Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/106

84 glaberrima, profunde eanaliculata ; marginibus recurvis. Capsula lineari-oblonga, trigona, angulis obtusis, perianthio | brevior, unilocularis, trivalvis, polysperraa. Valvm lineari-lanceolatre, acuminata?, concava?, coriacese, pallide fuscre, medio intus dissepimento incomplete) carinata?, dorso canaliculate. Semina — ? I mucb regret not finding the seeds of this fine species amongst my dried specimens ; a few were contained in the old capsules when first collected, of which I neglected to make any note at the time : if my memory does not deceive me, they were small and covered with a pearly white, very lax and much elongated outer membrane, not unlike that of Narthecium ossifragum. It is most remarkable for the apparently entire suppression of one of the bracteola? at the base of the flower, and also differs from the two other species in having a coriaceous, not indurated capsule. It is more nearly allied to the R. grandiflora (Marsippospermum grandiflorum, Desv.) than to R. Magellanica in size, in the creeping rhizoma, the solitary leaf sheathed at the base, the unequal outer leaflets of the perianth, and in the long capsule and lax outer coat of the seed ; that plant is however of a much larger size, has longer rhizomata and scapes, with two or three bracteola below the flowers, and an almost woody capsule. The seeds of R. grandiflora, like those of Juncus castaneus and especially of J. triglumis, are fusiform, invested with a loose, pale yellow, lax, glistening membrane, thickened ou one side, denoting the position of the raphe, and produced at both ends ; it is formed of elongated cellular tissue. The albumen is covered by a rather thick inner coat, composed of hexagonal cellular tissue, and is pendulous in the cavity of the outer membrane by the vessels of the raphe, which, arising from near the funiculus, terminate in a broad dark-coloured chalaza at the top of the inner coat. The small quadrate embryo is placed at the lower or opposite extremity, close to the apex, which is acute and discoloured.

Plate XLVII. Fig. 1, flower and bractea; fig. 2, stamen; fig. 3, ovarium, style and stigmata; fig. A, transverse section of ovarium, showing the young ovules ; fig. 5, an ovule ; fig. 6, a ripe capsule : — all magnified.

3. LUZULA, DeC.

1. Luzula crinita, Hook. fil. ; foliis planiusculis crinito-ciliatis, spicis plurimis in capitulum majusculum solitarium sessile late ovatum foliaceum arete congestis rarius unico pedunculato bractea elongata foliacea subtensis, bracteolis scariosis fimbriato-laceris, perianthii foliolis ovato-lanceo- latis coriaceis exterioribus carinatis apicibus subrecurvis, stylo elongate, membrana exteriore seminis fugacea. (Tab. XLVIII.)

Hab. Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Island ; in the former locality found only near the tops of the hills, alt. 1200-1400 feet ; more abundant in the latter, from the sea to alt. 1200 feet.

Herla csespitosa, magnitudine sat varians, summis montibus locisque algidis vix pollicaris, sole sub calidiore 8-pollicaris ad pedalem evadit. Radix descendens, perennis, elongata, 1-2 unc. longa, valida, reliquiis copiosis foliorum vetustorum vestita, ubique fibras tenues, elongatas, fasciculatas emittens ; saepius superne pluries divisa, non raro autem simplex vel biceps. Culmi plurimi, rarius solitarii, basi prsecipue et plus minusve per totam longitudinem foliosi, erecti, stricti, validi, glaberrimi, striati, superne obscure trigoni, ad apices mono-dicephali, plerumque ultra folia extensi, interdum abbreviati foliisque multoties breviores. Folia plurima, erecto-patentia, seu omnia v. infima solummodo squarroso-recurva, plantis junioribus planiuscula, demum marginibus plus minusve incurvis involuta, subcoriacea, lineari-subulata, ad apices obtusas incrassata, 3-5 unc. longa, ^— i unc. lata, niargine pilis elongatis, flexuosis, albidis ciliata et crinita, laete viridia, basi vaginantia, superiora abbreviata, omnia vaginantia ; vagina elongats, erect*, striata?, integrae; ore obliquo, laxe lanuginoso. Spica v. potius panicula, multiflora?, ramis pedunculisque abbreviatis hinc inflorescentia capitata ; capitula solitaria, terminalia, v. rarius 2, unico pedunculato, late ovata, obtusa, v. globosa, integra v. lobata, 3 unc. longa, atrofusca, opaca, basi lanuginosa, medio 2-3-bracteata, et bractea unica v. bracteis duabus foliaceis, interne concavis, 1-1 5 unc. longis subtensa. Flores parvi, sub 1 lin. longi, numerosissimi, dense conferti, brevissime pedi-