PLATE 89.—OLEARIA LACUNOSA. 
Famity COMPOSIT. | [Genus OLEARIA, Mawcu. 
Olearia lacunosa, Hook. /. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 288: Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 288. 
Mr. W. T. L. Travers, who made so many important botanical discoveries 
in the early days of European settlement in the South Island, was the first to 
collect this singular species. His specimens were gathered in 1864 on the mountains 
near Lake Rotoroa, one of the chief sources of the Buller River. In the following 
year it was observed by Sir Julius von Haast on Harper’s Pass, at the head of the 
Hurunui Valley, which at that time offered the only practicable route across the 
Southern Alps. From specimens forwarded by these two explorers Sir J. D. 
Hooker described the plant in the second part of the “ Handbook ” (p. 732) under 
the name of Olearia lacunosa. Since then the known range of the species has 
been materially added to. It has been collected by Mr. Dall on the mountains 
at the sources of the Aorere and Heaphy Rivers ; by myself at the head of 
the Takaka River, on the Mount Arthur Plateau, and on Mount Owen ; by 
Mr. Townson on Mount Murchison and Mount: Glasgow; by Mr. Petrie on the 
mountains flanking the Upper Teremakau; and by Dr. Cockayne by the Poulter 
River, in the Upper Waimakariri district, this being the most southern locality 
yet recorded. In addition to the above, the species also occurs in the North 
Island, on the western summits of the Tararua Range ; for there can be little doubt 
that Mr. Buchanan’s O. alpina must be referred to it as a narrow-leaved variety. 
Its altitudinal range is from 2,500 ft. to 4,500 ft. 
O. lacunosa is a very distinct species. Its long narrow leaves are glabrous 
and reticulated above, but beneath are clothed with ferruginous tomentum, and 
furnished with a remarkably prominent midrib, from which numerous stout lateral 
veins are given off at right angles, thus dividing the under-surface into sunken 
interspaces, a character which is not known in any other New Zealand species. 
Its nearest ally is probably a plant recently described by Mr. Petrie under the name 
of O. Crosby-Smithiana (Trans. N.Z. Inst. xliii (1911), 254). This, however, has 
very much narrower leaves, usually ;1,in. to din. diameter, longitudinally grooved 
above, but with the margins revolute almost to the midrib beneath. It was 
gathered by Mr. Crosby-Smith near Lake Hauroto; but I have flowerless 
specimens in my herbarium collected by Mr. Reischek in Dusky Sound more than 
twenty years ago. 
I have not seen O. lacunosa in cultivation, but its singular foliage should induce 
horticulturists to make the attempt to grow it. Most of the species of Olearia 
succeed in ordinary garden-soil, especially when it has received a slight admixture 
of peat. 
Puate 89. Olearia lacunosa, drawn from specimens collected on the Mount Arthur Plateau, 
Nelson, at an altitude of 4,000 ft. Fig. 1, portion of leaf-margin (enlarged) ; 2, flower-head (x 4) ; 
3, bract of involucre (x 8); 4, ray-floret (x4): 5, pappus-hair (x 10); 6, dise-floret (x 8) ; 
7, anthers (x 10); 8, style-arms (x 10); 9, ripe achene (x 8). 
