436 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



to do so, though he obtained some curious reactions with the 

 balsamic exudation from the stem of the freshly cut shrub." 



The leaves of Brachyglottis rangiora are very handsome, and 

 rival in size those of Entelea or Meryta. The flowers are 

 produced in large, heavily scented plumes, and are very 

 attractive to bees. 



Genus Senecio. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, with alternate leaves. Heads terminal ; flowers 

 solitary, or in corymbs or panicles. Florets yellow ; rays rarely white or purple. 

 Disk-florets tubular, 5-tqothed. Pappus of one or more rows of hairs. Achene 

 round or angular. (Name from the Latin, signifying an old man, from the white 

 hairs of the pappus). 30 sp. 



Senecio lautus (The Elegant Senecio). 



Stem sometimes prostrate, 3 in. -24 in. long. Leaves fleshy, 1 in. -2 in. long, 

 often auricled at the base, narrow, toothed, lobed or pinnatifid. Heads in 

 corymbs, J in.-f in. across. Eays 10-15, yellow. Achene grooved, shining or hairy. 

 Pappus soft, white. Both islands : Stewart and Chatham Islands. Fl. Oct. -March. 



This is a genus of world-wide distribution, and very varying 

 habitat, of which the common groundsel is generally regarded 

 as the typical form. In New Zealand it is well represented, 

 and includes among its species some of our most beautiful 

 shrubs. The prevailing white of the New Zealand flora is 

 generally modified in this genus to yellow. There are over 

 thirty indigenous species, which, with one exception, are 

 also endemic. As in Olearia, many of these forms, though 

 provided with excellent means of distribution, are extremely 

 local. S. glaucophyllus is apparently only known from the 

 limestone rocks of Mount Arthur in Nelson, and 8. Pottsii 

 from a single habitat in the Upper Eangitata. S. perdicioides, 

 originally discovered by Banks and Solander, and then lost for 

 nearly a hundred years, is found only in the East Cape 

 district. The remarkable S. Huntii is confined to the 

 Chathams, S. Muelleri to an island in Foveaux Straits and to 

 the Snares, S. antipodus to the Antipodes. Perhaps the only 

 one which can be said to be abundant, is the multiform 

 S. lautus, though S. bellidioides, and one or two other sub- 

 alpine species are comparatively common. The handsome 



*Trans. XIV., p. 400. 



