416 Transactions. — Botany. 



it seemed to be doubtful whether Schweinitz's species was a 

 good one. Since then Mr. L. J. Bailey, who is engaged in a 

 critical examination of the North American Carices, has satis- 

 fied himself that C. littoralis, Schweinitz, is the oldest name 

 for the plant known of late years as G. harrattii, and must 

 stand. He therefore suggests the name of G. litorosa for the 

 New Zealand species. 



In my previous paper I neglected to mention that it occurs 

 in immense profusion in the large brackish-water marshes 

 fringing Kaipara Harbour. 



Car ex fiava, L. 



Add to the localities the Mount Arthur plateau, Nelson, 

 where it is not uncommon, and wliich is the most northern 

 locality yet recorded in New Zealand. 



Aet. XLI. — Note on the GUistogamic Flowers of Melicope 



simplex. 



By Geo. M. Thomson, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Otacjo Institute, 10th November, 1S91.] 



Melicope simplex is a common shrub in Otago, and in the 

 east coast districts produces its small greenish-white flowers 

 in October and November, but in the interior a month or so 

 later. These average about |^in. in diameter, and are fragrant. 

 I have not, however, detected any nectar in them, nor do I 

 know how they are fertilised. In a paper on "Fertilisation 

 of Flowering-plants" (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiii., p. 257) I 

 suggested that these flowers were probably fertilised by " the 

 numerous small Diptera which so commonly frequent the 

 edge of the bush," but I have never been able to verify this 

 surmise. Though sometimes quite hermaphrodite, it is fre- 

 quently the case that they are so in structure only, being 

 unisexual in function; while others again are strictly dioecious, 

 the male form having no pistil, and the female flowers having 

 stamens with more or less imperfect anthers, and little or no 

 pollen. This feature is remarkably common among New 

 Zealand flowering-plants, and in several species it is possible 

 to find transition stages between perfectly-hermaphrodite and 

 perfectly-dicEcious plants. But truly cleistogamic flowers, 

 self-fertilised and remaining quite closed until the fruit is 

 considerably developed, have hitherto been recorded from 

 very few species. 



