234 BOTANY OF VICTORIA. 
Ranunculaceous plant, perhaps a Caltha, with sagittate heart-shaped 
leaves, of which the lower lobes are inflexed in a most remarkable 
"manner. It was ripening its fruit at this time, and the white-sepaled 
flowers must be already developed, like those of the Snowdrop, when 
everything around is clothed in snow. The ice-cold water which flows 
over its root, and against which the petioles are secured by a slimy tegu- 
ment of decayed tissue, cannot reach the fresh green of the leaves owing 
to the singular direction which they assume. The furrowed scape is 
either very short, or the always solitary flower sessile. It is accompanied 
by two species of Oreobolus, by a Drosera, with long creeping root, 
allied to D. Arcturi (growing out of Sphagnum), by a white-flowering 
Richea, Pentachondra pumila, Ranunculus Millani, a very fragrant Slack- 
housea (hardly rising above the ground), S. pulvinaris, and other truly 
alpine plants. Orites diversifolia (if not a distinct species, for I never 
saw it with toothed leaves) is frequent over the snowy regions of these 
mountains, as well as the Calluna-like shrub, which may be a kind of 
Schidiomyrtus. Of an umbelliferous genus described by Dr. Hooker I 
possess now the first specimens ; knowing it alone from Walpers’ work, 
I cannot at present remember its name. A Ranunculus, I presume your 
R. cuneatus, grows not only along with R. Gunnianus, but also fre- 
quently enough in an altitude considerably below that species. 
Es . You may imagine, Sir William, what a hearty welcome our old ac- 
quaintance Alchemilla vulgaris had when I found a few individuals of 
it here in the very heart of the Alps, viz. at the sources of the Mittu 
Mittu, not having seen this plant during the last seven years, when I 
left my native home. With yet greater pleasure I collected specimens 
of a Veronica, not unlike F. serpyllifolia, which grew here, and here 
only, as well as Geum urbanum and Barbarea vulgaris, promiscuously 
with Alchemilla. A white-flowering Viola, with cordate leaves, assists 
x - imitation of European plants, but does not venture to ascend to 
the high localities with so inclement a climate, to which the others pe- 
netrate. A peculiar Leucopogon and two or three species of Epacris 
form also additions to the Victoria flora. From the lower country L 
obtained Calystegia marginata, which I think is only a small-flowering 
iety of C. sepium ; further, a little blue Pigea or Jonidium, not unlike 
icularia, from the seeds of which T hope you will raise a fine 
| pot plant for your garden. Carex Preissii, a Pomaderris, 
Ozothamnus, not previously found here, are identical with Van 
