24 Papers. 



facts that rats attack the Gastrodia tuber, that birds apparently spread the 

 tutsan (Hypericum Androsoenum) seeds, and that the tainui (Pomaderris 

 apetala) has been completely destroyed at Kawhia. where it was formerly 

 abundant. Dr. L. Cockayne, J. S. Tennant, and E. K. Waite (" Subantarctic 

 Islands of New Zealand," pp. 235, 599) also have some remarks on the effect 

 of pigs on Auckland and of sheep on Campbell Island floras. (See also 

 Dr. L. Cockayne in Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 36, p. 297.) 



Mr. Cheeseman ("Manual of the New Zealand Flora," pp. 81, 82, 223) 

 mentions that Hibiscus diver sifolius (family Malvaceae) is being destroyed 

 rapidly by cattle, fires, &c. ; that Entelea arborescens (family Tiliaceae)* is 

 greedily eaten by cattle and horses, and is consequently becoming rare on 

 the mainland, except in comparatively inaccessible situations ; and that 

 Angelica gingidium has become scarce owing to the attacks of stock. 



I am indebted to Messrs. T. F. Cheeseman, D. Petrie, E. Phillips Turner, 

 F. R. Field, and A. Morris Jones for much information contained in this 

 paper. 



2. Note on Helichrysum fasciculatum Buchanan. 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S. 



In the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," vol. 9, p. 529, Mr. J. 

 Buchanan described, under the name of Helichrysum, fasciculatum; a plant 

 collected on the Tararua Mountains by Mr. H. H. Travers. When pre- 

 paring my " Manual of the New Zealand Flora," Mr. Buchanan's types 

 of that particular species were not accessible to me, and the only specimen 

 available for examination was in such poor condition that no positive con- 

 clusions could be arrived at. Under such circumstances, I had to rely 

 principally on Mr. Buchanan's description and figure, which seemed to 

 show that the species was distinct. » 



During a recent visit to the Dominion Museum I had an opportunity of 

 inspecting Mr. Buchanan's original specimens, and was at once impressed 

 with their resemblance to Raoulia grandiflora. Since then Mr. Hamilton 

 has been kind enough to lend them to me for leisurely examination, the 

 result of which I submit herewith. In the first place, an examination of 

 the flowers proves that the plant cannot be referred to Helichrysum, as that 

 genus is understood at the present time. Helichrysum, in addition to its 

 numerous hermaphrodite florets (a character which distinguishes it from 

 Gnaphalium, in which the female florets outnumber the hermaphrodite), 

 possesses slender pappus-hairs, which are scabrid or pectinate at the base, 

 and the achenes are either glabrous or simply puberulous. Now, in Mr. 

 Buchanan's plant the hermaphrodite florets certainly outnumber the 

 females, but the pappus-hairs are stout, rigid, compressed, thickened and 

 toothed above, but quite naked at the base, and the achenes are hirsute 

 with long hairs. These characters of the pappus and achenes are not only 

 at variance with the definition of Helichrysum, but agree perfectly with that 

 of the section Imbricaria of the genus Raoulia, to which R. grandiflora 

 belongs. 



Comparing 11. fasciculatum with R. grandiflora, they appear almost 

 identical, one important difference being alone noticeable : R. grandi- 

 flora invariably has its flower-heads solitary and terminal. I have gathered 



* Stock are also partial to the allied winebeiiv (Aristotelia racemosa). 



