Kirx.—On the Naturalized Plants of Port Nicholson. 367 
Carduus marianus, Geertn. 
From its great abundance and imposing aspect, the ** blessed thistle ” 
is perhaps the most characteristic of the naturalized plants of Wellington. 
The loose nature of the soil of the hill-sides is highly favourable to the 
germination of its seeds, so that the plant spreads with great rapidity, 
forming in the spring large broad masses of bold green foliage with milk- 
white veins ; these are succeeded by its great branched stems three to five 
feet in height, terminated by the large flower-heads with their recurved 
involucral spines and purple florets. Its autumn state of ragged decay is 
less pleasant to contemplate, and the winter winds and rains gradually 
accumulate fragments of dead stems in large quantities which do not finally 
disappear for some months. 
In Auckland, where a dense sward of grass is soon formed, single 
specimens of this plant have been known for the past fifteen years; but, 
although they seeded freely, the seeds had no opportunity of germinating, 
so that the thistle did not spread. A remarkable exception to this rule 
occurred during the formation of the Onehunga railway, where a few seeds 
fell on disturbed soil, grew up and flowered. The railway works being 
suspended, the plant increased rapidly, and spread wherever it could find 
disturbed soil. It would be interesting to learn whether it is still able to 
maintain itself in the locality. 
Cryptostemma calendulacea, Br. 
The Cape weed, which is plentiful in Auckland, is with us confined to 
the vicinity of Wanganui, where it is spreading rapidly. 
Xanthium spinosum, L. 
This (from a wool-grower’s point of view) unwelcome intruder is 
apparently confined to the single locality named in the list, but may be 
expected to occur not unfrequently in the Wanganui and Patea districts, 
It is the ** Bathurst burr” of the Australian colonists. It is worth while to 
remark that although this plant has been known in Auckland for the last 
fourteen or fifteen years, it has done little more than maintain its existence, 
and can scarcely be said to be injurious. » The evils anticipated when it was 
first observed have not been realized in the slightest degree. 
Verbascum thapsus, L. 
The “hag taper” is more abundant in this vicinity than elsewhere, 
doubtless from the same cause that conduces so largely to the spread of the 
“ blessed thistle.” Its peculiar habit and woolly leaves afford a marked 
and not unwelcome contrast to the surrounding vegetation. 
Verbena officinalis, 
This ancient “plant of power” exhibits a luxuriance and profusion 
altogether unknown in Europe, and, from its usurping the place of nutritious 
grasses in several localities, is causing direct injury. 
