Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/281

Falklands, etc.] to entitle them to the rank of a separate variety ; in the more southern examples that organ is seldom much exserted. The segments of the calyx vary both in length and breadth, as the whole plant does in size. Judging from Bartling's description of C. saginoides, it is a state of this.

A very similar plant to the above is Galeotti's (n. 4404), from the Peak of Orizaba in Mexico, 12,900 feet; it differs only in having the segments of the perianth lanceolate and acuminate.

3. Colobanthus Kergtielensis, Hook. fil. ; glaberrirnus, pulvinatiui caespitosus, caulibus ramosis foliosis, foliis imbricatis ovatis v. ovato-lanceolatis acutis iiitegerrimis coriaceis, pedunculis plurimis lateralibus e basi rarnorum ortis iiiterduin bibracteolatis, floribus majusculis folia vix superautibus tetraineris, capsula profunde 4-valvi. (Tab. XCII.)

Hab. Kerguelen's Land ; abundant, chiefly near the sea.

Radix gracilis, descendens, snbfusiformis, apice ramos perpluriinos emittens. Rami validi, dense compacti, 1-2 unc. longi, pluries divisi, basi vaginis scariosis foliorum obtecti. Folia plemmque versus apices rarnorum imbricata, -i—i- unc. longa, suberecta, lsete viridia, uninervia, siccitate flavescentia, margine incrassato. Fedunculi -i-|- unc. longi, ex axillis foliorum solitarii, crecti, ramo aequilongi, superne incrassati, infra medium bibracteati, bracteis linearibus interdiun infra-floralibus. PeriautJiium unc. longum ; scgmentis ovatis, acutis, concavis, biserialibus ; exterioribus majoribus, sub 7-nerviis ; interioribus angustioribus. Stamina 4, disco carnoso inserta, valvis capsular opposita; filanientis compressis,lineari-subulatis ; antheris parvis. Ovarium in disciun carnosum sessile, globoso-ovoideum, obtuse angulatum, uniloeulai'e, multiovulatum ; stylis 4, subulatis, divaricatis, intus stigmatiferis ; ovulis circa axin centralem placentiferam dispositis. Capsula globosa, perianthio aequilonga, ad medium v. ad basin in valvas 4 obtusas peri- anthii laciniis alternas fissa; seminibus plurimis, axi centrali demum libero aduexis ; testa granulata, rufo-fusea.

In this species, by far the finest of the genus, the relative position of the parts of the flower is very evident. The perianth is formed of four pieces, two of them outer, larger, and distinctly embracing the inner ; alternating with these are the four stamens, analogous to the inner and shorter series, or those opposite the petals in Spergula and Sedum, and which are opposite the carpellary leaves in both those genera. Supposing then that the five petals and ten stamens of Spergula form three alternating whorls of five organs each, in tins plant the two outer of these whorls are suppressed ; in Sagina procumbem the inner alone, and in S. apetala the outer and inner.

Plate XCII. Fig. 1, peduncle, bractese, and flower; fig. 2, a flower, laid open; fig. 3, ovarium;^. 4, receptacle and ovules, taken from the same ;fig. 6, a seed ;fig. 7, the same, cut open, showing the embryo : — all magnified. 4. Colobanthus diffums, Hook. fil. ; proeumbens, diffusus, ramosus, ramis gracilibus, foliis radicalibus paucis confertis, caulinis oppositis omnibus carnosiusculis liaeari-subulatis acutis integerriinis, pedunculis plurimis filiforniibus strictis plerisque axillaribus foliis bis longioribus ebracteatis post anthesin elongatis, floribus parvis tetrameris, perianthii segmentis ovato-rotundatis mai'giuibus subscariosis, capsula perianthio bis longiore ad medium 4-valvi. Hab. Amsterdam Island ; Sir G. Staunton, Lieut. A. J. Smith. Radix fibrosa. Caules tenues, graciles, 3 unc. longi, diametro Sagina procumbentis. Folia viridia, 4 lin. longa, siccitate subflexuosa, obscure uninervia. Flores parvi, 1-1-^- unc. longi. Capsula valvis obtusis coriaceo-menibranaceis, segmentis perianthii oppositis.

This is quite a distinct species, its habit more like Sagina proeumbens than any of the others. I have appended a description of another new plant belonging to this genus, but of a very different mode of growth.