346 Transactions. — Botany. 



have no hesitation in uniting the more robust southern plant 

 with it, although elliptic leaves are comparatively rare in the 

 latter. Exactly the same dimorphism is exhibited by the 

 leaves of G. prorejpens. If, however, the flowers of Mr. 

 Colenso's plant, when discovered, should exhibit unexpected 

 differences of sufficient importance to warrant its separation 

 from the southern plant, the latter might be called G. elongata, 

 specimens having been distributed under that name before Ire- 

 cognized its identity with G.flavida. G. " ovata," as described 

 by Mr. Petrie, consists of two distinct plants, which are here 

 separated as G. mixta and G. flavida : the leaves belonging to 

 the former, and the fruit to the latter. On the authority of 

 Mr. N. E. Brown, of Kew, Mr. Petrie considers the plant 

 mentioned at p. 68 of the Handbook, and there stated to 

 have been discovered by Lyall in the Middle Island, and at 

 the base of Tongariro by Colenso, to be identical with 

 G. "ovata" ; but the plant of those observers is said to have 

 the leaves of G. densiflora and the fruits of G. monoica, thus 

 differing widely in both points from either of the plants 

 included by Mr. Petrie. It is, however, extremely difficult to 

 identify imperfect specimens of Gunncra. 



5. G. dentata, n.s. 



Rhizomes rather stout, tufted. Leaves lin.— 2in. long or 

 more, petioles hairy or strigose at base, blade Jin. long or less, 

 membranous, ovate -lanceolate or ovate, acute, with weak 

 scattered hairs on both surfaces or nearly glabrous, margins 

 dentate. Scapes unisexual, monoecious. Male very slender, 

 slightly exceeding the leaves, flowers sessile ; perianth 

 segments linear-oblong, cucullate ; anthers broad, obtuse. 

 Female about iin. long, wholly hidden amongst the leaves, 

 silky at the base, spike Jin. long; perianth segments 2, broadly 

 oblong, obtuse, style very long, stout, much compressed at base ; 

 scape elongating in fruit lin.-2in. high, exceeding the leaves, 

 slender, lax or rarely short and sessile. Drupes on stout 

 pedicels, clavate, patent or pendulous. G. prorcpens, /3, 

 Hook, f., in Handbook N Z. Fl., 68. 



Hah. North Island : Colenso (in Handbook) ; Petrie. 

 South Island: Nelson to Southland, but often local; 1,000ft- 

 3,000ft. 



6. G. densiflora, Hook. f. In Handbook N.Z. Fl., 68. 



Rhizomes slender, tufted, monoecious, whole plant rather 

 fleshy, glabrous or with few weak scattered hairs on the 

 petiole. Leaves lin.-liin. long, ovate-cordate or orbicular- 

 cordate, rarely cuneate at base, minutely crenate or almost 

 serrate. Scapes unisexual, monoecious, stout, lin.-3in. long, 

 greatly exceeding the leaves. Male flowers on short stout 



