Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/633

Muehlenbeckia. Leaves petiolate, exceedingly variable in size and shape, even on the same plant, ⅕–¾ in. long or more, broadly oblong or obovate or orbicular, rounded or retuse at the tip, rarely subacute, cordate or truncate or rounded at the base, often contracted in the middle, sometimes 3-lobed, quite smooth, glabrous or the petiole puberulous, coriaceous or almost membranous, margins even, entire; stipules deciduous. Spikes axillary and terminal, long or short, simple or compound, glabrous or puberulous, sometimes reduced to 2 or 3 flowers, at other times forming a panicle 1–1½ in. long or more. Flowers small, diœcious. Stamens 8. Stigmas very broad, fimbriate. Fruiting-perianth much enlarged, often ¼–⅓ in. diam., succulent, waxy-white, forming a fleshy cup surrounding the fruit, in some varieties unaltered and herbaceous. Nut black, shining, deeply triquetrous.—''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl.'' 236. M. microphyila, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 204. M. paucifolia, M. trilobata, and M. truncata, Col. l.c. xxi. (1889) 99–101. Polygonum complexum, ''A. Cunn. Precur. n. 357; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel.'' i. 210.

3. M. axillaris, Walp. Ann. i. 552.—A small much-branched prostrate or diffuse shrubby plant, usually forming densely matted patches 3–12 in. diam., but sometimes open and straggling; stems and branches woody; branchlets puberulous. Leaves on rather long petioles, small, $1⁄10$–$1⁄3$ long, broadly oblong or ovate-oblong or almost orbicular, obtuse or retuse, rounded at the base, flat, quite glabrous, dotted beneath. Flowers small, solitary or 2 together in the axils of the leaves, or the males rarely forming short few-flowered spikes at the ends of the branchlets; pedicels slender. Stigmas fimbriate. Perianth succulent in fruit or almost unaltered. Nut triquetrous with obtuse angles, black, smooth and shining, rather longer than the perianth.—''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 236; Benth. Fl. Austral.'' v. 275. M. hypogæa, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxi. (1889) 98. Polygonum axillare, ''Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel.'' i. 211.

4. M. ephedrioides, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 211.—A much-branched prostrate shrub; stems 9–36 in. long or more, rigid and wiry, deeply grooved, leafless and rush-like or sparingly leafy;