324 Tramactions. — Botany. 



Hab. Alexandra South. This plant stands close to L. 

 kaivaraa, but differs in so many respects, and, so far as I know, 

 so constantly from that species, that I tliink it must be regarded 

 as distinct. The discovery of intermediate forms may yet 

 reduce these species to a single variable series. Unlike L. 

 kawnrau, this species does not appear to be eaten by sheep or 

 cattle. 



3. Tillcea muUicaulis, n. sp. 



A minute, slender, reddish, much branched glabrous herb. 



Stems several, frequently branched. If inches long or less, 

 set at close intervals (r2~r^^ inch) with pairs of small opposite 

 connate subulate concave leaves, bearing in their axils very short 

 branchlets clothed with sub-connate imbricating leaves similar 

 to those of the stems. 



Flowers, few, in the axils of the uppermost leaves, rosy, 

 shortly pedicelled. 



Sepals 4, subulate, acute. 



Petals 4, broadly oblong, obtuse, twice the length of the 

 sepals. 



Carpels (immature) 4, with a scale at the outer base of each. 



Hab. Maniototo Plain, 1,600 feet. 



This species stands near Tillaa sinclairii, Hook. f. It grows 

 in drier situations, and though slightly tufted never forms dense 

 patches, as T. sinclairii does. 



4. Erechtites diversifolia, n. sp. 



A slender, unbranched, strict erect herb, 15-2G inches high. 



Stems swollen at the base and sending oJff a strong tuft of 

 roots, terete, strongly grooved, leafy, glabrate or sparingly 

 cottony. 



Lower leaves linear-oblong, obtuse, rather membranous, 

 with few distant blunt teeth (having a very shallow sinus 

 between), and recurved margins, obtuse, glabrous above, glab- 

 rate or puberulous below, gradually narrowed into long flat 

 petioles, not auricled, the whole 2.^-3^ inches long. 



Cauline leaves narrower, more acute, with shorter petioles 

 and less prominent teeth, the upper linear and sessile, glabrate 

 or slightly cottony, not auricled. 



Inflorescence usually much branched, lax or compact ; heads 

 numerous or rather few, J inch long, on slender bracteate pedi- 

 cels. Involucral scales glabrate or slightly cottony, linear, 

 acute, with scarious margins, shorter than the florets. 



Achene linear-oblong, grooved, hispid, slightly contracted 

 below the flattened top. 



Hab. Hills near Dunedin, and westwards as far as the 

 Tuapeka District, 200 to 1,000 feet. 



