200 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF [Sess. lvi, 



with its longish racemes of lilac-white flowers, is an exceed- 

 ingly handsome object. Others of this type, though differing 

 in size and other respects, are V. rakaiensis, V. monticola, 

 Arm., V. Icevis, Benth., V. huxifolia, Benth., and V. anomala. 

 Of a different type is V. linifolia, Hook, f., a small alpine 

 herb about 6 inches high, a very distinct hardy species, 

 having entire glabrous leaves about an inch long and very 

 narrow. The flowers are axillary, large, white streaked with 

 rosy purple ; a most useful rockwork plant, quite distinct 

 from any other. 



A number of very beautiful species, which are found at 

 altitudes below 2500 feet, are too tender to withstand our 

 severe winters, but pass through our ordinary winters in 

 safety ; they can only be termed half-hardy, and include the 

 handsome V. Hulkeana, F. Muell., which forms a lax-growing 

 bush 2 to 3 feet high ; the leaves are about an inch long, 

 serrate, and leathery in texture. The flowers appear in May 

 and June ; they are arranged on a spike about 1 foot long, 

 and are of a delicate mauve colour. V. Fairjieldi resembles 

 the latter somewhat, but is not so high, scarcely 1 foot in 

 height; the leaves are serrate, having a brownish tinge at 

 the edges. The flowers are larger, not so lilac as in V. 

 Hulkeana, and the spikes are shorter and more racemose. 

 It is of recent introduction, having been raised from seed by 

 Mr Martin of the Fairfield Nurseries, Dunedin, and is pro- 

 bably a hybrid of V. Hulkeana. V. Lyallii, Hook, f., a neat 

 dwarf shrub, with deeply-toothed leaves and racemes of 

 violet-coloured flowers, is one of the hardiest of this set. 

 v. cataracts, Forst., seems to be a large-leaved form] of 

 V. Lyallii, while the beautiful trailing V. Bidwillii, Hook., 

 seems to be a small-leaved form. 



Other liulf-hardy species which we have in cultivation are 

 V. lirjustri folia, A. Cunn., V. Lewisii, Arm., V. chatliamica, 

 Buch., V. Kirkii, Arm., V. ejjacridca {^), and V. vernicosa C^.). 



Altliougli the above species cannot 1)0 depended u])on in 

 all seasons, yet tliey are sufliciently hardy to withstand our 

 ordinary winters ; not one of those mentioned was injured 

 during last winter at Ediiiliurgli ; and as they include some 

 of the finest flowering species, they are wortliy of being 

 extensively planted, particularly near the sea-coast, where all 

 the New Zealand veronicas flourish most freely. In very 



