D. Dieffenbachii, Hook, in Lond. Journ. Bot. ii. (1843) 497, t. 17.—A small creeping and rooting much-branched plant; stems woody at the base, 3–12 in. long; branches stout or slender, scarred, ascending at the tips, glabrous or slightly villous with short white hairs. Leaves usually close-set and imbricating, but sometimes distant on barren shoots, suberect, often incurved at the tips, 1/10–⅙ in. long, linear or linear-lingulate, obtuse, concave in front, convex on the back, grooved or striate or almost smooth, glabrous or nearly so when old, but the upper half of the margins and the apex ciliate when young. Flowers small, polygamo-diœcious, in 3–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, sunk amongst the uppermost leaves. Male perianth about ⅙ in. long, funnel-shaped, the lobes about ⅓ the length of the tube. Scales very variable, sometimes a single entire one at the base of each lobe, but more often the scale is 2-lobed or divided to the base into 2 distinct but closely approximate scales. Stamens with long slender filaments, the anthers almost reaching the top of the lobes. Ovary and style very small, abortive. Female (or hermaphrodite) perianth smaller and broader. Anthers much smaller, usually page 616empty, on shorter filaments. Ovary large, densely villous at the tip; style long; stigma capitate, exserted. Fruit small, ovoid.— Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 222; Handb. N.Z. FL 245. D. macrantha, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 487. Kelleria Dieffenbachii, Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. 61; Meisn. in D.C. Prodr. xiv. 566.

Var. laxa.—Pale-green, more laxly branched. Leaves larger, spreading or ascending, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear-oblong, obtuse, rather thin, almost flat, conspicuously nerved, ciliate on the margins and back. Heads 3–8-flowered. Perianth-lobes almost equalling the tube; scales 8, small. Perhaps a distinct species.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Common in mountain districts from Moehau (Cape Colville) and Hikurangi southwards. Var. laxa: Ruahine Mountains, H. Tryon! Nelson—Mountains flanking the Wairau Valley, T. F. C.; Mount Murchison, Townson! 2000–4500 ft. December–March.

A very variable plant, which does not seem to be separated by any definite characters from the following species. The var. laxa may prove distinct, but it requires further study with a larger suite of specimens than has yet been obtained.

D. villosa, Cheesem.—Very similar in most of its characters to D. Dieffenbachii, but usually a more robust plant, with the branchlets more or less villous with greyish hairs, and with slightly larger leaves that are somewhat broader at the base, and have the margins and frequently the back ciliate to the base. Flowers in 3–4-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, similar to those of D. Dieffenbachii, but the glands always 8.—Kelleria villosa, Berggren in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 18, t. 5, f. 1–15.

Var. multiflora.—Leaves longer, strict, ascending, ⅕–¼ in. long, narrow linear-lanceolate, tapering from the base to an obtuse tip, slightly convex on the back, conspicuously 5-nerved; margins ciliate with long straight hairs and with a pencil of hairs at the apex. Flowers in 5–12-flowered heads at the tips of the branches. Glands 8, very small.

South Island: Mountain districts in Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, apparently not uncommon. Var. multiflora: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau,. T. F. C.; Mount Faraday, Townson! Canterbury—Candlestick Mountains, Cockayne! Mount Torlesse, T. F. C. Westland — Kelly's Hill, Petrie! 2500–4500 ft. December–March.

Not at all a satisfactory species. The var. multiflora agrees in the villous branches, but differs in a marked degree in the longer, strict, strongly nerved leaves, and more numerous flowers. All the forms of villosa and Dieffenbachii' are much in need of a careful revision.

D. Lyallii, Hook. /. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 336.—A compactly branched moss-like plant, usually forming dense patches 1–4 in. diam.; branches short, erect or ascending. Leaves very densely imbricate, usually erect, 1/12–1/10 in. long, narrow-ovate or ovate-oblong or ovate-subulate, broadest at the base and then tapering gradually to an acute or subacute tip, convex and smooth on the page 617back, not prominently nerved, apex and margins ciliate. Flowers small, polygamo-diœcious, solitary or 2–3 together at the tips of the branches. Male perianth 1/10–⅛ in. long, broadly funnel-shaped or almost campanulate; lobes about as long as the tube, oblong-ovate, each with 2 glands at the base. Stamens with slender filaments; anthers almost reaching the top of the lobes. Ovary small, with a very short style. Female perianth (or hermaphrodite) smaller and rather broader, 1/12–1/10 in. long. Anthers very small, usually empty, on very short filaments. Ovary ciliate at the top; style long, stout; stigma capitate, exserted.— Handb. N.Z. Fl. 246. D. muscosa, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 223 (not Lam.). Kelleria Dieffenbachii var. Lyallii, Meisn. in D.C. Prodr. xiv. 566.

South Island: Nelson—Wairau Gorge, T. F. C.; Mount Owen, T. F. C.; Waiau Valley, Travers. Canterbury—Southern Alps, Sinclair and Haast, Armstrong. Otago—Lake district, Hector and Buchanan! Dunstan Mountains, Hector Mountains, Mount Pisa, Mount Cardrona, &c, Petrie! Stewart Island: Lyall, Kirk! 4000–6500 ft. December–March.

A well-marked species, at once recognised by the compact habit, small ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate leaves, and broad almost campanulate perianth.