Radix perennis, crassa, subpræmorsa, magis minusve elongata, fibros pallidos carnosos simplices, superne præcipue, emittens. Folia 1–2 unc. longa, 2–3 lata, omnia radicalia, patentia v. erecto-patentia, carnosula, crassa, pilosa (pilis deciduis), longe petiolata, reniformi-rotundata, radiatim venosa, basi lata subincurva, vel subrhomboidea, omnia pluri-lobata, lobis rotundatis magis minusve obtusis integris v. crenatis. Petioli 1–3 unciales, folio longiores, semiteretes, pilosi, basi latissime vaginati, vaginis striatis nervosis extus sæpe rigide fibrosis e reliquiis persistentibus vaginarum vetustarum, margine membranaceis. Scapi solitarii v. bini, rarius plures, erecti, crassi, foliis vix longiores, teretes, pilosi, 1- v. rarissime 2-flori, nudi v. 1–2-bracteati, bractea elongato-cuneata integra v. obtuse 1–2-dentata. Flos majusculus, unciam latus. Calyx 5- rarius 6-sepalus, sepalis patentibus, ovalibus, submembranaceis, purpureo-tinctis. Petala flava, purpureo-venosa, numero varia, 5–8–10, obovato-cuneata, v. lineari-spathulata, inæqualia, calyce breviora, medio nectarifera, nectariis e glandulis 3 depressis marginatis, in totidem nervos sitis. Stamina plurima; filamentis latis; antheris ovalibus obtusis. Carpella numerosissima, in capitulum globosum magnitudine Coryli Avellanæ nucis, glaberrima, lævia, ovata, nec compressa, dorso carinatis, lateribus alato-marginatis, alis ad apicem styli stricti uncinati rective decurrentibus.
A very handsome species, and quite distinct from any with which I am acquainted. It possesses, however, several of the peculiarities of other Ranunculi from the mountains of South America and the high southern latitudes, particularly in the variable form and number of the petals. In its succulent habit and undivided leaves it has an affinity with R. Cymbalaria, but is perhaps most nearly allied to R. nivicola (Hook. Ic. Pl. t. 571–2); especially as in one of our specimens the scape is bifid, 2-flowered, and bearing a large cauline leaf, thus showing a disposition in the plant to become caulescent. In the less divided foliage, shape of the petals, &c., it widely differs from that species, and more particularly in the curious nectaries which are only observable in the var. β, becoming evanescent in the larger and common state of the plant. Here they are large, and situated each about the middle of one of the three principal nerves, which seems to branch into three, the middle branch being continued through the nectary, while the lateral ones are thickened and run round its edge, all three uniting again at its summit. This circumstance may however be only caused by the thickened margin of the fovea, as the nerves do not appear branched in the petals of α, nor in those of intermediate states, where the nectaries are only perceptible as opake spots. These singular nectaries are also common to another scapigerous single-flowered species, the R. Gunnianus of Tasmania (Hook. Journ. Bot. vol. i. p. 244. t. 133), a plant which has also compressed or 2-winged styles.
Plate I. Fig. 1, sepal; fig. 2 & fig. 3, petals; fig. 4, petal of var. β; fig. 5, stamen; fig. 6, ovarium; fig. 7, the same cut open:—all magnified.
2. Ranunculus (Hecatonia) acaulis, Banks et Sol.; pusillus, glaberrimus, sarmentosus, foliis omnibus radicalibus longe petiolatis cordatis ternatim sectis, lobis seu foliolis subpetiolulatis, obtusis, intermedio integro v. trifido, lateralibus integris v. inæqualiter bifidis, scapis solitariis petiolo brevioribus, sepalis 3–5 ovato-rotundatis, petalis 6–8 flavis late spathulatis obtusis calyce duplo longioribus medio squamuloso-nectariferis, capitulo globoso, carpellis paucis (5–7) ovatis gibbosis lævibus stylo recto brevi subulato terminatis. (Tab. II.)—Banks et Sol. MSS. in Herb. Mus. Brit. DeC. Prodr. vol. i. p. 34. A. Cunn. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Zeal. in Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. p. 258.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group; moist places near the sea.
These specimens entirely agree with others gathered in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand: the plant apparently prefers, and is perhaps confined to, the immediate neighbourhood of the sea, and in this meridian has a range of 16 degrees of latitude at the level of the ocean. The only species to which it has any affinity is the R. stenopetalus, Hook. (Ic. Plant. t. 677), from Chili, to which it is very nearly allied; the difference in the comparative breadth of the petals being almost the only one I have been able to detect. The situation of the nectary on the petals near their middle is common to a large proportion of the species of this genus in the
