Cheeseman. — Flora of New Zealand. 281 



just inside the margin. These pits are evident even in dried 

 specimens, and persist in plants cultivated under altogether 

 different surroundings to those of the original habitat of the 

 variety. So far as I am aware, these pits are not at all common 

 in Veronica, although I have noticed a few irregularly placed 

 ones on the leaves of P. macrocarpa and V. salicifolia. 



Veronica buxifolia. 



Waimarino Plains, Rangipo Desert, &c, and slopes of 

 Tongariro and Ruapehu, stretching all round the mountains ; 

 altitude, 3,000-5,000 ft, ; T. F. C. 



Veronica tetragona. 



Plentiful all round the base of Tongariro and Ruapehu, 

 and ascending to over 5,000 ft. ; T. F. C. 



A form is frequently seen in which the scale-like leaves 

 are longer and proportionately narrower, and not so closely 

 appressed to the branch. Probably it is an intermediate state 

 between the juvenile stage and the fully matured one. but if 

 so it must persist for many years. 



Veronica propinqua. 



Rock and Pillar Range, Otago ; R. H. Matthews. 



Veronica Petriei. 



Mountains above Lake Harris, Otago ; R. H. Matthews. 



Veronica cataractae, var. diffusa. 



Ravines at the base of Tongariro and Ruapehu ; altitude, 

 2,500-4,000 ft. ; T. F. C. 



Veronica Hookeriana. 



Shingly or rocky slopes on Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Rua- 

 pehu ; altitude, 4,000-6,000 ft. ; T. F. C. 



A remarkably handsome plant, nowhere more abundant 

 than on the shingle-slopes overlooking the lakes Nga Puna a 

 Tama, on the saddle between Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. The 

 colour of the flowers has been usually described as white, or 

 white streaked with pink ; but almost all the specimens seen 

 by me had bluish-purple or almost violet-purple flowers of 

 varying hue, some lighter, some darker. Only two or three 

 plants were noticed the flowers of which could be called white. 



Veronica spathulata. 



Shingle- slopes on Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu, not 

 common, ascending to the summit of Tongariro ; altitude, 

 6,500 ft,; T.F.C. 



This is a true shingle-plant, with long often tortuous pro- 



