290 Transactions. — Botany. 



could make nothing of it, as during that period it showed no 

 signs of flowering. Subsequently, however, it flowered. I 

 collected and dried specimens, and brought them to Napier, not, 

 however, without some amount of misgiving. On due examina- 

 tion, I found out what it was. Unfortunately I did not go again 

 to those localities until the following Spring ; and, as it had 

 seeded plentifully, and the cattle had got into that wood, they 

 carried off its sticky burs in all directions ; so that from that one 

 plant hundreds have been disseminated, filling the neighbour- 

 hood with a much worse weed than the introduced thistle. Like 

 many other of the foreign weeds, it flourishes exceedingly, and 

 grows to a very large size, 4 feet high, thick, bushy and strong, 

 insomuch that a few plants growing together offer quite an 

 obstacle to the traveller that way. 



Among sundry other plants of this extensive and easily 

 introduced Order, that have also found their way here during 

 the last few years, (although previously known in other parts of 

 the colony,) may be mentioned : — 



Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Linn. (Great Ox-eye). In 

 great quantity about Waipawa and Waipukurau, quite whitening 

 the fields at Woburn with its flowers. 



Achillea millefolium,, Linn. (Common Yarrow or Milfoil). At 

 Norsewood ; where, however, it bears purple flowers, and looks 

 well. 



Centaurea solstitialis, Linn. (Yellow Star-thistle; St. Barnaby's 

 Thistle). Napier. 



Labiates. 



Prunella vulgaris, Linn. (Self-heal). This weed, long known 

 in the north of New Zealand, I first noticed about five years 

 ago, and then only a few, and in two or three adjoining spots. 

 When I first saw it, being young and only showing leaves, I did 

 not recognise it. On a subsequent visit it was in flower. In 

 the following year I was again sojourning in that same locality 

 (Seventy-mile Bush), when one day a gentleman drove up to the 

 house where I was ; he had been upm the forest collecting ferns 

 and plants for his garden, and among others he had carefully 

 taken up some young Prunella plants ; but on my telling him 

 what they were, he quickly abandoned them. This plant, too, 

 has spread wonderfully in a short time, supplanting, over- 

 running, and destroying the low indigenous herbs ; which is the 

 more easily done through it being a perennial. 



