I I I.— B T A N Y. 



Akt. XL. — A Description of some Neioly -discovered Indigenous 

 Plants, being a Further Contribution to2vards the making 

 hnoivn the Botany of New Zealand. 



By W. CoLENSo, F.K.S., F.L.S., &c. 



'Bead before the Haiche's Bay Philosophical Institute, IMh July and 14th 

 November, 1890. \ 



Class I. DICOTYLEDONS. 



Order I. Eanunculace.e. 

 Genus 3.='^ Ranunculus, Linn. 

 1. B. muricatulus, sp. nov. 



Plant small ; rootstock perennial, short, very thick, with 

 many long descending rootlets. Leaves 10-20, sub-rosulate, 

 radiately-spreading, equal in length, closely appressed to the 

 ground, broadly ovate or sub-orbicular in outline, li-3 lines 

 diameter, tips obtuse, bases truncate, usually 3-lobed ; lobes 

 nearly equal, their tips obtuse rounded, sometimes sub-acute 

 and notched, green, with purplish margins, 3- (sub 5-) nerved, 

 nervp"; cimple, slightly hairy on upper surface more so beneath ; 

 hairs long, white, straight, extending beyond margins ; petioles 

 Un. long, slender, sulcated, purple, very hairy, their bases 

 glabrous, membranous, much dilated and clasping. Scapes, 

 usually 1-3 to a plant, slender, erect, l^in.-3in. high, purple, 

 with darker spots, very hairy ; hairs white, closely appressed 

 above, with muricated bases, patent below, Flower iin. 

 diameter, spreading. Sepals 5, purple, scarcely half the length 

 of petals, spreading, ovate, tips obtuse, strongly 1-nerved, the 

 2 (or 3) outer ones with broad filmy white edges, very hairy, 

 hairs white, with large muricated bases, extending beyond 

 tips and margins. Petals 5 (very rarely 6), linear-oblong, 

 obtuse, golden-yellow, shining, purplish on outside, with darker 

 purple streaks on nerves, 5-7-nerved, nerves branching above ; 

 gland near base large, extending across petal, truncate, free, 



* The numbers attached to the orders and genera in this paper are 

 those of them in the " Handbook, Flora of New Zealand." 



