Buchanan. — On some New Native Plants. 215 



Olearia alpina, Buch. 



A email ornamental alpine tree, 8-12 feet high, trunk 

 6-8 inches in diameter ; branches, and leaves below, covered 

 with pale buff tomentum. Leaves 5-6 inches long, i inch 

 broad, linear, entire on the margins, midrib very stout, veins 

 close, diverging at right angles, thus forming a series of lacuna 

 on both sides of the midrib. Heads numerous, in large panicles, 

 with diverging branches, involucres turbinate, flowers not seen ; 

 pappus reddish, whole inflorescence covered with brownish 

 tomentum. 



Common on the Tararua Mountains, and mountains towards 

 Wanganui. A remarkable plant, closely alhed to 0. excorticata, 

 J3uch. ; stems covered with thm brownish bark, which peals off 

 in large papery sheets. This small tree is worthy of attention 

 for ornamental shrubbery, although cultivation might rob it 

 of much rugged beauty. Though closely allied to 0. excor- 

 ticata, Buch., the oblong leaf of that species presents when 

 compared with the long linear leaf of this species a marked 

 distinction. 



Cehnisia robusta, Buch. 



A small robust branching species, 4-6 inches high. Leaves 

 1-1^ inch long, ^inch broad, coriaceous, ovate-oblong, acuminate 

 or rounded at the tip, and broadly sheathing at the base, finely 

 toothed, greenish-white above and covered with closely appressed 

 white tomentum beneath. Scape 4-5 inches long, with 6-10 

 linear bracts. Head 1 inch diameter ; involucral scales nume- 

 rous, subulate, tapering, often recurved. Pappus orange colour, 

 ^ inch long, achene pubescent. 



The affinity of this hardy mountain plant is with C. hectori, 

 but the large obovate olive-green leaves of this plant necessitate 

 the formation of a new species. 



Haastia montana, Buch. 



Closely tufted, branches erect, and covered with soft fulvous 

 wool over the whole plant. Leaves loosely imbricating, rounded 

 on top, obovate, erect or recurved, veins of the leaves irregular, 

 indistinct. Heads small, i%ths of an inch diameter, involucral 

 scales reduced to fine black lines. 



A very distinct plant from any of the other species of this 

 genus. From H. recurva it may be distinguished by its large up- 

 right soft leaves, and from H. sinclairi by the absence of the large 

 black involucral scales, and altogether different foliage from either. 



This addition to the genus Haastia was discovered on Mount 

 Alta Eange, Lake Wanaka. 



Ranunculus muelleri, Buch. 

 A stout, robust, fulvous and villous plant, 6-6 inches high. 

 Eoot-stalk stout, rootlets numerous. Leaves all radical, round, 



