12 Transactions. 



were raised, all of which have the thin leaves and yellowish veins of the 

 white-flowered variety. All the plants that have flowered up to the present 

 time have borne white flowers. The facts thus collected by Mr. Townson 

 and Mr. Graham may be taken as a satisfactory proof that the white - 

 flowered plant constitutes a stable variety, "coming true" from seed, and 

 well worth distinguishing by a varietal name. 



Atriplex Billardieri Hook. f. 



Sandy shores of Matakana Island, between Tauranga and Katikati ; 

 a few plants only ; T. F. C. This plant is singularly rare, and is seldom 

 seen in any quantity. I am not aware that it has been gathered in any 

 locality on the western side of either the North or the South Island. 



Pimelea Gnidia Willd. 



Mr. W . Townson has forwarded specimens gathered on the summit of a 

 lofty hill between the Kauaeranga River and the Hihi Stream, Thames. 

 This is at least 150 miles from the nearest part of the Ruahine Mountains, 

 the most northerly locality previously known. 



Tupeia antarctica Cham. & Schl. 



I am indebted to Mr. B. E. Sixtus, of Umutai, on the western flanks 

 of the Ruahine Range, for specimens of this, parasitic on Olea Cunrmig- 

 hamii, which is quite a new host so far as my own knowledge is concerned. 



Dactylanthus Taylori Hook. f. ' 



Mr. W. Townson, so well known from his fruitful botanical explora- 

 tion of the Westport district, but now resident at the Thames, has been 

 fortunate enough to discover this remarkable plant in great abundance 

 in the elevated forest district lying north-east from the town of Thames. 

 So far as I can judge, this is a continuation of the locality where it was 

 observed by the late Mr. T. Kirk in April, 1869 (see Trans. N.Z. hist., vol. 2, 

 pp. 94-95). Mr. Townson informs me that it can be observed for several 

 miles along what is known as " Crosby's Track," and that he is acquainted 

 with at least six separate stations. In all cases the host was Scheffiera 

 digitata, as is usual in the northern portion of the Auckland Provincial 

 District. The rhizome attains a considerable size, the largest seen weighing 

 over 6 lb. As the result of the examination of very numerous specimens 

 Mr. Townson has definitely proved that the mature plant is monoecious, 

 the male and female spadices being produced on the same rhizome, and 

 often side by side. The male spadices, however, are the more numerous. 

 All observers have pronounced the flowers to be highly fragrant, but dis- 

 agree as to the nature of the perfume. Mr. Townson states that it resembles 

 that of a "ripe rock-melon," but he also says that "like many perfumes, 

 it may also pass into a bad smell wlien too concentrated." He also remarks 

 that on one occasion he " kept a large rhizome for a considerable time in 

 a back room, where it gradually expanded its flowers. The scent was so 

 attractive to flies that all day long it was surrounded by a little crowd of 

 them." No doubt this points to the fertilization of the plant through insect 

 agency. The flowering season appears to last, at the Thames, from the 

 middle of March to the middle of April. 



