C. detestans, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. ix. (1877) 550.— A much-branched prostrate or decumbent herb, more or less clothed with a whitish granular meal, and with a strong and offensive page 580odour of stale fish; branches numerous from the root, slender, spreading, 6–18 in. long. Leaves on slender petioles; blade ⅙–½ in. long, rarely more, triangular-hastate or rhomboid-ovate, acute, cuneate at the base, entire or with a single tooth on each side. Flowers small, abundantly produced, in dense oblong or globose axillary fascicles, often becoming leafy spikes at the tips of the branches. Perianth-segments 4 or 5, oblong, obtuse, membranous, not completely concealing the fruit. Stamens usually 4. Utricle small, horizontal, depressed, brownish-black, minutely punctulate.

South Island: Canterbury—Broken River Basin, Enys! Kirk! T, F. C.; Lake Coleridge, Enys! Otago—Lakes Wanaka and Hawea, Kirk! Petrie! Maniototo Plain, Cromwell, and other localities in the north and central portions of the province, Petrie! 1000–3000 ft. January–March.

Closely allied to the northern C. vulvaria, Linn., but a smaller plant with smaller often hastate leaves, and with the flowers in dense globose fascicles.

C. triandrum, Forst. Prodr. n. 129.—A much-branched prostrate or trailing herb, pale-green, glabrous or more or less mealy-tomentose; stems slender, 6–18 in. long, sometimes almost woody at the base. Leaves opposite or alternate, petiolate, ¼–1 in. long, very variable in shape, broadly oblong or orbicular to broadly triangular-hastate, obtuse or rounded at the tip, cuneate or rounded or truncate at the base, thin and membranous, green and glabrous or slightly mealy; petioles slender. Flowers very minute, farinose, in axillary or terminal lax-flowered spikes or panicles. Perianth-segments 4, oblong, obtuse. Stamens 2–4. Styles 2–3. Utricle depressed, more or less covered by the persistent perianth. Seed horizontal, minutely punctate, adherent to the utricle.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 180; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 361; Raoul, Choix, 43; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel, i. 212; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 230.

North and South islands: From the North Cape southwards to Foveaux Strait, not uncommon near the sea, rare and local inland. November–March.

C. glaucum, Linn. Sp. Plant. 220.—A much-branched prostrate fleshy and succulent annual herb; branches widely spreading, flaccid, glabrous, striate, 4–18 in. long, rarely ascending at the tips. Leaves petiolate, the lower ones ½–1½ in. long, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-oblong or rhomboid, usually obtuse at the tip, cuneate at the base, coarsely and angularly sinuate - toothed or -lobed, fleshy when fresh, thin when dry, green and glabrous above, white with mealy down beneath; upper ones smaller and narrower and more entire. Flowers small, in little clusters arranged in simple or compound axillary or terminal spikes, which are usually more or less farinose. Fruiting-perianth 3–5-partite; segments short, obtuse, appressed to the fruit but not altogether concealing it. Seed horizontal or occasionally vertical, smooth, margins obtuse. page 581A. Cunn. Precur. n. 363; Raoul. Choix, 43; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 213; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 230; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 161. C. am-biguum, R. Br. Prodr. 407.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Common throughout in muddy or sandy places near the sea, also occasionally found in saline localities inland. November–March.

Also occurs in Australia and Tasmania, and common in many parts of Europe and temperate Asia, &c. The New Zealand and Australian plant is sometimes kept as a separate variety or species (C. ambiguum, R. Br.), but the differences appear to be slight and inconstant.

C. urbicum, Linn. Sp. Plant. 218.—A coarse erect or spreading branching herb 1–2 ft. high or more, green and glabrous or rarely slightly mealy; stem angled, grooved. Lower leaves on slender petioles ½–1 in. long; blade ¾–1½ in., triangular or rhombic-ovate, coarsely and irregularly toothed and lobed, rather thin, green on both surfaces, veined; upper smaller, narrower, more acute. Flowers small, in little clusters arranged in dense leafless axillary spikes, or in terminal panicles which are leafy below. Stamens 5, exserted. Styles short. Fruiting-perianth 1/15 in. diam.; segments obtuse, not completely covering the utricle. Seed horizontal, much depressed, minutely punctulate, margins obtuse.— Hook.f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 213; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 230.

North Island: East Coast, Colenso! Has also appeared as a naturalised plant near Wellington. South Island: Not uncommon, especially in South Canterbury and Otago. Sea-level to 1000 ft. December–March.

A common European weed, which has become naturalised in North America and some other countries. It is probably not a true native of New Zealand.

C. ambrosioides, Linn. Sp. Plant. 219.—An erect much-branched strong-smelling glandular annual herb 1–3 ft. high; branches slender, strict, leafy. Leaves shortly petiolate, 1–4 in. long, ovate- or oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, cuneate at the base, coarsely sinuate-toothed or -lobed, membranous, glabrous or pubescent, green, not mealy; upper ones gradually smaller, linear-lanceolate, entire or nearly so. Flowers exceedingly numerous, very minute, in little clusters in slender axillary often elongated spikes, frequently so copiously produced as to render the upper portion of the plant a large leafy panicle. Stamens 5. Styles 3–4, elongate. Fruiting-perianth about 1/25 in. diam., segments closed over the fruit and completely enclosing it. Seed horizontal or rarely vertical, smooth, polished, shining, margins obtuse.— Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 213; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 230; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 162.

North Island: Warm lowland stations from the North Cape to Taranaki and Hawke's Bay, not common. Has also appeared as a naturalised plant near Wellington. December–April.

Easily distinguished by the erect glabrous habit, strong aromatic smell, large comparatively narrow leaves, and long slender spikes of very small flowers. It is widely distributed in many warm climates.

C. carinatum, R. Br. Prodr. 407.—A much-branched strong-smelling glandular-pubescent herb; stems usually decumbent at the base, erect or ascending above, 6–18 in. long. Leaves on slender petioles; blade variable in size, ¼–¾ in. long or more, oblong-lanceolate to oblong or ovate-oblong, obtuse, cuneate at the base, sinuate-lobed or -pinnatifid, rather thick, both surfaces rough with glandular pubescence. Flowers small, very copiously produced, in dense glomerules occupying almost all the axiis, sometimes elongated into short leafy spikes. Perianth-segments 5, erect, incurved over the fruit, more or less glandular-pubescent. Stamen usually 1. Utricle small, compressed, erect, the pericarp adherent to the seed.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 213; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 231; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 162. C. botrys, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 362 (not of Linn.). Blitum carinatum and B. glandulosum, Moq. in D.C. Prodr. xiii. ii. 81, 82.

North and South Islands: Warm dry soils from the North Cape to central Otago, rare and local. December–March.

A common Australian plant. It was collected at the Bay of Islands by Cunningham, and may be truly native in the North Auckland peninsula. Elsewhere it is doubtless naturalised.

C. pusillum, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 231. —A much-branched decumbent or prostrate glandular-pubescent little plant; branches spreading on all sides, 2–6 in. long, slender, leafy, ascending at the tips. Leaves on slender petioles; blade very variable in size, 1/10–⅓ in. diam. or more, broadly oblong to ovate-oblong or orbicular, rounded at the tip, quite entire or obscurely sinuate, rather thin, both surfaces glandular-pubescent, veins prominent beneath. Flowers very minute, in small and dense few- or many-flowered axillary glomerules. Perianth-segments usually 4, erect, linear-oblong, concave, membranous, pubescent, incurved over the fruit but not completely concealing it. Stamen usually 1. Utricle small, erect, ovate, compressed, the pericarp not adhering to the seed.—C. pumilio, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 214 (not of R. Br.).

North Island: Sandy shores of the East Coast and Lake Taupo, Colenso! South Island: Near Nelson, Captain F. W. Hutton! Lake Lyndon (Canterbury), Enys! Kirk! T. F. C. Sea-level to 2500 ft.

I have had no opportunity of comparing this with the closely allied C. purnilio, R. Br., from Australia. According to Hooker, it is mainly distinguished by the membranous perianth-segments.

A. cinerea, Poir. Encycl Suppl. i. 471.—A small branching shrub 1–4 ft. high, clothed in all its parts with densely appressed white or grey scurfy tomentum; stem woody; branches stout, angled, leafy. Leaves 1–2 in. long, linear-oblong or lanceolate, obtuse, narrowed into a short petiole, quite entire, midrib prominent beneath. Flowers dioecious or almost so; males in dense many-flowered simple or branched oblong spikes, which are often panicled at the ends of the branches. Females in small axillary clusters on the female plant, with occasionally 1 or 2 solitary in the axils of the upper leaves of the male plant. Fruiting-bracts greatly enlarged, about ¼ in. long, broadly ovate-rhomboid, subacute; disc thick and corky, swollen over the utricle, smooth or rarely tuberculate; margins thin. Utricle compressed, at the base of the bracts.— Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zd. i. 214; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 232; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 171.

North Island: Wellington—Sandy shores of Palliser Bay, Colenso! South Island: Vicinity of Nelson, P. Lawson! Also recorded from Canterbury, but I have seen no specimens from thence.

A common plant in many parts of Australia and Tasmania, and very closely allied to the European and African A. Halimus, Linn.

A. patula, Linn. Sp. Plant. 1053.—A very variable erect or decumbent or prostrate annual herb 1–2 ft. high, green and smooth, or sparingly mealy-white. Leaves petiolate, 1–3 in. long, lanceolate to broadly triangular-hastate, acute or obtuse, entire or coarsely sinuate-toothed; the uppermost often smaller and linear, the lowest sometimes opposite. Flowers small, monoecious, in clusters arranged in rather slender spikes, often forming narrow terminal panicles; the male and female flowers mixed or occasionally some of the females form separate axillary clusters. Male perianth small, 5-partite. Fruiting-bracts ovate-rhomboid or deltoid, acute, the disc smooth or tubercled; margins toothed or entire.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. zel. i. 215; Handb. N.Z. Fl 232; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 173.

North and South Islands: Not, uncommon in brackish-water swamps and other places near the sea from the Thames River southwards. December–March.

Now plentiful in almost all temperate parts of the world, either native or naturalised. How far it is indigenous in Australia and New Zealand is now very difficult to determine. The broad-leaved form known as var. hastata is the one most generally seen, but the more slender var. littoralis is also met with.

A. Buchanani, T. Kirk, MSS.—An excessively branched prostrate herb, forming broad depressed greyish-white patches 3–9 in. across; stem woody at the base; branchlets slender, wiry, terete. Leaves shortly petiolate or almost sessile, ⅛–⅓ in. long, oblong or oblong-ovate to suborbicular, rounded at the tip, quite entire, both surfaces densely clothed with white scurfy tomentum. Flowers minute, monœcious. Males in few-flowered clusters in the axils of the upper leaves or terminal, sometimes solitary. Perianth densely farinose, 5-partite; segments oblong, obtuse, incurved at the tip. Stamens 5, exserted; filaments filiform. Females solitary or in clusters of 2–5 in the lower axils, occasionally a few females at the base of the male clusters. Fruiting-bracts connate into an ovoid or almost urceolate 2-lipped cup. Utricle suborbicular, compressed, sunk within the base of the bracts. — Chenopodium Buchanani, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1898) 447, t. 32, f. 1.

North Island: Sea-cliffs near Wellington, Buchanan! Kirk! South Island: Marlborough—The Brothers Rocks, Robson! Canterbury—Near the mouth of the Rangitata, Enys! Otago—Green Island and cliffs on the East Coast, Petrie! saline places in the interior, Maniototo Plains, Ida Valley, Cromwell, Petrie! Centre Island (Foveaux Strait), Kirk! Sea-level to 1800 ft. December–March.

A distinct little species. Some immature specimens in. Mr. Kirk's herbarium from Cargill Cliffs, near Dunedin, are more sparingly branched and have much larger leaves, and may form a separate variety.

A. Billardieri, Hook. /. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 215.—A much-branched glabrous and succulent prostrate herb, everywhere covered with shining watery papillæ; branches 6–18 in. long, spreading on page 585all sides. Leaves shortly petiolate, ¼–¾ in. long, oblong or obovate, obtuse, entire or sinuate-toothed, very thick and fleshy. Flowers small, monoecious. Males fascicled at the tips of the branches, ebracteate. Perianth 5-partite; segments oblong, obtuse. Stamens 5, exserted; filaments filiform, connate at the very base. Females solitary or 2 together in the axils of the cauline leaves, minute, sessile. Fruiting-bracts combined into a shortly 2-lipped fleshy urceolate cup. Perianth wanting. Styles 2, filiform. Utricle included within the bracts, orbicular, compressed, its edges opposite to the bracts, not parallel, as is usual in the genus; pericarp very thin. Seed red-brown.— Fl. Tasm. i. 315, t. 95; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 232; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 180. A. crystallina, Hook. f. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. vi. (1847) 279. Theleophyton Billardieri, Moq. in D.G. Prodr. xiii. ii. 115.

NoRth Island: On sandy beaches, rare and local. Auckland—North Cape, Buchanan! TakouBay, T. F. C.: Whangaruru, Colenso; Great Barrier Island, Omaha, Kirk! between Tauranga and Maketu, Rev. F. H. Spencer! Anaura Bay (East Cape), Bishop Williams! Stewart Island: Paterson's Inlet, Petrie! Kirk! Chatham Islands: Buchanan. December–April.

A very remarkable species, differing from all others in the fruit being placed transversely to the bracts, not parallel. It is also found in Victoria and Tasmania.

S. australis, Soland. ex Forst. Prodr. n. 489.—Stems procumbent or almost prostrate below, sometimes woody at the base, 3–12 in. long; branches numerous, jointed, ascending or erect. Joints ¼–½ in. long, ⅛–⅕ in. diam., terete below, usually faintly compressed above, shortly 2-lobed at the tip, with a narrow chin and membranous margin. Spikes terminating the branches and rather thicker than them, ½–2 in. long, the joints short, broader than long. Flowers frequently polygamous, 5–7 together on each page 586side of the branch at the top of the joints, packed side by side in a cavity between the joint and the one above, forming an almost complete ring round the branch. Perianth very thick and fleshy, broad and flat and almost quadrangular at the top, narrower at the immersed base; mouth almost closed. Stamen usually one. Utricle obliquely ovoid, membranous. Seed nearly orbicular, slightly compressed; testa crustaceous, minutely hispid; embryo with thick plano-convex cotyledons and an incumbent terete radicle.—Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 205; S. indica, R. Br. Prodr. 411 (not of Willd.); A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 182; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 366; Raoul, Choix, 43; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 216; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 233. S. quinqueflora, Bunge. ex Ung. Sternb. Vers. Syst. Salic. 59.

North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Abundant along the shores throughout. Flowers through the summer and autumn.

S. maritima, Dum. Fl. Belg. 22. — A much-branched glabrous erect or diffuse herb, varying in height from a few inches to nearly 2 ft.; stem often hard and almost woody at the base. Leaves sessile, ¼–½ in. long or more, linear, semi-terete or almost cylindric, acute or obtuse, thick and succulent. Flowers small, greenish, solitary or 2–4 together in the axils of the leaves, each flower usually with 1 bract and 2 bracteoles. Fruiting-perianth depressed, about 1/12 in. diam., 5-lobed; lobes ovate-rounded, appressed to the utricle. Utricle membranous. Seed horizontal or very rarely vertical, dark red-brown, shining.—Raoul, Choix, 43; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 214; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 231; Benth. Fl. Austral. v. 206. Chenopodium maritimum, Linn. Sp. Plant. 221; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 181; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 364. Salsola fruticosa, Forst. Prodr. n. 131 (not of Linn.).

North and South Islands: Not uncommon in salt marshes from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. December–March.

The Australian and New Zealand plant is sometimes separated from the northern form under the name of S. australis, Moq., on account of its more suffrutescent habit, but it is very variable in this respect.

S. Kali, Linn. Sp. Plant. 222.—A rigid procumbent or diffusely branched herb 6–18 in. high; stem stout, grooved and angled, scabrid-pubescent or almost glabrous; branches spreading, often striped. Leaves spreading and recurved, variable in size, ¼–1 in. long or more, ovate-subulate with a rigid pungent point, sheathing at the base, thick and fleshy, semi-terete; the uppermost shorter and broader, almost triangular. Flowers solitary and sessile in the axils of the leaves, sometimes appearing clustered from the reduction of axillary flowering-branches, each flower with 2 opposite bracteoles; floral leaves and bracteoles all pungent. Fruiting-perianth about ¼ in. diam., shorter than the bracteoles, 5-partite; segments rigid and cartilaginous at the base, furnished above with 5 broad spreading scarious wings.—Benth. Fl. Austrac. v. 207. S. australis, R. Br. Prodr. 411; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 216; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 232.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon on sandy shores from the North Cape southwards, but probably introduced. December–March.

A widely dispersed plant in most temperate and tropical regions, but of very doubtful nativity in New Zealand. It is a true native of Australia, however.