Papers and Abstracts. ol 



(I'lKiUnujinta irinofabilis Waite. 



Three specimens weie originally taken off the coast of New South Wales, and 

 those now recorded constitute a record for New Zealand, the genus not being 

 previously known from our waters. 



Several examples were obtained in tlie Ikiy of l^lenty, at depths from 'J') to 

 04 fathoms. The largest specimen previously known was Ll'i mm. in length, but 

 specimens trawled in New Zealand show that it attains much grcatei dimensions, 

 up to a( least oliO mm 



Kdf/iefo.'ifniiKi ijlynnteuin ?laast 



The species of Kof/iefosto/iin hitherto regarded as A', lafve is distinct from the 

 Australian species, differing in relative proportions and in colour-markings. The 

 name A'. ijUjnnteuin is to be used for the New Zealand form. 



:{. The Alkaloids of the Pukatea. Hv H. C. Aston. (Jouni. riioin. 

 Sdc, xcvii, pp. I.'uSl-ST. July, 1910.) 



In addition to the author's previously published work (see Proc. N.Z. Inst.. 

 1909. pt. ii. p. 56), the methods of preparation, description, and analyses of the. 

 salts of the alkaloid Laureline CigHoiOaN, the sulphate (C, pH2i03N)2HoS047HoO, 

 the hydrochloride C, cfHoiOgN HCI, and the nitrate (l|s,H2,0aN HNO3, are given. 

 The provisional formula C'l.jHisOaN is suggested for a third alkaloid, neither the 

 base nor the salts of which could be obtained in a crystalline state. Pukateine, 

 (\7H17O3N, is shown to possess feebly acid properties in the jnesence of a strong base, 

 forming salts with the alkali metals of the formula Ci^HirMO^N (M— KorNe) 



and to have an optical activity of a ]> — 220°. g f< p^ 



4. Pflanzengeographie. By L. Diels. Pp. 163, witli 1 map. Leipzig: 

 G. J. Gotschen'sche Verlagshandlung, 1908. 



This book is of interest to New Zealand botanists not only because it states 

 clearly and briefly the fundamental principles of phytogeography, but because 

 there are some important remarks regarding the New Zealand flora. 



The subject-matter is treated under four heads — namely, floristic plant- 

 geography, ecological plant-geography, genetic plant-geography, a synopsis of the 

 floral regions of the earth. 



The term " plant formation " is used in its broadest sense, and the follow- 

 ing are given as types of vegetation applicable to the whole earth : (a) Sea 

 vegetation (thallassium) ; [h) fresh-water vegetation (limnium) ; (c) mangrove 

 (halodrymium) : (rf) rain-forest (hygrodrymium) ; {(■) monsonn-forest (tropodry- 

 mium) ; (/) summer-forest (therodrymium) ; [g] coniferous forest (conodrymitun) ; 

 (/() dry forest (xerodrymium) ; (/) heath (mesothamnium) : (/■) savannah (meso- 

 poium) ; (/) steppe (xeropoium) ; [in] meadow (hygropoiuin) : (/i) meadow-moor 

 (low-moor, hygrophorbium) ; (o) moss-moor (high-moor, hygrosphagnium) ; {-p) mat- 

 vegetation — "matte" (mesophorbium) [This is the " niat-gras.sland " and "mat- 

 herbage" of Warming, and is represented in New Zealand by the closed asso- 

 ciation of herbaceous and suffruticosc plants on the wetter mountains] ; (q) diy 

 pasture, " trift " (xercjphorljium). defined by the author as a formation of peren- 

 nial herbs occurring in a climate with m Inw rainfall, or on dry ground, the eastern 

 slopes of the Southern Alps of New Zealand being cited as a noteworthy ex- 

 a.mple, where on the stony groimd of the east an open xeromorphic pasture 

 (" trift ") offers a great contrast to the closed mat-heibage (" matte ") of the western 

 slopes. 



Part iv, dealing with the divisions of the plant-world, is iiased on the 

 opinion that in estimating phytogeographical aieas the facts of floristic, genetic, 

 and ecological plant-geography must all be considered, tliougli the two first- 

 named branches must supply the details fiist to be considered. 



The following is the classification proposed : (1.) The Palaeotropic Floral 

 Kingdom (Palaeotropis). This comprises the tropical lands of the Old World 

 and their descendants in the plant-geographical sense. It is subdivided into 

 3— Proc, pt. ii. 



