Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/67

Caltha.] T. F. C. Otago—Maniototo Plains, Roxburgh, ''Petrie! E. W. Bastings!'' In muddy and watery places, often submerged. Altitudinal range from sea-level to 3000 ft. December–April.

A very peculiar little species, readily known by the narrow-linear spathulate leaves and minute tetramerous flowers. Sir J. D. Hooker has compared it with the Falkland Islands R. hydrophilus, and with R. Moseleyi from Kerguelen's Islands, so far as habit and leaves are concerned. In the flowers and fruit it differs largely from both.

37. R. parviflorus, ''Linn. Sp. Plant.'' 780; var. australis, ''Benth. Fl. Austral.'' i. 14.—A small slender hairy annual, with sparingly branched suberect or decumbent stems 2–5 in. long. Leaves small, radical and cauline, on slender petioles ¾–1½ in. long; blade thin and membranous, orbicular in outline, 3–5-toothed or -lobed, sometimes divided to the base. Flowers very minute, on the branches opposite the leaves, sessile or nearly so. Sepals fugacious. Petals 4–5. slightly longer than the sepals. Mature achenes 3–6, compressed, margins thin, sides covered with minute tubercles; style very short, hooked at the tip.—''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 8; Kirk, Students' Fl.'' 20. R. sessiliflorus, ''R. Br. ex D.C. Syst. i. 302; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel.'' i. 11.

Glabrous tufted perennial herbs; rootstock creeping. Leaves all or chiefly radical, oblong, ovate or rounded, cordate at the base or 2-lobed with the lobes turned upwards. Scape 1- or few-flowered. Sepals 5 or more, petaloid, usually deciduous. Petals wanting. Stamens numerous. Carpels several, sessile; ovules several or many, attached in 2 series to the ventral suture. Follicles 6 or more in a head, spreading, several- or many-seeded, opening along the inner face.