PLATE 59.—AZORELULA HAASTII. 
Famity UMBELLIFER/..] [Genus AZORELLA, Lam. 
Azorella Haastii, Benth. & Hook. f. ex T. Kirk, Students’ Fl. 192: Cheesem. Man. N.Z. 
Fl. 201. 
For the first discovery of this fine plant we are indebted to Sir Julius von 
Haast, who in May, 1862, collected it in the upper part of the Hopkins River, 
which, after uniting with the Dobson, flows into the head of Lake Ohau. Later 
on he gathered it in the valley of the Hunter, above Lake Hawea, and subsequently 
in several localities in the central chain of the Southern Alps. In 1864 Sir J. D. 
Hooker published it in the first part of the ‘‘ Handbook of the New Zealand Flora,” 
very appropriately using the name of its enthusiastic discoverer, who in the years 
between 1860 and 1870 did more for the botanical exploration of the mountains 
of the South Island than any other person. Since that period it has been proved 
to be fairly plentiful in most of the mountain districts of the South Island, from 
Nelson to Otago. Its altitudinal range is from 2,0001t. to 5,000 ft. There are 
specimens in Mr. Kirk’s herbarium collected on the Ruahine Range by Mr. A. 
Hamilton, but I have seen no other examples from the North Island. 
The nearest ally of A. Haast is undoubtedly the Auckland Island 
A. reniformis, which in fact only differs in its smaller size, entire stipules, few- 
flowered umbels, and fruit always longer than its pedicel. But reduced states of 
A. Haastii come very near to A. reniformis, and in fact have been mistaken 
for it both by myself and the late Mr. Kirk (see ‘Students’ Flora,” p. 192). 
I cannot doubt that both plants are recent offshoots from a common parent. 
The New Zealand species of Azorella were originally placed in the genus Pozoa 
by Sir J. D. Hooker. In the “Genera Plantarum” Pozoa was merged with 
Azorella ; but the New Zealand species (with the exception of A. Selago, which 
is a typical Azorella) were placed in Hooker’s subgenus Schizeilema, which was 
originally proposed in the “Flora Antarctica” for A. reniformis. In a recent 
number of Engler’s “ Botanische Jahrbucher” (vol. xl, p. 573) Dr. Karl Domin 
proposes to constitute a separate genus of Schizeilema, pointing out that it is 
not only separated by a marked difference in habit, but by other characters of 
importance. He would include in it not only the New Zealand forms, but also two 
species from the extreme south of South America, and the Australian Azorella 
Muelleri, Benth. (Schizeilema fragosum, Domin). There is much to be said in 
favour of Domin’s views; and if the present plate had not been already struck 
off when his memoir reached New Zealand I should have adopted his name of 
Schizelema Haastii. 
It may be stated that in Domin’s memoir a variety of A. Haasti is stated 
to possess “blue petals.” This I believe to be incorrect so far as the fresh state 
is concerned, but I have frequently noticed the petals to take on a blueish tinge 
after drying. 
Prare 59. Azorella Haastii, drawn from specimens collected in the Hooker Valley, Mount Cook 
district, at an altitude of 3,000 ft. Fig. 1, sheathing-base of petiole, showing the ciliate margins 
(enlarged) ; 2 and 3, flowers (x 8); 4a single petal (x 10); 5 and 6, front and back view of anthers 
(x 10); 7, fruit (x 6); 8, a single mericarp of the fruit (x 6); 9, section of fruit (x 6). 
