898 Transactions. — Botany. 



Total number of additional species of genera known to 



inhabit New Zealand ... ... ... ... 100 



Total number of species of genera liitherto unknown in 



New Zealand ... ... ... ... 27 



Total number of indigenous species novce (three of them 

 belonging to genera not before known to exist in 

 New Zealand) ... ... ... ... 5 



Total number of species new to our New Zealand flora 132 

 Two striking facts will here immediately arrest our atten- 

 tion (the same, too, as were quite as noticeable on the former 

 occasions above mentioned) — viz., (1) the large number of 

 Fungi here in New Zealand that are identical as to both 

 genera and species with those of England and other western 

 countries, a few of them being almost cosmopolite ; (2) the 

 small number of truly indigenous species novce. And that 

 those Fungi that are at present undiscovered will still con- 

 tinue to be found bearing pretty nearly the same ratio I have 

 little doubt. 



Another fact worthy of notice is the large number of 

 genera not hitherto known to inhabit New Zealand. From 

 the preceding list it appears there are no less than twenty- 

 nine genera new to this country, many of them at present 

 possessing but a single species ; yet, as several of those genera 

 contain a large number of species in other lands, it is but 

 i-easonable to suppose that the number of each genus will be 

 largely augmented here. 



Akt. XLII. — Descriptions of New Native Plants, with Notes 

 on some Known Species. 



By D. Petrie, M.A., F.L.S. 



[Read before the Otarjo I)istit!itc, 13th May, 1890.1 



1. Olearia fragrantissima, sp. nov. 



An erect compact twiggy shrub, 8ft. to 20ft. high ; trunk 

 6in. in section or less ; branchlets flexuous, grooved. 



Leaves alternate, narrow-elliptic or lozenge-shaped, acute 

 and slightly apiculate, thin, lin. to l^^in. long, green and 

 nearly glabrous above, clothed below with delicate rather 

 loose grey tomentum ; veins distinct. 



Heads sessile on very short lateral branches, in sub-race- 

 mose fascicles of 10 to 12, with a cottony bract at the base 

 of each head, smelling strongly and sweetly of api'icots and 

 i^eaches. 



