2 7 



of pure-white flowers make the plant extremely showy in the 

 spring. 



M. cissoides var. pauperatus has the leaves almost or quite 

 reduced to midribs. It forms rounded entangled masses in 

 the open, which are brightened by their numerous yellow 

 prickles. Both species are hardy. 



The trailing but non-climbing species, R. parvus and R. 

 Barkeri, may be mentioned here. Both have most beautiful 

 foliage, especially in autumn and winter, when it is of a 

 bronzish hue. R. parvus produces abundance of large scarlet 

 fruits, but R. Barkeri has never been known to flower. 



(6.) Tetrapathaea australis. 



Closely related to the passion-flowers. The genus is con- 

 fined to New Zealand, with only the one species. It is a 

 tendril climber of rapid growth, distinguished by its beautiful 

 glossy foliage and later its pretty orange fruits. 



(7.) Senecio sciadophilus. 



A climbing groundsel with thin round leaves 1-2 in. long,, 

 and numerous small yellow flower-heads. It is fairly hardy. 



7. HERBACEOUS AND SEMI- WOODY PLANTS. 



Unlike so many herbs of the temperate Northern Hemi- 

 sphere, those of New Zealand do not, except in comparatively 

 few cases, die to the ground yearly. Therefore, these peren- 

 nial leaves are often stiff and leathery, or covered beneath 

 with a dense mat of hairs resembling flannel, felt, leather, &c. 

 Further, the plants under consideration occur chiefly in the 

 high mountains, where, in early and mid summer, there are 

 most beautiful natural flower-gardens. Strange to say, how- 

 ever, there are few red, blue, or purple flowers, nearly all 

 being either white or yellow. Many of these mountain-plants 

 are not easy to cultivate in the lowlands, unless in specially 

 prepared rock-gardens where shade, perfect drainage, and 

 abundance of moisture are supplied. Where there is a suffi- 

 ciently moist climate and a low summer temperature many 



