Flora of New Zealand Series

Demidovia tetragonioides Pallas Enum. Pl. Demidof 1781, 150, t. 1.

T. expansa Murr. in Comm. Soc. Gött. 6, 1783, 13.

T. halimifolia Forst. f. Pl. Esc. 1786, 67.

T. cornuta Gaertn. Fruct. 2, 1791, 483.

T. inermis F. Muell. in Linnaea 25, 1853, 384.

Kokihi.

Herb with decumbent branching stems, softly woody towards base, up to 6 dm. long. Lvs on petioles up to 2 cm. long; lamina ovate-rhomboid to triangular, obtuse to subacute, entire to slightly sinuate or shallowly lobed, ± densely papillose. Fls solitary or occ. paired, occ. unisexual, sessile or nearly so, ± 7 mm. diam.; per. yellowish. Calyx tube broad- turbinate, lobes broad-triangular, obtuse. Stamens 10-20. Ovary 3-8-celled, styles 3-8. Fr. 8-10 mm. long, subturbinate, angled; seeds 4-10; horns 2-4, indurate.

DIST.: K., Three Kings, N., S., St. Frequent but rather local on coastal sands, dunes and stony beaches.

FL. 10-2. FT. 11-3. Also Tasmania, Australia, Pacific Is, Japan, southern S. America.

The plant cultivated as N.Z. spinach has much larger lvs than the wild plant.