82 report — 1865. 



On a Monstrosity of the Rose. 

 By Dr. W. Hinds, Professor of Botany, Queen's College, BirmingJuim. 



The specimen introduced serves to illustrate the teratology of the tribe to which 

 the rose belongs. It may or may not be ruiique, but it is at any rate one of the 

 most rare transformations. Cases of the conversion of sepals into ordinary leaves 

 are common enough, and are depicted by Balfour, Lindley, Bentley, and others. In 

 the apetalous apple we have the petals transformed into sepals, or rather the required 

 petals have developed merely as sepals. In the cultivated rose we have stamens 

 merely developing as petals, and the carpels are imperfectly seen, or are converted 

 into stamens, as described by Bentley. We have thus a complete series of trans- 

 formations, with two exceptions. Of these, the first is supplied by the rose depicted 

 in the 'Gardeners' Chronicle,' in which a branch (leaf-bud) and leaves have developed 

 in the centre. The second, which completes the series, is now supplied in the shape 

 of &Jloiver bud and peduncle developed in the centre of the primary flower, instead 

 of carpels. It seems to show that nature being interfered with has made a second 

 effort to accomplish its ends. 



At first sight this may appear to be one of the highest transformations, but a little 

 consideration will probably show it to be one of the lowest. There is one lower, 

 namely the ^/-branch. 



Dr. Jobdan exhibited an abnormal growth of a bud of a birch-tree. 



On the Relations of the Southern to the Northern Flora of New Zealand. 

 By "W. Lauder Lindsay, M.D., F.R.S. fflin. 



The NoHh Island flora has hitherto been regarded, in the absence of an equally full 

 knowledge of the South island flora, as correctly representing the general vegetation 

 of our New Zealand possessions. But the New Zealand islands extend through 13 

 degrees of latitude, and the floras of their northern and southern extremes neces- 

 sarily present various marked differences. The former flora is more tropical, and 

 the latter more antarctic in its affinities. The former, moreover, is richer in natural 

 orders, genera, and species. 



Until very recently, however, comparatively little was known of the Otago flora, 

 all collections previous to 1861 having been made on its coasts, and, with a single 

 limited exception, on its western coast. In 1861, the author botanically examined 

 the vicinity of Dunedin, and the settled districts between that capital and the 

 Clutha river — all on the eastern seaboard of the province. The immediate fruits of 

 this examination included (in the department of Phamoganis and Ferns alone) out 

 of a total of 235 species : — 



A. 5 species new to science, or 2T2 per cent, of the whole. 



3 not previously foimd in New Zealand or elsewhere. 



2 previously found in certain other parts of New Zealand. 



. 6 species not previously found in New Zealand, or 2T2 per cent. 

 1 sp. Antarctic. 



3 — Tasmanian. 



1 a native of Tasmania, Britain, and various temperate regions. 



C. 22 species not previously found in Otago, or 936 per cent, of the whole, many 

 of them previously supposed to be confined in their geographical range in New 

 Zealand to the North Island. 



D. 30 species rare in Otago or New Zealand, or otherwise exhibiting peculiarities 

 of geographical distribution; or 12-76 per cent, of whole. 



E. 25 species British, and indigenous in Otago ; or 10-63 per cent, of the whole. 



Of these, 10 species, or 40 per cent., are aquatics or semi-aquatics. 

 In addition to these, and to the total of 235 species, there were 27 species of 

 British plants Naturalized in Otago. 



Total Native 235 



„ Naturalized .... 27 



262 species. 



