Cockayne. — New Species of New Zealand Flowering -plants. 117 



latter cross were sent to me by Mr. Christensen, but 1 await more material 

 before drawing up a diagnosis. 



Since writing the above I have been informed that specimens of what 

 is here called x C. Morrisonii were some time ago received by Kew from 

 Mr. H. H. Travers, he having in his turn got them from Mr. McEvov, who 

 had, however, been made acquainted with the plant by Mr. Christensen. 

 Later on, Mr. Travers heard from Kew that the plant would be named 

 C. insignis. I am under the impression that this is merely a nonien nudum, 

 and, as I do not know who is the authority for the name, I am not substi- 

 tuting insignis for Morrisonii, as I would otherwise have done. The hybrid 

 has been known to me since 1899, when I found one plant in the vicinity 

 of Jack's Pass. 



Helichrysum (() dimorphum Cockayne sp. nov. 



Frutex scandens circ. 6-8 m. altus. Caulis circ. 2 cm. diam., flexilis, 

 primo non-ramosus denique dense rainosus ; rarnuli ultimi valde gracillimi, 

 foliis parvis imbricatis adpressis obsiti. Folia in planta juvenili et etiam 

 in planta adulti in umbra crescenta, subpatentes, elliptica vel ovato-oblonga, 

 circ. 3-5-5 mm. longa, 2 mm. lata, brevissime petiolata petiolo 1 mm. lato, 

 coriacea, supra glabra et conspicue nervosa, subtus tomentosa pilis sericeis 

 albidis, margine incrassata glaberrima, apice acuta apiculo brevissimo 

 ornata ; folia in planta adulti arete adpressa, imbricata, squamiformia, 

 lineari-lanceolata, obtusa, 3 mm. longa, 1 mm. lata, supra concava, pilosa 

 pilis albidis sericeis. subtus convexa, glabra. Capitula terminalia, parva, 

 subcylindriea, 9 mm. longa, 3-5 mm. diam. vel minora ; involucri squamae 

 multiseriatae, exterioribus oblongis vel obovatis, pilosis, marginibus scariosis 

 apicibus brunneis, interioribus lineari-oblongis, scariosis, obtusis ; flosculi 

 circ. 18, omnes hermaphroditi (?) ; pappi setae numerosae, graciles ; achenium 

 glabrum. 



South Island : Canterbury — Climbing through and over river-terrace 

 scrub on the banks of the River Poulter, near the Mount White Bridge, and 

 at Puffer's Creek, 'Waimakariri River basin. L. C. 



H. dimorphum is not only one of the rarest species in the flora, only 

 two plants being known so far, but, what is more important, it is a remark- 

 able addition to the lianes of New Zealand. 



It can be recognized at a glance by its scrambling habit, slender branch- 

 lets with very small, adpressed, scale-like leaves, something after the manner 

 of HeUchrysam microphyllum, its semi-patent, flat leaves of the reversion- 

 shoots which are glabrous above with the anastomosing raised veins clearlv 

 evident, tomentose beneath and with thickened glabrous margins. The 

 heads are very small, long and narrow, and their involucral scales in several 

 series, the outer being much smaller than the inner ; the florets are about 

 18 in number, and are perhaps homogamous ; the achene is glabrous. The 

 main stem is stout below, unbranched and flexible. When the tops of the 

 shrubs are gained the plant branches abundantly, forming dense masses 

 of the slender cupressoid twigs. 



I am not at all sure as to the genus of the plant, as my material was 

 scanty so far as flower-heads were concerned. However, the main reason 

 for publication is to call attention to this remarkable plant in the hope that 

 some one may be induced to visit the locality where the species is growing 

 and collect more material, or to look for other examples in river-terrace 

 scrub of the Waimakariri or its tributaries. 



