Petrie. — On Poa breviglumis, Hook. f. 199 



distinct absence of " prominent nerves " in the flowering-glumes compels 

 one to entertain. 



It is in the variety of Poa imbecilla, Forst., which I have described as 

 " Poa Matthewsii " that the acute, prominently nerved, and scabrid flower- 

 ing-glumes occur, but no specimen of this variety has so far been met with 

 on the subantarctic islands. Whether Poa Matthewsii is to be regarded 

 as a distinct species or not cannot be settled until more ample and better 

 specimens are available. Probably some of the forms included in it may 

 Le more correctly placed under Poa imbecilla, Forst. ; but the forms with 

 the long, slender, strongly nerved spikelets stand on a dift'erent footing. 



Art. XX. — On the Naturalisation of Calluna vulgaris, Salish., in the 



Tawpo District. 



By D. Petrie, M.A. 



{Read before the Auckland Institute, 22nd November, 1909.] 



During a short visit to the Taupo district early in February of this year 

 I Avas told that the Scotch heather {anglice, ling) had become established 

 near the Opepe Bush. I took occasion to visit the locality referred to, 

 and found that this interesting introduction had secured a firm footing 

 over an area of some two or three acres. The plants were in full flower, 

 though most of them were still young, as the ground has repeatedly had 

 fires run through it to clear off the manuka {Leptospermum scoparium, 

 Forst.) that forms the natural plant covering of the district. The fires 

 kill off all the older plants, but great numbers readily grow up from seed, 

 and the species must be considered to have firmly established itself in this 

 locality. How far it has spread by natural causes is at present uncertain, as 

 I do not know how widely the seed was originally sown ; but there is eve'ry 

 prospect of its spreading readily, as the plant is well adapted to the habitat, 

 and seedlings grow up in abundance. I was informed that the seed was 

 sown by Major Roberts, till lately Stipendiary Magistrate at Tauranga, 

 during the later part of the war with the Natives in Te Kooti's time. I 

 have been unable to learn from this gentleman the time and circumstances 

 of the sowing of the seed. 



It is important that the introduction and establishment of such exotic 

 plants as this should be noted, and its spread deserves to be watched. The 

 land on which the heather grows is a flat dry terrace of pumiceous soil, 

 such as one finds over most of the Taupo and Kaingaroa Plains. A very 

 large area of similar country is available for it to invade. The spot where 

 it is now established is about three-quarters of a mile from the small bush 

 at which Mr. King has fixed his residence. To him I am chiefly indebted 

 for such particulars about its introduction as I have been able to glean. 



