3. N. dichondræfolia, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 112, t. 28a.—A slender creeping herb, often forming extensive matted patches. Stems 4 in. to 2 ft. long, branched, more or less hairy or villous with soft tawny hairs, rarely nearly glabrous. Leaves with the petioles ¼–¾ in. long, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, acute or apiculate, cordate or rounded at the base, membranous, more or less hispid or hairy above, usually glabrous or nearly so beneath; petiole longer or shorter than the blade. Stipules acute. Flowers terminal, sessile. Calyx-limb obscurely 4-toothed. Corolla 18 in. long, funnel-shaped, 4-lobed. Drupe globose, red, 16 in. diam.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 120; Kirk, Students' Fl. 247. N. gracilis, Raoul in Ann. Sci. Nat. ii. (1844) 121. N. ciliata, Kirk, Students' Fl. 247. Geophila dichondræfolia, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 482.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Abundant from Mongonui and Kaitaia southwards. Sea-level to nearly 3000 ft. October–December.
Very variable in size, amounc of hairiness, &c. Small specimens are sometimes almost glabrous, while large laxly branched ones are often copiously villous. Mr. Kirk's N. ciliata, which he distinguished by the ciliate leaves and shorter petioles, appears to me to be a trivial form only.
4. N. setulosa, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 112, t. 28b.—Very variable in size, more or less hispid with short stiff hairs. Stems creeping and rooting, 3–12 in. long, putting up numerous leafy suberect branches 1–6 in. high or more. Leaves ¼–¾ in., broadly ovate or orbicular to oblong or oblong-obovate, obtuse, membranous, laxly clothed with stiff white hairs; margins ciliate; petiole shorter than the blade. Flowers axillary or terminal, very slender, ⅓–½ in. long. Calyx-tube densely hispid; limb unequally 4–5-toothed. Corolla very long, tubular, hispid, 4–5-toothed; teeth erect. Filaments very long, wiry, far-exserted; anthers apiculate, sagittate at the base. Styles long. Drupe usually dry, 18–16 in. long, oblong, obscurely ribbed, hispid.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 120; Kirk, Students' Fl. 247. N. pusilla, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 331.
North Island: Auckland—North Cape district, Adams and T.F.C.; Kaitaia, B. H. Matthews! between Kaihu and Maunganui Bluff, Petrie! T.F.C.; Patetere Plateau, T.F.C. Hawke's Bay—Dannevirke and Norsewood, Colenso! Wellington—Wairarapa, Colenso! near Wellington, Kirk! South Island: Otago—Plentiful, Petrie! Thomson! Stewart Island: Kirk! November–January.
Very distinct from the three preceding species, and at once recognised by the long tubular corolla. The Australian N. reptans, F. Muell., should probably be united with it. The flowers are strongly proterogynous and possibly dimorphic as well.
3. GALIUM, Linn.
Herbs with slender quadrangular stems. Leaves in whorls of 4 to 8, of which 2 are supposed to be true leaves and the remainder stipules, although all are precisely similar in size and shape. Flowers minute, in axillary or terminal cymes. Calyx-limb obsolete. Corolla rotate, 4-lobed, rarely 3- or 5-lobed. Stamens 4;
