216 Transactions. — Botany^ 



crenate-lobed, 2 inches diameter, petioles 2 inches long. Ped- 

 uncles few, 4-5 inches long. Flowers, 2-3 large, white, each 

 flower with a broad linear bract underneath, and a flower-bud in 

 the axil. 



The in-esent fine plant adds another species to the already 

 large family of New Zealand Rammculiis. It was collected on 

 the Tararua Mountains, the only specimen seen in flower, 

 and has been since overlooked. I am indebted to Mr. Kirk for 

 pointing out its claim as a new species. 



Cassinia rubra, Buch. 



A small delicate shrub, 2-4 feet high, with bright olive-green 

 foliage. Leaves very small, erect, or decumbent, linear-oblong, 

 obtuse, J-^ inch long, margins nearly flat. Heads of flowers 

 dense, in close rounded corymbs. Flowers very small, nu- 

 merous. Involucral scales in 8-4 series, bright pink or red. 



This beautiful little plant was reported as collected on the 

 Wauganui Eiver, inland. No doubt such a beautiful shrub 

 would prove a valuable addition to the gardens, if young plants 

 could be procured and established. 



Geum alpina, Buch. 



A small, prostrate, hairy, mountain plant, with stout pros- 

 trate rhizomes. Leaves alternate, closely arranged, ^- finch 

 diameter, rounded, lobed, and with fine crenate serratures. 

 Flowers minute, yellow, on numerous branches towards the 

 end of the stems. 



In extremely small forms of this plant, the leaves are much 

 reduced in size, and the numerous little yellow flowers scarcely 

 exceed the calyx, a head of flowers not exceeding -^ inch. No 

 doubt this is a reduction of size entirely due to severe climatic 

 influence. 



Pachycladon ehngata, Buch. 



A small glabrous, open-branched, alpine plant. Boot long, 

 fusiform, elongate. Leaves few towards the bottom, f-inch long, 

 with 5-7 deep serratures. Upper and largest portion of plant 

 composed of flowering racemes, which are afterwards replaced 

 by long slender siliqua or pods, 1 inch long. 



It would appear that a gradation of form can be traced in 

 the genus PacJu/cIadon, from Hooker's PacJnjcladun nova- 

 zealandi(r, througli F. glabra, Buch., to the present attenuate 

 form, which may be named Pachycladon attcnuata, Buch. The 

 gradation of form in this case cannot be ascribed to climatic 

 influence, as the three species were all collected at the same 

 altitude and locality, Three Kings Mountain, 6,000 feet altitude. 



