568 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



percentage bore the dry flower-spikes. On one plant there 

 were nine of these, bearing the remains of 164 flowers • 

 The seedlings, even while the leaves are less than3in. long, 

 have strong stout rootlets, which go down through the mass 

 of vegetable matter in which they grow. There is absolutely 

 no sand or loam for them to grow in — nothing but decayed 

 vegetable matter. In a specimen before me, in which the 

 leaves are about 20mm. long, the rootlet is 160mm. in 

 length. Mr. Kirk notes that " the leaves of the young 

 plants approach those of P. criniferum more nearly than 

 specimens from Auckland and Campbell Islands, but the 

 identification is certain. This is doubtless the P. crini- 

 ferum of Professor Scott's list." The edges of the leaves 

 carry stiff bristles. The silvery patches of this handsome 

 plant show out plainly among the mosses and grasses in 

 the drier parts of the swamps, and in sheltered places on 

 the uplands. 



Uncinia nervosa, Boott. [Note by Mr. Kirk: "This plant is 

 intermediate between U. compacta, E. Br., and U. tenella, 

 E. Br. : the leaves closely approach those of the former, 

 while the fruits resemble the latter, but are of a darker 

 colour, and more glossy. The spike is scarcely longer than 

 that of U. tenella. It is U. checsemanii, Bceckeler." 



Luzula crinita, Hook, f . This appeared to be the only Luzula 

 on the island. I failed to get L. campestris of Professor 

 Scott's list. 



Descliampsia hookeri, T. Kirk,* var. mermis and var. effusa. 

 [Mr. Kirk says, "Both are interesting varieties of one of 

 the most variable grasses in the colony."] Mr. Petrie con- 

 siders the first to be D. tenella, Petrie. 



Descliampsia penicillatii, n. sp. (MS.), T. Kirk.f A puzzling 

 species, which is provisionally named pending the examina- 

 tion of the other species new to New Zealand. 



Poa foliosa, Hook f., a. This noble grass forms huge tussocks, 

 especially in the damper portions and where the drainage 

 and the liquid manure from the penguin rookeries assists 

 its growth. In such places one can walk between the 

 columns with the plant waving far overhead. 



Poa hamiltonii, T. Kirk.]: [Mr. Kirk says, "Allied to P. 

 anceps, Forst., and P. foliosa, Hook. f. One of the most 

 distinct species in the flora."] 



Poa annua, L. Naturalized, and doing very well. 



Agrostis antarctica, Hook. f. = A. multicaulis, Hook. f. [Mr. 



* " Journal of Botany," 1891. 



t See "On New Grasses from Macquarie Island," by T. Kiik, above, 

 p. 354. 



I Above, p. 353. 



