CoLENso. — On new Cryptogamic Plants. 271 



the spikelet being much more slender ; in the glume being 

 shorter than the utricle, and dissimilarly coloured and marked ; 

 in the utricle being longer than the glume and very dark brown ; 

 and in the bristle being shorter than the utricle. 



Akt. XXXIV. — A Desaiption of some newly -discovered Cryptogamic 

 Plants, being a further Contribution towards the making known 

 the Botany of New Zealand* 



By W. CoLENso, F.E.S., F.L.S., etc. 

 [Read before the Haioke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 11th October, 1886.] 



Intboduction. 



On this occasion, the last night of ordinary meeting of our 

 Society for this year, I am again permitted to bring you our 

 usual annual botanical offering, in a small basket of Crytogamic 

 plants obtained from our inland woods and glens. 



I have called it " our " offering ; and this may require a few 

 words in explanation. This plural pronoun is here used in a 

 double sense : (1) To let you know that I have again been 

 largely assisted by kind and liberal, hearty and active, co- 

 workers in this part of the botanical field, who all work con 

 amore in this matter : among them I would particularly mention 

 with thanks three of our active members — Messrs. H. Hill, A. 

 Hamilton, and D. P. Balfour — to whom not only myself and 

 our local branch auxiliary Society, but the New Zealand 

 Institute as a scientific body, are largely indebted. And (2) 

 that this offering or tribute is one made by, as well as from, our 

 New Zealand woods. For, privileged as I am to present and 

 make known this, their free gift, and thus for a short time 

 briefly occupying the position of their hei-ald or ambassador unto 

 you — coming hither directly fi'om them, and from long and 

 oft-repeated sojouruings hi their homes and company, and 

 understandmg their thoughts and quiet reasonings, and silent 

 yet the more expressive language — I would beg permission to 

 say a few words respecting them. 



Among the many and varied congenial homes of the great 

 Crytogamic family, in those deeply secluded glens and mountain 

 woods, far away from the busy life of towns, and even the 

 solitary haunts of the isolated " bush " woodman, is the place 

 par excellence for the disciple of Nature to study, to admire, to 

 learn, to know ; and so learning, so knowing, to hold converse 

 with her and her beauties ; and, through their teachings, with 



• In continuation of paper on same subject, read in the previous year. 

 See " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xviii., pp. 219-255, 



