TEE ART ALBUM OF NEW ZEALAND FLOBA. 



Cuckoo Cuj:), Cuckoo Bud ; and many of the old writers speak of it as Goklcn Cup and 

 King Cup. Gerarde, the Elizabethan herbalist, informs us with great delight, " that in 

 a field at Southwark, at the back of the theatre by London — the Globe, Shakespeare's 

 Theatre — he found amongst the glazed and golden cups of Crowfoot growing there, one 

 with a double flower." The Buttercup) is so called from the A'ulgar notion that, when 

 eaten by cows, it gives a deejier yellow to the butter ; the fact is that the cow will not 

 touch it, and that its long stalks may be seen standing in great abundance in pastures, 

 all the grass of -^lich has been eaten off quite close by cattle. Buttercups possess a 

 poisonous property, which disappears when the flowers are dried in hay. So caustic 

 are the petals that they will sometimes inflame the skin of tender fingers. Every child 

 should be caiitioned against eating them ; indeed it is desiral)le to caution children about 

 tastmg the petals of any flowers or putting into their mouths any leaves except those 

 known to be harmless. The subject of our Plate No. 4, R. insignis, is well worthy of 

 cultivation. It may be gro\\^l from seed, or by transplanting. Specimens have been 

 sent to the Royal Gardens, Kew, England, Avliere it may be seen growing, and it has 

 been successfully produced in colonial gardens. *Tt likes a stiff soil, and blooms in the 

 spring of the year. ' It is asserted by some that it blossoms again in the autumn. 



OT^SIL'^FPPIES OF BANUNCULUS. 

 4. R. PINGUIS (Hook., F.) 



Leaves entire, 1-3 in. Petals, 5-8. Achenes, glabrous. EloAvers, f-1 in. diam. ; 

 golden. Pound on the high lands of the Middle Island. It is called Pinguis on 

 account of its stout and fleshy habit. 



5. B. NIVICOLA [Hook.) 



Leaves deeply notched, 3-7 lobed. Petals, 10-15. Plowers, many, bright yellow, 

 1^ in. diam. Northern Island, near the perpetual snow on Mount Egmont. Named 

 Nivicola, owing to its growing in close proximity to the perpetual snow. 



6. E. GERANIIPOLIUS {Rook.) 



Leaves 3-5 lobed. Petals, 10-12. Plowers few, ^-1^ in. diam., golden. Closely allied 

 to R. nu-icola, but smaller in all its parts. Northern Island, snow rills on the Buahine 

 range ; Middle Island, Southern Alps, alt. 2,500 feet. It derives its specific name from 

 the geranium-like appearance of its leaves. 



