1. T. (?) inconspicua, Cheesem. n. sp.—A very minute slender perfectly glabrous annual herb, forming dense moss-like tufts ½–1 in. high. Leaves numerous, all radical, linear-filiform, strict, erect, terete. tapering gradually to an acute point. Scapes very short in the flowering stage, lengthening to one-half or three-quarters the length of the leaves when in fruit. Bracts 3–4, erect or erectopatent, linear-lanceolate, acure, thin and membranous, 112–18 long. Stamens not seen. Ovaries 6–12 or more, densely crowded, bright-red, stipitate, ovoid or oblong-ovoid, smooth, not angled nor compressed. Styles numerous, very delicate, forming a spreading brush at the tip of the ovary and much longer than it. Ripe fruit elliptic-ovoid, quite smooth, pale yellow-brown with a dark spot at each end.
North Island: Auckland—Sandy shores of Lake Ngatu, near Ahipara, H. Carse and R. H. Matthews!
A curious little plant, of which I only possess imperfect material. It differs in several respects from Trithuria, and may form the type of a new genus. All the flowers I have examined are without stamens, so that the stamens are either very fugitive, or the flowers are diœcious.
2. CENTROLEPIS, Labill.
Small tufted annual or perennial herbs. Leaves all radical or imbricating along the stems, linear or filiform. Scape slender, terminating in 2 floral bracts which are either subopposite or one a little above the other. Flowers hermaphrodite, sessile, from 1 to 5 within each bract; each flower with 1–3 hyaline scales, or rarely the scales altogether wanting. Stamen 1; filament very long, filiform; anther linear-oblong, 1-celled. Carpels from 3–8 (sometimes reduced to 1), connate and superposed in 2 rows; styles as many as the carpels, filiform, free or connate at the base. Fruiting carpels with a membranous pericarp, longitudinally dehiscent.
A small genus of about 20 species, all natives of Australia except 3 of those described herein, and one found in Cambodia.
| Slender, annual, not puivinate. Leaves scapes and bracts hispid. Flowers 3–8 within each bract | 1. C. strigosa. |
| Perennial, densely pulvinate. Stems very short, ¼–½ in. Flowers 1 to each bract; carpels 3–5 to each flower | 2. C. minima. |
| Perennial, densely pulvinate. Stems soft, ½–1 in., glabrous. Flowers 1 to each bract; carpels 1–3 to each flower | 3. C pallida. |
| Perennial, densely pulvinate. Stems soft, ½–2 in.; sheaths densely hairy. Flowers 1 or rarely 2 to each bract; carpels seldom more than 1 | 4. C. viridis. |
1. C. strigosa, Roem and Schult. Syst. i. 43.—A slender tufted annual herb 1–2 in. high. Leaves all radical, much shorter than the scapes, expanded into a broad membranous sheathing base below, above very narrow-linear or filiform, hispid throughout with
