacea, supra profunde sulcata v. canaliculata, ad margines plerumque recurva, subtus medio carinata, utrinque plus minusve paleis squamisve argenteis v. rufofuscis obtecta v. subsericea, interdum sed rarius glaberrima, luride viridia, ad apices fasciculo squamarum penicillata; vaginæ latiusculæ, scarioso-membranaceæ, squamosæ; squamis hyalinis, appressis, elongatis, fimbriatolaceris, deciduis. Scapus solitarius, perbrevis, ½ unc. longus, inter vaginas foliorum occlusus, argenteo-squamosus, apice bifidus, biflorus. Flores approximati erecti; inferior subsessilis, basi bracteatus; superior pedicellatus. Bractea lineari-elongata, obtusa, utrinque furfuraceo-squamosa. Fl. Masc. mihi ignoti. Fœm. Perianthium sexpartitum; laciniæ lineares, obtusæ, exteriores majores, extus sericeæ, versus apices incrassatæ, subcucullatae, dorso penicillatæ, interiores angustiores, apicibus subincrassatis. Stamina imo perianthii inserta,
