Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/235

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Hydrocotyle.]
UMBELLIFERÆ.
195
Hispidly pilose. Leaves sharply 5–7-lobed. Umbels 10–20-flowered. Carpels acute on the dorsal edge 7. H. moschata.
Small, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves 1/101/3 in., 5–7-lobed. Umbels 2–6-flowered. Carpels rounded on the dorsal edge 8. H. microphylla.
Section II. (Centella). Involucral bracts conspicuous, broad. Petals imbricate. Carpels with secondary ribs and reticulations.
Leaves fascicled, broadly cordate. Umbels 2–3-flowered. Carpels large 9. H. asiatica.


1. H. elongata, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 495.—More or less softly pilose, rarely almost glabrous. Seems 4–12 in. long, very slender, branched, creeping and rooting at the nodes. Leaves ½–1 in. diam., orbicular-reniform, deeply 3–7-lobed; lobes rounded, acutely toothed; petioles slender, 1–3 in. long or more; stipules small. Peduncles very slender, exceeding the leaves; umbels 10–30-flowered. Flowers minute, on slender pedicels. Fruit small, brownish, 1/12 in. diam., more or less pubescent or bristly; carpels with one rib on each face.—Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 84; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 85; Kirk, Students Fl. 187. H. concinna, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 239. H. echinella, Col. l.c. xx. (1888) 191.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon from the North Cape southwards. Sea-level to 2000 ft. November–March.

A very distinct plant, easily recognised by the large size, softly pilose habit, deeply lobed leaves, long peduncles, and pedicelled flowers.


2. H. tripartita, R. Br. ex A. Rich. Hydrocot. 69, t. 61, f. 25.—Usually densely matted, dark-green, smooth and shining, glabrous or nearly so. Stems branched, filiform, creeping and rooting at the nodes, 1–4 in. long. Leaves coriaceous or fleshy, ¼–½ in. diam., 3–5-partite to the base; leaflets cuneate, 2–3-toothed or -lobed at the tip or quite entire; petioles ½–2 in. long; stipules rather large, entire. Peduncles slender, shorter than the leaves; umbels 2–6-flowered. Flowers small, shortly pedicelled or sessile. Fruit small, rather turgid, brownish, glabrous. Carpels rounded at the back, convex on the sides, with one obscure rib on each face.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 83; Benth. Fl. Austral. iii. 341; Kirk, Students Fl. 188. H. muscosa, B. Br. ex A. Rich. l.c. 68, t. 61, f. 27; Hook f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 86.

Var. hydrophila.—Much smaller and more delicate; stems ½–1 in. long. Leaves 1/61/5 in. diam.; leaflets minute, entire or with 2–3 shallow crenatures. Umbels 1–2-flowered. Fruit much smaller, but otherwise as in the type.—H. hydrophila, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxix. (1897) 425.

North Island: Hawke's Bay and Tongariro, Colenso! Var. hydrophila: Lower Waikato River, Carse! Matata (Bay of Plenty), Petrie! South Island, Stewart Island: Not uncommon in marshy places. Var. hydrophila: Otago—Tomahawk Lagoon, Petrie! Wickliffe Bay, Bluff, B. C. Aston!