Flora of New Zealand Series

Exacum ovatum Labill. Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1, 1804, 38, t. 52.

Gentiana ovata Dietr. Vollst. Lexik. Gart. Nachtr. 3, 1815-24, 458.

Stems simple or sparingly branched, 4-angled, up to ± 25 cm. tall. Lvs rather sparse, in opp. pairs, sessile, 6·5-15 × 5-10 mm., ovate to broad-ovate or suborbicular, obtuse or subacute. Fls c. 6·5 mm. long, in terminal dichotomous cyme; calyx-lobes 5, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, acute, with rigid narrowly winged keel. Corolla-tube c. 4 mm. long, straight; lobes 5, pale yellow, c. 3 mm. long, twisted after anthesis. Anthers narrow-oblong, gland-tipped, on very short filaments. Style short, stigma ± 0.75 mm. long. Capsule ovoid-ellipsoid, c. 5 mm. long.

DIST.: N., S. Coastal and lowland boggy and swampy ground, dune-hollows, local, from c. lat. 35° southwards.

FL. 12-1. FT. 12-2. Type Tasmanian.

Cunningham (Ann. nat. Hist. 2, 1839, 45) has: "400. S. ? gracilis. . . In bogs at Mangamuka, Hokianga.- 1834, R. Cunningham. I have referred this slender plant to Sebaea, notwithstanding the spirally twisted anthers, post anthesin; the capsule being bilocular and margins of the valves inflexed. It differs from S. ovata, Br. in having a long cylindrical capsule, leaves without defined nerves, and a habit altogether more slender." Hooker (Fl. N.Z. 1, 1854, 179) remarks: "After a careful comparison with Tasmanian ones, I find no difference at all in habit, flower, capsule, or seed: the leaves are a little smaller than in the generality of Tasmanian specimens and the nerves are never strongly marked."