358 BOTANY OF VICTORIA. 
tion to several new plants and several not yet found previously beyond 
Tasmania, others in a better state of development than before, so that 
I hope to be justified in addressing this letter to you. 
Mount Wellington is rather more than 5000 feet high; and although 
Podocarpus alpina and some other truly alpine plants are found there, 
I think it may be safely considered more than subalpine, on account of 
its far southern situation. A heavy snow-storm at the middle of this 
month (equal to your May), which unfortunately shortened my ex- 
- plorations, called to my mind how far I was above the hot plains 
of Gipps’ Land. But I will not trouble you with the detail of inci- 
dents of such journeys; I will merely enumerate a few of the most 
interesting plants which I met with on this mountain. The long-looked- 
for Astelia alpina Y at length succeeded in finding, accompanied by 
Veronica nivea (out of flower), by a species of Haplopappus (perhaps 
identical with a Van Diemen’s Land species), by a Decaspora with the 
habit of an Acrotriche, and distinct from Robert Brown’s two kinds, 
and having a 5-10-seeded berry, so that it comes near Pentachondra. 
I noticed besides the beautiful little Pimelea alpina for the first time in 
flower, and seeing this plant exposed to snow at such a season, I could 
. not help thinking what an acquisition it would be to the garden flora 
. of England, reared without protection ; and I will, of this as well as 
of the other alpine plants, collect at the proper season all the seeds 
I possibly can. The species appears to me very distinct from P. 
humilis in its smooth floral leaves, smallness of flowers, which are in 
. various tints of red outside, with a white limb. But the gem of my new 
collection consists of an undescribed white-flowered Ranunculus, which, 
= when shown to a botanist at home, would be rather considered as a 
plant from the Alps than from Australia, and it deserves for its typical 
‘similarity to the general feature of alpine plants (so rarely to be met 
with amongst those of Australia) so much attention, that I at once 
transmit to you specimens, with a brief diagnosis. 
‘Ranunculus Millani ; acaulis; folia glabra, pinnatisecta; segmenta li- 
. nearia, obtusiuscula, indivisa vel dissecta ; scapus solitarius, uniflorus, 
parce pilosus, petiolis glabrescentibus brevior ; sepala appressa, glabra, 
margine membranacea; petala alba, 5—10, obovato-cuneata, calyce 
fere duplo longiora; styli subuncinati ; carpidia . . . 
On places denuded of grass on the summit of Mount Wellington, 
Gipps Land, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, where snow lies 
