270 Transactions. 



Art. XXI. — Contributions to a Fuller Knowledge of the Floralpf 



New Zealand : No. 2. 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Curator of the Auckland 



Museum. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute. 30th October, 1907.] 



For this second instalment of notes under the above title (for 

 the first see Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxxix, p. 439) I am again 

 largely indebted to the kindness of numerous friends and cor- 

 respondents in various parts of the Dominion. I particularly 

 wish to acknowledge my obligations to Messrs. D. Petrie, 

 H. J. Matthews, F. G. Gibbs, W. Townson, K. H. Matthews, 

 H. Carse, Rev. F. H. Spencer, J. H. Harvey, J. H. Macmahon, 

 and A. Hansen. 



I have also incorporated with the notes some observations 

 of my own on certain plants noticed during three short visits 

 to the elevated central plateau of the North Island in the years 

 1902, 1905, and in January, 1907. During this last visit I 

 was accompanied by the Rev. F. H. Spencer and Mr. A. Allison, 

 of Wanganui. We had hoped to spend a fortnight or three 

 weeks in an exploration of the western flanks of Tongariro, 

 Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu. A very convenient camp was pitched 

 on the saddle separating Ngauruhoe from Ruapehu, at an ele- 

 vation of 3,800 ft., and from this as a base we had planned 

 expeditions in all directions. But after three or four days' 

 successful work the weather broke, and veritable torrents of rain 

 fell, with snow on the higher levels. All communication with the 

 various parts of the district was cut off by floods of exceptional 

 height ; and we were reluctantly compelled to beat a retreat 

 to the line of the Central Trunk Railway. 



I am not without hopes of revisiting the district under more 

 favourable circumstances, and of preparing a detailed account 

 of the vegetation, together with a full list of the species, towards 

 both of which objects I have made some considerable prepara- 

 tions. But for the present this must be deferred. 



I. RANUNCULACEiE. 



Ranunculus Matthewsii. 



Mr. H. J. Matthews informs me that this occurs on the 

 mountains above Lake Harris, and on those Hanking the left 

 branch of the Matukituki River, western Otago. 



