KiKK. — 0)1 tJie Bolaiii/ of the Snares. 429 



paitially-decoinposed leaves and stems of old plants and the 

 roots of young plants. The seeds often germinate in the cap- 

 sule ; and it was no uncommon thing to find capsules still 

 attached to the stems and containing apparently perfect seeds 

 imbedded some three or four inches below the surface of the 

 mass; the old surface having become clothed with a growth 

 of young plants too quickly to allow of the germination of the 

 buried seeds. 



Another interesting plant was an undescribed Liyiisticum, 

 to which I have given the name of-L. acntifolium. It was 

 observed in one place only, at an altitude of about three 

 hundred and fifty feet abo^e sea-level ; its stems below the 

 leaves were nearly as thick as a man's wrist, and the entire 

 plant was about 4ft. high. Its nearest allies are L. inter- 

 vicdium, Hook, f., and L. lyallii, Hook, f., but it is destitute 

 of the viscid milky juice which is so characteristic of those 

 species in the recent state. The leaves are membranous, 

 thrice-pinnate, with large acute segments, and the fruits 

 approach those of L. lijallii. Unfortunately, the specimens 

 seen were past flowering. 



The most striking herbaceous plant on the island is un- 

 doubtedly the punui {Aralia lyallii, var. rohusta), which is 

 sometimes 3ft. high or more, with noble orbicular reniform 

 leaves over 2ft. in diameter. It differs from the typical form in 

 wanting the reinarkable stolons of that plant, in the petioles 

 being very stout, flat on the upper surface and concave 

 beneath, giving a plano-convex section, and in their being 

 nearly solid instead of terete, thin-walled, and fistulose. The 

 flowers also, although forming equally large masses with the 

 type, are individually smaller, and invariably of a dull pale- 

 yellow '"-ue, never lurid ; but tliere is no structural difference, 

 although it must be admitted that at first sight the plant 

 appears to depart widely from the type. 



Lepidiuvi olcraccuva was found in one or two places in the 

 cliffs associated with Myosotis capitata, var. albida, a form 

 frequent on Stewart Island. Lomaria dura was plentiful 

 everywhere close to the sea. 



A few naturalized European plants have been introduced by 

 the sealers, and the following coi'nmon New Zealand plants, 

 which appear to be recent immigrants on the Snares, have 

 doubtless been introduced by the same agency : — 



Sonchus oleraceus, L. 

 Juncus bufonius, L. 

 Hierochloe redolens, 11. Br. 

 Deyeuxia forsteri, Kunth. 



Mosses are exceptionally rare, Hypnmn serpens was the 

 only species identified; another species was observed on the 



