22 



THE AET ALBUM OF NEW ZEALAND FLORA. 



3. L. INCISUM. 



Description, etc., Tig. 3, Plate No. 6.— The "CUT-LEAVED LEPIDIUM."— 

 A prostrate plant, lower leaves on long petioles, pinnatifid. Flowers in small axillary 

 or terminal, feAV-flowered, racemes. Eonnd in the Northern Island, on the heach at 

 Port Nicholson. Very rare. Professor Kirk says that he has never seen a specimen 

 of tliis plant, which apj)ears to be extremely local. Mr. Colenso, he further says, is 

 the only living botanist who has met with it, and the j)lace at which he found it has 

 not proved productive of late years. We are indebted to Mr. Buchanan for the specimen 

 given ill our plate. 



GENUS VII. 

 NOTOTHLASPI (Sook., F.) The Notothlaspi. 



Gknebic Chaeactee. — Herbs with nmiieroiis spathulate, 

 tliick, radical leaves. Flowers, rather large, vyhitc. Sepals, 

 erect. Pods, very much flattened ; Valves winged ; Cells, very 



many, seeded. Seeds on very slender tunicles; radicle, in- 

 cumbent, sometimes very long. — Handbook of Neii^ Zealand 

 Flora, p. 14. 



Description, etc. — A genus confined to New Zealand, consisting of the following 

 species : — (1). N. rosulatum ; (2). N. australe (Hook., F.) ; (3). N. notabilis {Buch.) 



1. NOTOTHLASPI ROSULATUM {Hook., F.) The Eosette Notothlaspi. 



Specific Character — A very stout, erect, densely leafy 

 pyramidal fleshy herb. Stem, 0. Leaves, niuncrous, densely 

 crowded, forming a rosette ; spathulate-petioled, crcnate ; when 

 young, covered with weak, cellular hairs, glabrous when old. 



Scape often thicker than the finger ; a span high, bearing a 

 profusion of sweet-scented flowers. Pods, ^-1 in. long, obovate, 

 etc. — Handbook of Neiv Zealand Flora, p. 13. 



Description, etc.. Fig. 4, Plate No. 6.— The "ROSETTE NOTOTHLASPI."— 

 This remarkable little alpine is confined to the Middle Island, and is found on the 

 shingle beds of the Ribbon Range, Mount Torlesse, Waimakariri Valley, and in other 

 places on the Alpine ranges, from 3,500 to 6,500 feet altitude. The leaves are arranged 

 in the form of a rosette, and are from 1-1^ in. long. The flower scape, rising 5 inches 

 or so out of the centre of the plant, is covered with a profusion of creamy-white flowers, 

 which exhale a rich perfume as of orange blossoms. The general appearance of the plant 

 is pyramidal, and altogether presents to the eye and fancy of the botanist a form unique, 

 and not to be passed unheeded. It is exceedingly prized by collectors, who subject 

 themselves to much danger and many hair-breadth escapes to secure this much-coveted 

 treasure. The plant being very rare, necessitates both long and hazardous joui'neys, 

 until the securing of a few specimens stimulates the weary climbers to renewed activity 

 amidst the snows, rain and fogs of the Southern Alps. 



