THE CURRANT-TREE FAMILY 185 



Splendid specimens of this plant are to be found at the head 

 of Paterson's Inlet (Stewart Island). Another well-known and 

 readily accessible habitat is the Bluff Hill. Mr. G. M. 

 Thomson experimented on specimens of D. arcturi, from the 

 bogs on the top of Maungatua." He considers that, owing to 

 its frequent complete immersion in wet weather, it is seldom 

 to be found in its native habitat with insects on the leaves. 

 However, he found that four specimens of A})hifi (blight) from, 

 rose leaves were completely digested in about four days' time 

 by a single leaf of D. arcturi, though young leaves were 

 easily sickened by an overdose of meat. 



The method of pollination in the New Zealand species does 

 not seem to have been observed, though it is probably of con- 

 siderable interest. 



Saxifragaceae. 



The Currant-tree Family. 



Distribution. — A large family, containing many beautiful Alpine species. 

 The London Pride, or None-so-Prethj (Saxifraga umbrosa) is used as a border 

 edging in English gardens. Many other plants of the family are cultivated in 

 rockeries, and some are reinarkable for the chalky crust which forms on the 

 margins of their leaves. The British Grass of Parnassus {Parnassus palustris) 

 is one of the most beautiful of bog plants. The Currant and the Gooseberry are 

 largely cultivated for their fruits. The New Zealand genera have all woody 

 stems. 



Key to the Genera. 

 1. Leaves opposite. 2 



Leaves alternate. 3 



•2. Flowers in panicles. tAckama i). 



Flowers in racemes. Weinmannia. p. 188. 



3. Ovary superior. Ixerba. i). 186. 

 Ovary inferior. 4 



4. Flowers racemose. Petals overlapping,' in Ijud. Quintinia. i), 18 . 

 Flowers panicled. Petals touching in bud. Carpodetus. p. 188. 



*Trans. N.Z. Inst. Vol xiii., p. 261. 

 tNot further described. 



