220 BEPOKT— 1891. 



to Asplenium obtusatiim, Lomaria dura, &c. In ravines and 

 hollows on the mountain-slopes, the woody vegetation was 

 in many cases restricted to several species of Coprosma — 

 C. foetidissima, G. parviflora, C. cuneata, and C. ciliata, the last 

 peculiar to this group : these formed low thickets through which 

 it was almost impossible to force a way. Occasionally the 

 difficulty was aggravated by their being mixed with Myrsine 

 divaricata, and stunted rata or Dyacopliyllum. It is, however, 

 less difficult than the belt of Olearia scrub mixed with rata 

 and Dacrydium intermedium, which is such an unpleasant 

 feature on the mountains of Stewart Island. 



The characteristic glory of these islands lies in the fine herba- 

 ceous plants which are endemic on their slopes. Ligusticum 

 latifolium, with noble foliage and erect stems 4ft. high carrying 

 large umbels of red flowers, is common on the margin of the 

 scrub, and is of sufficiently dense growth to impede progress. 

 L. antipodum is a rather smaller species of similar habit, but 

 with the leaves finely divided. The genus Pleurophyllum is 

 restricted to these islands, ancl contains three grand species — 

 P. spcciosum, the leaves of which form a flat rosette, 3ft. to 4ft. 

 in diameter, from the centre of which rise several stems l-|ft. 

 to 2^ft. high, carrying numerous pedunculate, rayed flower- 

 heads, liin. in diameter, with whitish rays and deep rich 

 purple centres. The leaves are grooved longitudinally, and lie 

 perfectly flat : the effect is unique, and, as the plant often 

 covers acres, approaches the magnificent. As the traveller 

 walks amongst them his feet crash through the horizontal leaves 

 as though he were walking on thin ice : P. crinifcrnm is of a 

 very different habit ; the leaves are usually petioled, and from 

 l-|ft. to 3ft. in length, sub-erect, and spreading, forming a ring 

 round the erect scapes, which are from 3ft. to 4ft. high; the 

 flower-heads resembling large velvet-covered buttons of a deep- 

 brown colour, contrasting well with the snow-white tomentum 

 of the scape and peduncles : the third species, which I have 

 named P. gilliesianum,-'- is much smaller; the leaves are from 

 4in. to Gin. long, and white on both surfaces ; the scape rarely 

 exceeds 2ft. in height, and is usually shorter : it is a plant of 

 considerable interest, although not so attractive as the others. 

 Celmisia vernicosa is a beautiful plant with densely-crowded 

 rosulate glossy linear leaves, and numerous erect scapes. Sin. to 

 12in. high, each carrying a large white rayed flower-head, with 

 deep purple centre. Biilbinclla rossii is a magnificent liliaceous 

 plant, and well deserved its original name of Chrysobactron ; 

 its erect flowering stems, from 1ft. to 3ft. high, are most densely 

 packed with dioecious flowers of a bright-orange colour. Vero- 



* This is now referred by the author to P. hookcrianian, J. Buchanan. 

 See Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxiii., pp. 432 and 435. 



