Cheeseman. — Note* on Aciphylla- 41 



gradually becoming smaller with narrower and more pungent segments : 

 uppermost tipped with a trifid leaflet 1-1| in. long, the segments very 

 narrow-linear and spinous. Inflorescence compact, narrow-linear-oblong, 

 8 12 in. long, female slightly narrower than the male. Umbels very 

 numerous, compound, more or less concealed within the sheathing-bracts. 

 Fruit linear-oblong, not seen in a perfectly mature state. 



This was first collected by Mr. Townson in 1904, but, unfortunately, 

 that portion of the Manual dealing with the Umbelliferae had then passed 

 through the printer's hands, so that I was unable to include it in the 

 work. It is clearly allied to A. Hookeri, but is a much larger and more 

 rigid and coriaceous plant, with the ultimate segments manv times longer 

 and considerably broader, and not conspicuously scpiarrose. The inflor- 

 escence is also much larger and broader, and altogether the aspect of 

 the plant is very dissimilar. Mr. Townson's specimens from Mount 

 Bovis are smaller, and the ultimate segments of the leaves are shorter, 

 showing a slight approach to A. Hookeri. 



A. oreophila Petrie. (.4. intermedia Petrie.) 



This was also gathered by Mr. Townson, on Mount Holdsworth, 

 Tararua Range, in January. 1908, specimens of both sexes being 

 obtained. The male inflorescence, which was not described by Petrie, 

 is apparently not much more lax than the female. Mr. Townson 

 remarks that it is a somewhat rare and local plant, not many examples 

 being observed. 



A. pinnatifida Petrie. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. Speden, of Gore, for excellent specimens of this 

 distinct species. He informs me that it is not uncommon at high altitudes 

 on the mountains of south-west Otago, usually along the margins of 

 streams or in alpine bogs. It evidently attains a greater size than given 

 by Mr. Petrie, some of Mr. Speden's specimens being nearly a foot in 

 height, with leaves 6-8 in. long. The female inflorescence, which is not 

 described by Mr. Petrie, is much contracted, the umbels being almost 

 concealed in the sheaths of the bracts. In the males the inflorescence 

 is more open, and the sheaths of the bracts less developed. Its nearest 

 ally is probably A. Lyallii. 



A. Monroi Hook. f. 



The original description of this species, published in the second 

 volume of the " Flora Novae-Zelandiae " (p. 330), is much more correct 

 than the later one given in the Handbook, which, I am informed by 

 Mr. Hemsley, included several plants not really belonging to the species. 

 Munro's type was discovered in 1853 in the Awatere Valley, Marl- 

 borough, on the "summit of Macrae's Run, alt. 4,500ft.'' With the 

 assistance of Mr. Hemsley, I have figured it in the recently issued 

 " Illustrations of the New Zealand Flora " (t. 63). It will be noticed 

 that the leaves are sparingly bipinnate at the base, which I find to be 

 characteristic of the great majority of the specimens gathered by myself 

 in various localities in Nelson and Canterbury, although sometimes 

 depauperated states from high altitudes are simply pinnate. In several 

 localities in Cant rbury, however, at moderate altitudes, I have gathered 

 a larger and more robust plant, with the leaves uniformly pinnate, never 

 bipinnate at the base, and with the leaflets broader and flatter. In the 



