Kirk. — On a Neiv Mistletoe. 429 



Art. XhY.— On a New Mistletoe. 



By T. Kirk, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 24th February, 1892.] 



Plate XXXVII. 



When botanizing in the Castle Hill Basin with my friend 

 J. D. Bnys, F.G.S., in 1876, we found the curious little 

 Viscnm represented in the plate (PI. XXXVII.) growing on 

 Goprosnm 2)ropinqua, A. Cunn., at an elevation of fully 

 3,000ft. ; but, as the specimens were in an imperfect state, 

 they were laid aside in the hope that an opportunity of col- 

 lecting both male and female Howers in good condition might 

 be afforded at no distant date. Unhappily, the expectation 

 has not been realised ; but when visiting the district during 

 January, 1891, Mr. Enys and myself found the plant grovkdng 

 on Aristotelia fruticosa, Hook, f., in another habitat ; and, 

 although we failed to find flowering specimens, I venture to 

 publish an imperfect description in the hope that some of my 

 fellow-workers may be induced to keep a look-out for it. 



It belongs to the section Ploionuxia, and is most nearly 

 related to V. lindsayi, Oliver, which, although rare and local, 

 is found in lowland districts from Hawke's Bay to Otago. 



Viscum clavatum. 



A small, much-branched, leafless shrub, lin.-2in. high, 

 glabrous in all its parts, and rather succulent. Branchlets 

 crowded, more or less divaricate. Joints of the stem linear- 

 clavate, flat, ^in.-^in. long, /oin.-iin. broad. Spikes jointed, 

 solitary, lateral or terminal, ^in. long or more. Flowers in 

 2-4, rarely 5, rather distant whorls: 3 flowers not seen; 

 perianth of ? flower minutely 3-lobed, lobes persistent. Berry 

 (immature) minute, pyriform, viscid. 



Hah. South Island : Canterbury, Castle Hill Basin ; 

 2, 300ft. -3, 000ft. Parasitic on Goprosma propinqua, Aristo- 

 telia fruticosa, Discaria toumatou, &c. 



This remarkable little plant is of a dark-green hue, which 

 exactly matches the dark foliage of its hosts; so that, al- 

 though occurring in profusion, it may easily escape notice. 

 Its nearest ally is V. lindsayi, from which it differs in the 

 form of the articulations and in their length being more than 

 twice their breadth ; in the spikes being always solitary ; and 

 in the pyriform fruits. The membranous crown or margin at 

 the apex of each joint, also, is larger than in V. lindsayi, 

 while the whorls are more distant and the flowers less crowded. 



