Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/108

86 2. Gaimardia pallida, Hook, fil.; csespitosa, rainosa., ramis brevibus fastigiatis compressis, foliis subdistichis cquitantibus lanceolato-ensiformibus acuminatis compressis fistiilosis basi ad medium vaginantibus, pedunculis brevissimis flores fcemineos 1-3 stamenque luiiciun gerentibus, fructiferis folio brevioribus, ovario 1-3-loculari, stylis 1-3.

Hab. Campbell's Island ; forming small pale-coloured tufts amongst other plants in springy places on the hills.

Radices fibrosse ; fibres simphces, tenues, horizontaliter patentes, spongiosse, albidae, saepe e basibus foliorum v. ramorum ortae. Catties fastigiatim ramosi, 1-1 unc. longi, casspites densos, convexos, 2-3 une. latos formantes, copiose fobosi; rami una cum foliis pateutibus compressi, -Lime, lati et ejusdein longitudinis. Folia arete imbricatn, in rarnis ultiniis plurima, subdisticlie inserta, flabellatim cbsposita, basi equitantia, deinde erecto-patentia, stricta, lanceolato-ensii'ormia, acuminata, vix aristata, sub 3 liu. longa, lateraliter compressa, supra obscure eoncava, basi ad medium et ultra vaginantia, intus fistidosa v. junioribus laxe cellidosa, glaberrima, albida, ad apices immaturaque palbde viridia, textura mollia ; vagina apertae, membranaceae, subhyalinse, obsnne reticulata", superne gradatim in folium evanidae. Flores valde immatmi tantum mihi visi, inter folia summa omiiino occlusi. Pedunculus brevissimus terminalis, fructiferus post anthesin elongatus, anni prasteriti ramo lateralis, compressus, anceps, foliis brevior. Glumes duae, flore -| breviores, tenuissime byalinae, oblique tmncatae ? an a dissectione laeerae ? Stamen sobtarium ; jUamentum crassum, erectum, teres ; anthera majuscula, ovoidea, undocularis, riiua longitudinab dchiscens, medio dorso affixa. Ovaria 2-3 v. rarius plura, distincta v. inter se plus minusve coabta, sessdia? eoUateraJia, 1-3-locularia, stylos tot quot loculos gerentia ; nunc ovarium solitarium columniforme abortivum.

The early season in which we visited Campbell's Island was a subject of much regret, as some of the most interesting, especially of the alpine plants, were detected only in a state unfit for satisfactory examination. It is with much hesitation that I have referred the present to Gaimardia, in preference to erecting it into a new genus from such imperfect specimens, though I have bttle doubt but that it will prove to be a new form of that interesting group to which Mr. Brown's genera Desvauxia {Centrolepis, Lab.) and Alepyrum belong, but which have, with the exception of Gaimardia, been hitherto considered as confined to Australia. With Desvauxia it has much similarity in texture, in the soft leaves, green oidy towards the extremities, and fistulose, in the simple spongy fibrous roots and glistening appearance of the lower parts of the stem ; there is also a marked tendency in this plant to a union of the, carpels into one pistil, with as many styles as there are ovaries. In the tufted habit, alpine and antarctic locabty, short peduncle and apparent want of spatha, it agrees with Gaimardia, but differs from that genus in the solitary stamen, greater number of ovaria which are probably sessde, the latter, however, I am not inclined to consider as a character of much value, as in Ms description of that genus M. Gaudichaud says, "Ovarium unicum, interdmn ovaria duo, allero effoeto," and, further, I have gathered capsules of that species which are truly one-celled and dehisce down one side only. In the present plant the ovaria vary from one to three, and are either one, two, or three-celled, frequently there are three together, with as many variations in developement, and not rarely one is reduced to a simple column; at other times all are combined into a single axis. In the imperfect state of these minute organs, in the only specimens I possess, I have found it impossible to decide whether or not two of the upper leaves are analogous to the glumes or spatha; of Desvauxia, or whether the two hyaline scales surrounding both stamen and ovaria are the only floral envelopes.

M. Gaudichaud's genus appears to me certainly most nearly allied to the order Centrolepidem or Desvauxieee, and from their near affinity to Erioeattlon in all respects but the want of as many iioral envelopes, of which several modifications occur in the former group, I have considered them true species of Itestiarere with a reduced number of parts. G. atistralis is described as having the stamens opposite the glumes; I have only examined that plant in the state of ripe fruit, wherein it appears to me that the remains of the filament alternate with the glumes and carpels.