424 Transactions. — Botany. 



winged on the back." I have never met with this form of 

 the plant. 



It is matter for regret that year by year the large succu- 

 lent Lepidia are becoming increasingly rare. Wherever sheep 

 have access to them they are closely eaten off, and speedily 

 die out, although if only a single stem is allowed to mature 

 its fruit seedling plants appear in abundance. Happily for 

 Lcpidium ohtusatum, it grows in a few spots which are inac- 

 cessible to sheep, so that it will probably hold its ground for 

 many years. L.olcraccum is stated by Captain Cook to have 

 occurred in such abundance that he was able to obtain boat- 

 loads of it, which proved of good service to his crews when 

 troubled with scurvy ; but the plant has become so rare that 

 some New Zealand botanists have never seen it in the recent 

 state. 



Tillsea diffusa. 



A very slender herb, with prostrate or erect, matted, fili- 

 form stems, lin.-3in. long, reddish. Leaves opposite, fleshy, 

 Jg^in.-I^in. long, linear-oblong, flat above, convex beneath, 

 minutely apiculate when fresh, narrowed into a short petiole, 

 petioles connate, forming a membranous sheath round the 

 stem. Flowers on short axillary peduncles, solitary, tetra- 

 merous, calyx-segments broadly oVate, obtuse ; petals equal- 

 ling the sepals ; scales, 0; carpels, 4, minute, ovate, enclosed 

 in the persistent perianth, 2-4-seeded. 



Hah. North Island: Miramar. In places wdiere water has 

 stagnated during the winter. 



Allied to T. dchilis, Colenso, from which it is distinguished 

 by its larger size, broader leaves, broad obtuse sepals, and 

 2-4-seeded carpels. 



Coprosma buchanani. 



A much-branched shrub, 5ft. -10ft. high, branches spread- 

 ing ascending ; bark reddish-grey, papery ; branchlets puberu- 

 lous or pubescent. Leaves opposite, distant, or in opposite 

 pairs on abortive branchlets, ^in.-lin. long, puberulous, 

 obovate, obtuse, narrowed into a short puberulous petiole, 

 minutely ciliate when young ; stipules triangular, puberulous 

 or minutely ciliate. J flowers not seen ; $ solitary axillary, 

 lobes of cupule large ; calyx-limb membranous, 4-5-toothed, 

 not ciliate nor pubescent ; corolla campanulate, deeply 4-5- 

 cleft, segments acute ; stigmas 2, robust. Fruit, 0. 



Hah. North Island : Near Cape Terawhiti. 



This perplexing plant was first observed by me in 1874, 

 but, although many miles of coast have been carefully 

 searched, I have failed to find the 5 plant. Mr. Buchanan, 

 F.L.S., in whose honour I have named it, informed me that, 



