25 



and so may be considered of considerable age. Pittosporum 

 Dallii is restricted to one locality in the North-western district ; 

 it differs considerably from any other known species of the 

 genus; here again if strong individuality be a test of age, the 

 species should be a relict. Cassinia amoena and Halorrhagis 

 cartilaginea are confined to the North Cape Peninsula; in this 

 case extreme youth is suggested especially for the latter, origin- 

 ally considered by Cheeseman a variety of H. erecta. Helichry- 

 sum dimorphum is recorded from only one portion of the 

 Waimakariri river-basin ; this differs from all the other species 

 in that it is a thick-stemmed liane. Myosotis albo-sericea is 

 only known from one locality in the North Otago District; it 

 is a xerophytic rock-plant allied to the much more widely spread, 

 but not common, M. Goyeni; this may be a young species. 

 Lepidium Kirkii a species not closely allied to any other is 

 confined to salt patches on the Maniototo Plain. Poa pygmaea, 

 another most distinct plant is confined to the elevated plateau of 

 the Mount Pisa Range. Notospartium Carmichaeliae, a com- 

 mon plant within its range extends only from the R. Waihopi 

 to the R. Awatere, where it is rare; further south it is repre- 

 sented by N. torulosum or perhaps by this and another species ; 

 the genus itself extends at wide intervals from the Waihopi to 

 Peel Forest. Veronica amplexicaulis is confined to the 

 Rangitata river-basin, where there is more than one variety; 

 it is related to the V. pinguifolia series and like many species of 

 the genus in New Zealand is probably young. If the special 

 ecology of most of the above species be considered it can be 

 seen they are not specially adapted for the locality, or even the 

 exact habitat they occupy. 



There remain now to be noted only a few examples of ex- 

 treme discontinuous distribution. The following list does not 

 aim at completeness. After the name of the species is given its 

 distribution, its habitat is in brackets. 



Angelica trifoliolata (sphagnum bog) Mount Torlesse and 

 neighbourhood of Lake Tennyson Celmisia Traversii (herb- 

 field and fell-field), common in parts of the North-eastern and 

 North-western Districts and not again met with till in the south 

 of the South Otago District. Drosera pygmaea (wet ground), 

 North Auckland District in far north, Waimarino Plain and 

 the Bluff Hill, at each in only a few stations. Leucopogon Richei 

 (heath), common on dry ridges in the Chatham Islands and in 

 the North Auckland District, but rare. Metrosideros Par- 

 kinsonii (forest) , common in west of the North-western District 

 and rare on the Great Barrier Island. Pittosporum patulum 

 (forest) North-western District, but not common, and rare near 

 Lake Hawea. Pittosporum obcordatum (forest) Banks Penin- 

 sula but now probably extinct, extremely rare near Kaitaia 

 (North Auckland District). Myosotis Townsoni (herb-field), 

 west of North-western district and on Browning's Pass. 

 Ranunculus crithmifolius (Shingle-slip) mountains, Wairau 

 Gorge and Mount Arrowsmith Range. Sporodanthus Traversii 



