Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/106

66 Colobanthus repens, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 261, and C. cæspitosus, Col. l.c. xxvii. 384, are respectively Sagina procumbens, Linn., and S. apetala, Linn., as proved by the type specimens in Mr. Colenso's herbarium. It is curious that such an acute observer as Mr. Colenso should have overlooked that the stamens are opposite to the sepals in both these plants, and not alternate, as is the case in all true Colobanthi. Both the above species of Sagina are now copiously naturalised throughout the colony.

1. C. muscoides,Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 14.—A soft almost flaccid perfectly glabrous densely tufted bright-green plant, forming large irregular patches. Stems numerous, branched, densely matted and compacted. Leaves closely imbricated, connate at the base, spreading or ascending, $1⁄10$–$1⁄4$ in. long, linear from a broad base, obtuse at the tip. Flowers minute, on short peduncles which are sunk amongst the uppermost leaves or shortly exserted in fruit. Sepals 4, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, concave, obscurely keeled at the back. Capsule shorter than the sepals.—''Handb. N.Z. Fl. 25; Kirk, Students' Fl. 62; Homb. and Jacq. Voy. au Pôle Sud, Bot.'' t. 17.

2. C. quitensis, ''Bartl. in Presl. Reliq. Haenk.'' ii. 13, t. 49, f. 2.—A small densely tufted much-branched plant 1–2 in. high, forming rather soft rounded patches. Leaves variable in size, lower