48 Transaction 



Art. IV.— Descriptions of New Native Phanerogams, with other Short 



Notices. 



By D. Petrie, M.A.. Ph.D. 



[Bead before the Auckland Institute, 16th December, 1914.] 



1 . Aciphylla Cuthbertiana sp. nov. 



Caules caespitosi 25-35 cm. alti graciles + 3 mm. in diam. leviter 

 canaliculati. 



Folia 20-30 cm. longa longe petiolata trifoliolata v. pinnata cum folio- 

 lorum paribus cluobus (raro unifoliolata) : foliolis 10 15 cm. longis anguste 

 linearibus striatis basi iterumque subaltius articulatis acuminatis sub- 



A. 



pungentibus ; petiolis foliolis aequilongis ac aequilatis basi articulatis ; 

 vaginis petiolis multo brevioribus a lateribus spinas breves subulato- 

 acuminatas edentibus. 



Inflorescentia feminea + 9 cm. longa, umbellis parvis bracteis confertis 

 latis longiusculis vaginantibus paene absconditis ; bracteis apice trifolio- 

 Iatis (raro unifoliolatis). % 



Fructus 5 mm. longus, carpellis distincte I 5-alatis. 



Stems tufted, 25-35 cm. high, long-petiolate trifoliolate or pinnate with 

 2 distant pairs of leaflets (rarely unifoliolate), glabrous ; leaflets 10-15 cm. 

 long, narrow linear, striate, acuminate, subpungent, + 2 mm. broad, jointed 

 at the point of origin and again some distance above, midrib prominent 

 above and channelled, edges thickened smooth, venation very obscure ; 

 petioles as wide and as long as the leaflets, above concave or nearly 

 flat, jointed at the base ; midrib little prominent ; sheaths much shorter 

 than the petioles, polished, membranous, dilated downwards, with 2 short 

 subulate acuminate spines at the top. 



Male inflorescence broadly linear-oblong; peduncles much branched. 

 the lower long, the upper gradually shorter ; lower involucral bracts leaf- 

 like, long-sheathing, the upper simple narrowed into an acuminate tip 

 without lateral spines. Female inflorescence short and broad, ± 9 cm. 

 long, umbels small with sparingly branched peduncles nearly hidden by 

 the crowded broad long-sheathing bracts that terminate in an acuminate 

 leaflet flanked by 2 lateral linear spines or are uawowed to a single fine 

 point. 



Fruits rather huge. 5 mm. long, carpels strongly I -5-winged. 



Hab. — Subalpine meadow on the mountains of Fiord County, the 

 Hump, and End Peak; J. Crosby Smith! Mount Cleughearn ; Messrs. 

 ( 'losby Smith and Cuthbert ! 



The very narrow long rather flaccid leaves and their strongly marked 

 articulations are ready distinguishing characters for this species. Mr. 

 Cuthbert's services and kind assistance have made exploration in the neigh- 

 bourhood of his " run " at Sunnvside a comparatively easy task. 



2. Aciphylla Crosby-Smithii sp. nov. (preliminary notice). 



This plant was collected by Mr. J. Crosby Smith in January last, at an 

 elevation of about 5,000 ft., on Mount Cleughearn, Fiord County. It is 



