448 Tran sactions. — Boiany . 



developed, souietimes of irregular shape, at others resembling 

 ordinary leaves, except in size. Head lin.-2i^in. diameter, 

 with numerous series of closely-imbricating involucral leaves, 

 which are excessively tomentose, tips acuminate, flat or re- 

 cm'ved ; in some specimens the basal series is greatly enlarged, 

 forming a kind of spurious involucre. The ray-florets are very 

 numerous, filiform and tubular below, with rather long flat 

 rays ; disc-florets yellow. Achene very long and excessively 

 silky ; pappus 1-seriate, hairs thickened upwards, white 

 changing to reddish-brown w"hen dry. 



The abnormal development of bracts may partly be caused 

 by external conditions. Three plants which I had under cul- 

 tivation in pots some years ago produced naked peduncles for 

 two years, but on their roots becoming cramped bracts were 

 freely developed on most of the peduncles. Even in the wild 

 state naked and bracteate peduncles may be found on the 

 same branch, and it is certain that bracts are more freely de- 

 veloped in some seasons than in others. 



Olearia marginata, Colenso, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv. (1884), 

 p. 321, appears to be a form of 0. insignis, with bracteate 

 peduncles, and the tomentum produced beyond the margin of 

 the leaves, but I have not seen authenticated specimens of 

 ]\Ir. Colenso's plant. It was found near Eenwicktown, Marl- 

 borough. 



Olearia grandiflora, Hook, f., Ic. PI., t. 862, from South 

 Australia, and 0. pannosa, Hook. f. [Euryhia j^cmnosa, F. 

 Mueller, PI. Vict., t. 32), from South Australia and Victoria, 

 are nearly allied to 0. insignis, Hook. f. 



All the species of this section are easily cultivated, and re- 

 quire very little special treatment. They bear cutting-in 

 freely, and are easily propagated by layers and cuttings. They 

 will flourish in any ordinary garden-soil, but attain their 

 greatest luxuriance in a mixture of peat and loam. 



AiiT. LI. — Notes on Certain Species of Carex in New Zealand.^ 

 By T. KiEK, F.L.S. 



\_Iicad before the Wellington Pliilosopliical Society, 13ili Fcifniari/, 



1891.] 



Carex glaiica, Scop., Fl. Carn., ii., p. 223; Rchb., Ic. Fl. 



Germ., cent, vii., 269. C. recurva, Huds., Fl. Aug., 413. 



E.B. 1506. 



This species was detected by Miss Kirk between Evans 

 and Lyall Bays, Port Nicholson, where it grows in large quan- 



