394 Transactions. 



of several paddocks near the bridge. Ragwort is also in evidence 

 in several parts of the BuUer Valley, and is especially noticeable 

 at Fern Flat. 



It is about eleven miles from the Junction to the Lyell, and 

 on the road I discovered Gratiola peruviana growing in the boggy 

 ground on the roadside, a)id Lythrum hyssopifolium was plentiful 

 there. I secured no novelties about the Lyell Township, so went 

 on to Murchison, where I stayed for a week. On the Buller 

 River bed, close to its junction with the Matakitaki. Corokia 

 cotoneaster was in full berry, Discaria townatou was pleiitiful, 

 and I made my first acquaintance with Epilobium microfhyllum, 

 which I found in abundance on the shingle amongst the drift- 

 wood. 



From Murchison I made my first excursion up the Matakitaki 

 for the purpose of climbing Mount Mantell, and on my way 

 found Helichrysum depressiim, which grows on the shingle-banks 

 in the river-bed. The mountain presents no difficulties to the 

 climber, and there is an ample reward for the labours of the 

 ascent in the extended view which is obtained from the summit, 

 including as it does nearly the whole of the watershed of the 

 Buller. I observed that clover grew luxuriantly around the 

 trig, station, and it is accounted for by the fact that when sheep 

 were run on the mountain the open ground was sown with 

 English grasses and clover. My Mount Mantell collection 

 included Helichrysum microphyllum, Gnaphalimn traversii var. 

 ■mackayi, Veronica traversii and V. arnistrongii, Claytonia austral- 

 asica, Ligusticum piliferum, and Brachycome sinciairii. I was 

 greatly charmed with the wealth of blossom in the guUies, where 

 Senecio lyallii, in tints varying from bright-yellow to pure white, 

 blooms so freely. 



My next excursion was to Mount Murchison, and I was 

 kindly entertained by Mr. Rait, who has a sheep-run at the base 

 of the mountain. He accompanied me in making the ascent on 

 the following morning, and as I was approaching ground which 

 had never been botanized my expectation of securing some rare 

 specimens was correspondingly great. My high hopes were not 

 realised, however, for on reaching the open country the fog 

 descended upon us, and it became so cold and wet that we were 

 compelled to beat a hasty retreat. I gathered, amongst other 

 plants, Celniisia spectahilis and C. hieracifolia, Craspedia fimbriata 

 var. lanata — found for the first and last time — Epilobium novce- 

 zealandicB and E. chlorcefolium, Euphrasia monroi, Geuni leiosper- 

 mum, Pimelea lyallii, Myosotis australis, Pozoa roughii, Celmisia 

 monroi, and Veronica cockayniana. 



I was sorry not to have the opportunity of spending another 

 day on Mount Murchison, but my time was very limited, and I 



