South Island: Shingle slopes on the mountains, not common. Nelson—Dun Mountain, Rough; Wairau Gorge, Travers, T. F. C.; Waiau Valley, Travers. Canterbury—Mount Torlesse, Petrie! T. F. C.; mountains near the Broken River, Enys! T. F. C.; Mount Dobson, T. F. C.; mountains at the head of Lake Ohau, Buchanan! Otago—Mount Ida, Mount St. Bathans, Mount Kyehurn, Petrie! 3000–6000 ft. December–March.
A most distinct species, quite unlike any other. It is remarkable for the corolla being twice split to the base at the back, so that the flower is 3-lipped.
4. ISOTOMA, Lindl.
Herbs of various habit. Leaves alternate, entire or toothed or pinnatifid. Flowers axillary or in terminal racemes. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary; limb 5-parcite. Corolla-tube cylindrical, entire or very shortly slit on the upper side; limb spreading, with 5 nearly equal lobes. Stamens inserted about the middle of the corolla-tube; filaments connate above; anthers similar to those of Lobelia, the 2 lower ones tipped with one or several short bristles, the 3 upper naked. Ovary 2-celled; ovules numerous; stigma shortly 2-lobed. Capsule 2-celled, loculicidally 2-valved within the calyx-lobes. Seeds numerous.
A small genus of 6 or 8 species, most of them natives of Australia. It differs from Lobelia in the corolla-tube not being split to the base at the back, and in the stamens being affixed to the middle of the tube. The single species found in New Zealand is plentiful in south-east Australia and Tasmania.
1. I. fluviatilis, F. Muell ex Benth. Fl. Austral. iv. 136.—A small slender creeping and rooting perennial herb, often forming matted patches, glabrous or slightly pubescent; stems 1–4 in. long. Leaves shortly petiolate, ¼–⅓ in. long, oblong or obovate-oblong to linear-oblong, obtuse or subacute, entire or sinuate-dentate, rather thin and membranous. Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered, longer than the leaves. Flowers pale-blue, ¼–⅓ in. long. Calyx-lobes subulate-lanceolate. Corolla-tube not split at the back, longer than the calyx-lobes; lobes linear-oblong, spreading. Stamens attached to the corolla-tube about the middle; the 2 lower anthers each tipped with a rigid bristle. Capsule oblong, ⅕ in. long. Seeds smooth.—Lobelia fluviatilis, R. Br. Prodr. 563; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. 238, t. 70.
South Island: Nelson—Lower portion of the Buller Valley and marshy places near Westport, W. Townson! Mokohinou River, Rev. F. H. Spencer! Canterbury—Broken River basin, Enys! Kirk! T. F. C.; Lake Tekapo, T. F. C. Otago—Macrae's, Petrie! Sea-level to 3000 ft. December–February.
Probably an abundant mountain plant. In the absence of fruit it has been for many years confused with small forms of Pratia angulata, both in my own herbarium and in Kirk's and Petrie's, although the entire corolla-tube and epicorolline stamens ought to have been sufficient to indicate its proper position.
5. WAHLENBERGIA, Schrad.
Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite. Peduncles terminal or axillary, often forming leafy panicles.
