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Manual of the New Zealand Flora.

4. AcÆna, Linn

4. AcÆna, Linn.

Silky or glabrous perennial herbs; stems erect at the tips, decumbent or creeping at the base, or altogether prostrate. Leaves alternate, unequally pinnate; leaflets toothed or incised; stipules sheathing at the base, adnate to the petiole. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, small, crowded in a terminal globose head, or in an interrupted spike. Calyx-tube persistent, obconic or turbinate or campanulate, constricted at the mouth, terete or angled, naked or at length armed with simple or barbed spines; lobes 3–7, valvate, persistent or deciduous. Petals wanting. Stamens 1–10, very rarely more. Carpels 1–2, wholly immersed in the calyx-tube; style subterminal, short, exserted, dilated into a fimbriate or plumose stigma; ovule solitary, pendulous. Achenes solitary or rarely 2, enclosed in the hardened calyx, which is usually armed with subulate spines or bristles. Pericarp bony or membranous.

Species about 35, widely spread in the temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere, but most plentiful in Chili and Peru. One of the New Zealand species is found in Australia and Tasmania, and another in Fuegia and the Falkland Islands; the remainder are all endemic.

A. Calyx-tube not compressed, 4-angled, usually with a stout spine at each angle, rarely spineless.

* Calyx-tube longer than broad.

Usually silky. Heads large, ¾–1¼ in.; spines long, red-purple. Achene narrowed at both ends 1. A. novœ-zealandiœ.
Usually silky. Heads ½–¾ in. Achenes broadest near the base, narrowed upwards 2. A. sanguisorbœ.
Usually glabrous; leaves often glaucous. Heads ½–¾ in.
Achenes narrowed at both ends 3. A. adscendens.page 131
* * Fruiting calyx broader than long. Glabrous or sparingly silky. Heads pedunculate or sessile;
spines bright-red, rarely wanting 4. A microphylla.
Usually densely villous. Leaves pale, often hoary. Heads sessile; spines usually yellow 5. A. Buchanani.
B. Calyx-tube much compressed, spineless.
Perfectly glabrous. Heads large, ½–¾ in. 6. A. glabra.

A. Huttoni, R. Br. (ter) in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 382, is the European Poterium sanguisorba, Linn., which is sparingly naturalised in several parts of the colony.

1.

A. novæ-zealandiæ, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii. (1871) 177.—Stems prostrate, much branched, stout and woody at the base; branches ascending or erect, leafy, silky or nearly glabrous. Leaves 1½–3 in. long, usually glabrous above, silky beneath; leaflets 4–7 pairs, ⅓–¾ in. long, oblong or elliptical, rounded at both ends, coarsely serrate. Peduncles stout, terminating the branches, 2–6 in. long; heads globose, large, ¾–1¼ in. diam. in fruit. Calyx-tube narrow, obconic, 4-angled, pilose; lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2–3. Fruiting-calyx narrow, 4-angled, slightly winged at the angles; bristles 4, very long, reddish-purple, barbed at the end. Achene coriaceous, narrow linear-oblong, widest in the middle, tapering to both ends.—Students' Fl. 133. A. macrantha, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiii. (1891) 383.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon from the Auckland Isthmus southwards. November–January.

Very closely allied to A. sanguisorbœ, but a larger and coarser plant, with larger heads, longer purplish-red spines, and a longer and narrower achene. Mr. Kirk distinguishes a var. pallida, with paler foliage and the spines often greenish.

2.

A. sanguisorbæ, Vahl. Enum. i. 294.—Stems prostrate, much branched, often woody at the base; branches leafy, ascending at the tips, more or less silky. Leaves very variable in size, 1–3 in. or more; leaflets 3–6 pairs, ¼–¾ in. long, oblong or obovate or almost orbicular, membranous, deeply toothed or serrate, glabrous or nearly so above, silky-hairy beneath, the upper pairs usually longer than the lower. Peduncles slender, 2–6 in. long; heads globose, ½–¾ in. diam. in fruit. Calyx-lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2. Stigma broad, fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx 4-angled, with a long barbed bristle at each angle. Achene narrow, broadest below the middle, tapering to the apex.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 566; Raoul, Choix, 49; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 54; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 56; Benth. Fl. Austral. ii. 434; Kirk, Students' Fl. 133. Ancistrum anserinæfolium, Forst. Char. Gen. 4. A. diandrum, Forst. Prodr. n. 52.

Var. pilosa, Kirk, l.c.—Leaves white with appressed silky hairs; teeth coarser.—Ancistrum decumbens, Gœrtn. Fruct. i. 163, t. 32.

page 132

Kermadec Islands, North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes, and Macquarie Islands: Abundant throughout, from sea-level to 3500 ft.; the var. pilosa usually subalpine. Piripiri. November–February. Also in Australia, Tasmania, and Tristan d'Acunha.

A well-known plant. The heads or "burrs" are often troublesome to sheep-farmers from the readiness with which they adhere to wool.

3.

A. adscendens, Vahl. Enum. i. 297.—Stems stout, prostrate, much branched; branches leafy, erect or ascending at the tips, glabrous or sparingly hairy. Leaves 2–4 in. long; leaflets 4–6 pairs, ⅕–½ in. long, ovate or obovate or rounded, obtuse, membranous, often glaucous, coarsely and deeply toothed sometimes half-way to the midrib; teeth often tipped with a pencil of silky hairs. Peduncles stout, strict, 4–8 in. long, glabrous or slightly pubescent; heads ½–¾ in. diam. in fruit. Calyx-tube silky, obconic; lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2. Stigma fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx narrow-obconic, 4-angled; bristles 4, short and stout, barbed at the tip. Achene tapering to both ends.—Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 10; ii. 268, t. 96; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 56; Kirk, Students' Fl. 133.

South Island: Not uncommon in mountain districts, altitude 2000–5000 ft. Macquarie Island: At sea-level, Fraser, Prof. Scott.

This is very closely allied to A. sanguisorbœ, but can usually be distinguished by the more glabrous habit, rounder glaucous and more deeply toothed leaflets, long stout peduncles, and short stout bristles. The stems and peduncles are often reddish-purple.

4.

A. microphylla, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 55.—Stems prostrate, much branched, often forming extensive patches; branches short, slender, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves ¾–2 in. long, glabrous or sparingly silky, often glaucous, membranous; leaflets 3–6 pairs, ⅛–⅓ in. long, broadly ovate or rounded, deeply inciso-serrate or crenate, cuneate or rounded at the base. Heads globose, variable in size, ⅓–¾ in. diam. in fruit, on slender peduncles 1–3 in. long or sessile. Calyx-tube silky or glabrous, broadly turbinate; lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2. Fruiting-calyx short, broader than long, 4-angled, slightly winged at the angles; bristles 4, stout, spreading, bright-red, often wanting. Achenes usually 2, bony.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 56; Kirk, Students' Fl. 134.

Var. depressa. Kirk, l.c.—Branches closely appressed to the ground. Leaves smaller. Heads few-flowered, sessile or very shortly peduncled.—A. depressa, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. ix. (1877) 548.

Var. inermis, Kirk, l.c.—Leaves longer, 1–4 in. long, usually glaucous; leaflets ⅙–⅓ in. Fruiting-calyx without bristles.—A. inermis, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 54; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 57.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon in mountain districts from the East Cape southwards. Sea-level to 3500 ft. November–January.

A very variable plant. I agree with Mr. Kirk in uniting A. depressa and A. inermis with it. The length of the peduncle is a very variable character, and heads with or without bristles can easily be found on the same plant. Mr. Kirk states that the achene is solitary, but I find usually two in each fruiting-calyx, as described by Hooker.

page 133
5.

A. Buchanani, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 57.—Stems and branches numerous, prostrate, closely appressed to the ground; young ones more or less villous with silky hairs. Leaves ½–1. in. long, hoary or silky, sometimes densely so; leaflets 3–6 pairs, broadly oblong-ovate or rounded, deeply minutely toothed. Heads small, 3–10-flowered, sessile. Calyx-tube broadly turbinate, 4-angled, densely villous; lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2. Stigma fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx short and broad, 4-angled and ridged, pilose; bristles 4, stout, spreading, yellow, usually hairy above or barbed. Achenes 1 or 2, bony.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 134.

South Island: Otago—Lake District, Hector and Buchanan! upper part of the Clutha Valley, Petrie!

This can be recognised by the small size, pale-greyish colour, villous leaves and branches, small sessile heads, and yellow bristles.

6.

A. glabra, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iv. (1872) 226, t. 14.—Everywhere perfectly glabrous. Stems much branched, prostrate, stout and woody at the base; branches erect or ascending, leafy. Leaves ¾–1¼ in long; leaflets 3–4 pairs, ⅕–⅓ in. long, obovate or oblong-obovate, cuneate at the base, deeply and coarsely toothed. Peduncles 2–5 in. long, stout; heads globose, ½–¾ in. diam., often unisexual. Calyx-tube much compressed, the lateral angles produced into a broad wing-like process on each side; lobes 4, broad, persistent. Male Flowers with 20–40 stamens; females with 1 or 2; stigma fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx always unarmed, red. Achene narrow, tapering to both ends.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 134.

South Island: Nelson—Wairau Gorge, Rough, T. F. C.; Upper Clarence Valley, Kirk! T. F. C.; Lake Guyon, H. H. Travers! Marlborough—Mount Mouatt and Awatere Valley, Kirk! Canterbury—Mount Torlesse, Petrie! Broken River, T. F. C. Otago—Mount Ida, Petrie! mountains above Lake Harris, Kirk. 2500–4500 ft. January–February.

A very distinct species, easily recognised by the perfectly glabrous habit and large unarmed heads. It differs from all the other species of the genus in the numerous stamens of the male flowers.