North and South Islands: Abundant in lowland swamps from Tauranga and the Thames Valley southwards. Chatham Islands: Cox and Cockayne! November–February.
13. E. rotundifolium, Forst. Prodr. n. 161.—Stems 5–15 in. long, weak, creeping and rooting at the base, usually erect or ascending above but sometimes altogether prostrate, terete, pubescent or glabious. Leaves opposite, the uppermost alternate, thin and membranous, distant. ⅓–¾ in. long, orbicular or orbicular-ovate, obtuse, rounded at the base, petiolate, closely and sharply unequally toothed, glabrous or slightly puberulous, often reddish beneath. Flowers in the axils of the uppermost leaves, 16–14 in. diam., pale-rose or white. Calyx-lobes oblong-lanceolate, acute, shorter than the petals. Stigma narrow-clavate. Capsules about 1½ in. long, glabrous or sparingly pubescent: peduncles much elongated. Seeds papillose.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 326; Raoul, Choix, 49; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 58; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 79; Haussk. Monog. Epilob. 299; Kirk, Students' Fl. 172.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands: Abundant in moist places from the North Cape southwards. October–February.
Allied to E. linnæoides, but at once recognised by the more erect habit, by the uppermost leaves being always alternate, and by the terminal inflorescence. From E. insulare it is separated by the larger rounder sharply toothed petiolate leaves and papillose seeds.
14. E. linnæoides, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 10, t. 6.—Stems herbaceous, slender, 2–8 in. long, creeping and rooting at the nodes, usually widely and irregularly branched, perfectly glabrous or with 2 faint pubescent lines towards the tips of the branches. Leaves opposite, ¼–½ in. diam., orbicular, petioled, flaccid and membranous, closely and sharply denticulate. Flowers in the axils of leaves remote from the ends of the branches, white or rose, 16–14 in. diam. Calyx lobes lanceolate, shorter than the deeply cleft petals. Stigma clavate. Capsules 1–2 in. long, perfectly glabrous; peduncles usually much elongated, 2–4 in. Seeds densely papillose.—Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 58; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 77; Haussk. Monog. Epilob. 301; Kirk. Students' Fl. 173.
North Island: Ruahine Mountains, Colenso; Tararua Range, Buchanan. South Island: Not uncommon in damp mountainous places, chiefly on the western side. Stewart Island, Auckland and Campbell Islands: Most abundant, descending to sea-level. Antipodes Island: Kirk. Macquarie Island: A. Hamilton. Ascends to 4500 ft. November–February.
Approaches very close to E. rotundifolium, but can usually be separated by the smaller size, prostrate habit, leaves all opposite and uniform, and by the flowers being further from the ends of the branches.
15. E. nummularifolium, R. Cunn. ex A. Cunn. Precur. n. 535.—Stems herbaceous, slender, 2–12 in. long, prostrate and rooting at the nodes, much or sparingly branched, often matted, bifariously pubescent or quite glabrous. Leaves opposite, very variable in size, 18–12 in. long, orbicular or orbicular-ovate, rounded
