350 Transactions. — Botany. 



V10LAIUE.E. 



Hymenanthera obovata, n.s. 



An erect glabrous shrub 4ft. -8ft. high, with pale bark, 

 sparingly branched, branches ascending. Leaves in the young 

 state obovate-cuneate, 3-lobed, membranous; mature lin.-2in. 

 long, coriaceous, obovate or oblong, narrowed into a slender 

 petiole below, retuse, margins slightly recurved, quite entire. 

 Flowers not seen. Fruits as in H. crassifolia, Hook, f., but 

 slightly larger. 



Hab. South Island: Nelson — On limestone rocks, Graham 

 river ; Mount Owen ; T. F. Cheescman ! On limestone rocks 

 between Takaka and Eiwaka ; T. Kirk. Canterbury — On 

 limestone rocks, Broken Eiver basin ; J. D. Enys and T. 

 Kirk (1876): Ashburton Mountains; T.H. Potts! 2,000ft.- 

 3,000ft. 



This puzzling plant appears to be closely related to H. 

 oblong if olia, A. Cunn., of Norfolk Island, the leaves of which 

 are said to be denticulate, and of greater length. A common 

 state of H. crassifolia, Hook, f., approaches our plant in some 

 respects, but the leaves are smaller and almost sessile. The 

 leaves of the young state of our plant show that, notwith- 

 standing its different appearance, it has direct relationship 

 with H. latifolia, B. Br. Baron Von Mueller's remarks 

 on Hymenanthera, in his " Vegetation of the Chatham 

 Islands," may be read with advantage. 



Leguminos^e. 



Carmichaelia prona, n.s. 



A small species, with prostrate stems and branchlets closely 

 appressed to the ground, 4in.-12in. long, rarely more. 

 Branchlets J^in.-^m- 01 ' oa d, compressed on both surfaces. 

 Leaves unifoliolate or pinnately 3-5-foliolate, silky, terminal 

 leaflet much the longest, narrow cuneate-oblong, emarginate. 

 Flowers in short dense 3-7-flowered racemes, rhachis silky, 

 bracteoles ciliate ; calyx campanulate ; teeth short, acute, 

 vexillum retuse, wings half as long as the keel. Pods £in. 

 long, abruptly falcate with a short upturned beak, tumid, 

 1-seeded; seeds reniform, turgid, brown. Eeplum com- 

 plete. 



Hab. South Island : Lake Lyndon ; 2,800ft. ; J. D. Enys 

 and T. Kirk. 



The nearest ally of our plant appears to be C. juncea, 

 Colenso, an erect species with slender terete branches. The 

 pod of C. prona is practically indehiscent, as the valves 

 remain firmly attached to the replum. 



