388 Transactions. 



with the white star-like flowers of Lipawphyllum gunnii, which 

 are at times submerged, the plant growing deeply bedded in the 

 peaty soil. Both of these plants I have also found on the pakihis, 

 almost at sea-level, growing in the peaty bogs and on the spongy 

 banks of the watercourses, and they are both quite common 

 in these situations. The gentians at the lower levels are Gen- 

 tiana spenceri and G. townsoni, Cheesem., a new species which 

 Mr. Cheeseman has honoured me by giving my name to, and 

 which is one of our most beautiful West Coast flowers. It grows 

 in the open and most exposed situations, and many plants 

 may often be seen clustered together ; and as several stems 

 generally arise from one root, each crowned with its umbel of 

 large white flowers, a patch of these gentians forms a veritable 

 beauty-spot upon the uniformly dreary surface of these bog- 

 lands. Gentiana spenceri affects the scrub, and where it grows 

 on the open ground I imagine that the bushes which formerly 

 sheltered it have been burnt off. Up at the trig, station Gen- 

 tiana Montana whitens the surface and blooms in magnificent 

 profiision amongst the tussocks of Danthonia raoulii. 



A peculiar form of Celmisia is found on these upland bogs 

 which has the unusual habit of not only growing on the open 

 ground, but also deep in the shelter of the scrub. Mr. Cheese- 

 man has decided that it is a new species, and has named it 

 Celmisia duhia. In the low forest under the shade of Fagus 

 cUffortioides, Dacrydium hiforme, Elceocarpus hooherianus, and 

 Panax lineare grows another rarity — viz., Drimys traversii. 

 On the Westport mountains it seldom exceeds a height of 16 in., 

 and it straggles over the moss-covered rocks just where the low 

 forest is thinning out at the higher levels. It is a shy bloomer, 

 and for flowering specimens I have always had to make a close 

 search, as its small green flowers are very inconspicuous ; and 

 only on one occasion did I find the dark-purple berry, so I con- 

 clude that the ripe berries, with those of Astelia lineare, which 

 are also hard to find, form a part of the diet of the wekas 

 which abound in those regions. From 1,500 ft. to 2,500 ft. is 

 its altitudinal range, and Mount Rochfort and Mount Frederic 

 are the only mountains on which I have found it growing, never 

 having met with it on the Paparoas across the Buller River. 

 I had the good fortune to discover in the same situation a little 

 orchis which forms a new genus, and which Mr. Cheeseman has 

 honoured me by naming Townsonia. 



I must take this opportunity of thanking him for the com- 

 pliment which he has paid me in thus associating my name with 

 the science of botany in New Zealand, and giving me such 

 liberal rewards for my work, which has always proved to be to 

 me a labour of love. This delicate little plant Townsonia de- 



