merous, all radical, spreading, forming flat rosettes 1–3 in. across, ⅓–2 in. long, linear or lanceolate, acute, narrowed into broad flat petioles, entire or more usually sinuate-dentate or pinnatifid, rather thick or almost membranous, more or less pubescent with jointed hairs on the upper surface, the hairs sometimes arranged in transverse bands across the leaf, under-surface usually glabrous. Scapes very short in the flowering stage, concealed amongst the wool at the base of the leaves, often but not always elongating in fruit and attaining half the length of the leaves or even more, 1- or very rarely 2-flowered. Bract minute, ovate, obtuse. Calyx-segments 3 or 4, ovate, obtuse, very small, many times less than the ovary. Corolla-tube elongated, twice the length of the ovary, limb with 3 or 4 linear-oblong acute lobes. Stamens usually 3, sometimes 4. Capsule oblong, obtuse. Seeds numerous, angled, 20–30. —P. Hamiltoni, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xi. (1879) 465.
South Island, Stewart Island: Margins of lakes and wet ground from Westport and Malborough southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3500 ft.
A very curious little plant. It varies considerably in the amount of the silky wool at the base of the leaves and in the hairiness of the leaves themselves, lowland specimens being often nearly glabrous. The length of the fruiting-scape is a very uncertain character; on the same plant it may either elongate or remain unaltered.
7. P. uniflora, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 207.—"Stems short, stout, ¼ in. high, tufted (?), villous at the crown. Leaves few, ½–1½ in. long, narrow-lanceolate, sinuate-toothed or quite entire, glabrous, villous at the base; nerve 1, obscure. Scape slender, as long as the leaves, 1-flowered, hairy. Sepals linear-oblong, acute, longer than the lower half of the capsule."—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 227.
North Island: Top of the Ruahine Range, Colenso. "Very near to P. Brownii, of which it may be a variety, but the leaves are narrower, scapes more slender, flowers solitary, and sepals narrower and more acute. My specimens are indifferent and past flower."
I have quoted Hooker's description and remarks, the plant not having been observed since its first discovery. It is probably nearer to P. triandra than to P. Brownii, but the calyx-segments are apparently different.
Order LXI. NYCTAGINEÆ.
Herbs or shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite or less frequently alternate, simple, entire, exstipulate. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, often involucrate, usually arranged in cymose panicles. Perianth inferior, petaloid, monophyllous; tube persistent and enveloping the fruit; limb with 3–5-plicate lobes. Stamens variable in number (1–30), usually 6–10, hypogynous; filaments often unequal, inflexed in bud; anthers didymous. Ovary superior, 1-celled; style simple, terminal; stigma small, entire or multifid;
