Laing. — Rediscover II of Ranunculus critliuiifolius. 



193 



carnosulum, and although Ranunculus Haastii was not seen on the same 

 shiiigle-slip it is to be found in the district. A careful search revealed 

 scapes that had done flowering and showed the plant to be a Ranunculus, 

 and on taking it back to camp it was found to agree in every detail with 

 Hooker's description of Ranunculus crithmifoUus. It is strange that a 

 plant which had been lost for nearly fifty years should be obtained about a 

 hundred and fifty miles away from its first-discovered habitat, but still in 

 association with the same species originally found in its vicinity. A long 

 search failed to reveal any flowers, and only a few achene-bearing plants 

 were found. 



A little needs to be added to the original description. Some living 

 specimens were obtained, and one or two of these were given to Mr. J. R. 

 Wilkinson, of Bushside, Mount Somers. He has been able to grow them, 



a 



'$1. 







a, b. Leaves ; half natural size. 



c. Plant ; half natural size. 



d. Flower, from front ; half natural size. 



e. Flower, from back ; half natural size. One sepal has become leaflike. 

 /. Fruit ; magnified twice. 



and forwarded me, on the 20th September of this year, a fully expanded 

 flower. I am thus able to give a more complete description of the plant 

 than has hitherto been possible, for Travers's specimen was in fruit only. 



The horizontal rootstock, which is about 1 cm. in diameter, sends out 

 at intervals loose rosettes of 6-8 leaves, which die down in the autumn. 

 When mature the leaves are 6-10 cm. high, and of the usual grey-green 

 of the plants of the shingle-slip. The petioles are 5-7 cm. long, channelled, 

 and end in a somewhat membranous yellow-brov/n leaf-sheath, about 2 cm. 

 in length. The leaf is usually ternately divided, the petiolule about equalling 

 the blade in length. The latter is more or less triangular in outline, and 



7— Trans. 



