Cheeseman. — Contributions to Knowledge of Flora of N.Z. 15 



by Mr. T. Kirk, under the name of F. contracta {Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 27, 

 p. 353). Kirk had only two very indifferent specimens to deal with ; but, 

 fortunately, Mr. H. Hamilton secured a fair number of specimens. An 

 examination of these proved that the plant was either very closely allied 

 to the Fuegian and Kerguelen Festuca erecta D'Urvillei or positively iden- 

 tical with it. There being no authenticated specimens of F. erecta in New 

 Zealand, I applied to Dr. Stapf, of the Kew Herbarium, with the view of 

 having a comparison made. This he has kindly done, with the result of 

 proving that the Macquarie Island plant is identical with F. erecta. This 

 is practically a circumpolar species, having been recorded from Fuegia, 

 Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Kerguelen Island. 



Cyathea medullaris Swartz. 



1 am not aware that any actual measurements of the height of this 

 species have been published. In books it is usually given as " from 10 ft. 

 to 40 ft. high," but it certainly attains a much greater height. With the 

 view of putting some definite information on record, I induced Mr. E. Le Roy 

 to measure the height of two fine specimens growing in a ravine on his 

 property at Birkenhead, He informs me that the smaller of the two is 

 39 ft. to the crown ; the other one being 46 ft. to the crown, and 50 ft. to 

 the top of the fronds. As I have seen taller specimens, we can safely 

 conclude that it occasionally reaches between 60 ft. and 65 ft, in height. 



Dicksonia squarrosa Swartz. 



Mr. Le Roy has also been kind enough to measure the height of two 

 specimens of Dicksonia squarrosa. The higher one measured 23 ft. 8 in. to 

 the crown, and 27 ft. to the top of the fronds ; the other proved to be 

 19 ft. 6 in. to the crown, and 21 ft. to the top of the fronds. 



Nothochlaena distans R. Br. 



The late Mr. H C. Field, in his book, Ferns of New Zealand (p. 88, 

 and pi. xxviii, fig. 4), alludes to a supposed new Cheilanthes collected 

 by Mr. A. C. Purdie near Dunedin. The description given is inconclusive, 

 and the figure does not show sufficient detail to enable the generic position 

 of -the plant to be made out. In default of any specimens I consequently 

 did not allude to it in the Manual. 



Rather more than a year ago, however. Professor A. Wall forwarded 

 a specimen of a fern collected in clefts in basaltic rocks at Diamond 

 Harbour, a bay of Port Lyttelton, suggesting that it might prove to be 

 Mr. Field's plant. In this view I concurred, but as the specimen showed 

 no signs of sori it was impossible to fix its systematic position. Professor 

 Wall has now forwarded an ample series of specimens in all stages, 

 proving, as he says, that the plant is only a shade form of Nothochlaena 

 distans. It usually occurred in deep crevices entirely shaded from the 

 sun, and is consequently not so rigid nor so well covered with linear scales 

 as the typical state, which .is frequently seen in dry situations in the 

 Auckland lava-fields. In the ramification of the frond, and in the position 

 and character of the sori, the two plants are practically identical. 



Naturalized Plants. 



Eschscholtzia californica Cham. 



This plant, which is sparingly naturalized as a garden escape, appears 

 to be poisonous to stock, judging frojn the following particulars sup- 

 plied to me by Mr. T. H. Trevor, of Pakaraka, Bay of Islands. He 



