Chbeseman. — Contributions to Knowledge of Flora of N.Z. 



Art. II. — Contributions to a Fuller Knowledge oj the Flora oj New 



Zealand: No. 7, 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z:S., F.N.Z.Inst., Curator of the 



Auckland Museum. 



{Read before the Auckland Institute, 22nd December, 1919 ; received by Editor, 31st 

 December, 1919 ; issued separately, 4th June, 1920-] 



Colobanthus Muelleri T. Kirk. 



Dry ground near the verge of sea-cliffs, Manaia, Taranaki ; Mrs. F. 

 Mason! I am nbt aware of a more northern locality on the western side 

 of the North Island. 



Plagianthus cymosus T. Kirk. 



Mr. Phillips Turner informs me that this species occurs in the valley 

 of the McLennan River, a branch of the Tahakopa River, which flows into 

 the sea about twenty miles south of Catlin's River, Otago. The locality 

 is not far from the sea, and it would be interesting to ascertain whether 

 both P. betulinus and P. divaricatus are to be found in the vicinity. In 

 the Illustrations of the New Zealand Flora (vol. 1, pi. 21) I have hinted 

 at the probable hybrid origin of the plant. 



Gunnera arenaria Cheesm. 



Moist sandy places on the coast near Manaia, Taranaki ; / Mrs. F. 

 Mason/ Not previously recorded between New Plymouth and Patea, 

 but probably always to be found in damp places on sand-dunes of any 

 extent. 



Eugenia maire A. Cunn, 



So far as I am aware, no one has recorded the presence of pneumato- 

 phores in Eugenia maire. They were first brought to my notice by 

 Mr. Colin Stewart, late of Mangatai, Mokau, who supposed that they were 

 connected with the remarkable floating roots of Freycinetia Banksii, 

 mentioned farther on in this paper. The mistake is a very natural one 

 to make in a wooded swamp, where the roots of both species are almost 

 inextricably mixed. As Eugenia is plentiful jn swampy gullies at Birk- 

 dale, near Auckland, I induced Mr. F. S. Fisher, a resident in the locality, 

 to make a careful seaix'h, which resulted in proving that the pneumato- 

 phores were abundant in most suitable localities. At a later date I 

 visited the district under Mr. Fisher's guidance, and was able to prepare 

 the following notes. 



The pneumatophores of Eugenia maire rise from the ordinary roots of 

 the tree, and reach a height of 9 in. to 18 in. above the level of the 

 ground. They are about |- in. in diameter at the surface of the ground, 

 seldom more, and are rigidly erect, and usually fasciculately branched. 

 The ultimate shoots are ^— | in. in diameter, cylindric, faintly constricted 

 here and there. They somewhat resemble the branches of Salicornia in 



