Bucwanax.—On the Alpine Flora of New Zealand. 848 
caused by ocean currents of different temperatures impinging on opposite 
coast lines, or by local hot winds; but, whatever may be the influencing 
cause, representative plants of the North Island pass several degrees of 
latitude southwards on the west side of the South Island, which are not 
found on the east side of that Island, thus indicating a higher temperature 
on the west; and this is also consistent with the alpine flora of the North 
Island being found at higher altitudes on the mountains of the South 
Island than on those of the North. 
The alpine flora as observed has a rapid development. This is no doubt 
necessitated by the short period which intervenes between the melting of 
the snows and the next seasonal fall. The intense heat of the sun at high 
altitudes, is no doubt an important element in hastening growth, but the 
chief cause must be ascribed in many cases to the advanced stage at which 
the plants have arrived before the melting of the snows in spring has un- 
covered them. Large plants such as Ranunculus buchanani were found 
8-10 inches high, breaking through their snowy covering, with the leaves 
and flower-buds fully formed ; no sooner, however, did the last film of snow 
melt from above them, than they burst into flower while the leaves were 
yet blanched and colourless, and it is probable that in favourable weather 
seed may ripen in a few weeks. 
On the Mount Aspiring Range may be seen, covering patches of snow, 
that peculiar 1-celled plant—Protococcus, or red snow. This plant was 
observed by Captain Ross on one of his expeditions to the Arctic regions, 
covering the surface of the snow over large areas, and pene down- 
wards several feet. 
Pachycladon nove-zealandia, Hook. fil. 
Braya nove-zealandie, Hook. fil., Handb. N. Z. Fl., vol. i-, p. 13. 
A short depressed alpine plant, covered with stellate pubescence ; root 
long, fusiform, }-} inch diameter, bearing 1-6 stout branches, each branch 
inating in a rosulate head of small imbricating leaves. Leaves in 
Several series 1-1 inch long, including the petiole, pinnatifidly lobed and 
narrowed into flat, short petioles, those on the scapes with longer petioles, 
and a minute ovoid blade, which is digitately lobed at top ; scapes numer- 
ous, shorter or longer than the leaves, rising from the branches or root 
below them, and spreading horizontally, 3-5-flowered ; flowers white, > inch 
long, Sepals obovate, obtuse, petals longer than the sepals, upper half round, 
_-Hab.—Mount Alta ee et hi a uchan 
| — McKay, 1881. ; 
«et Ti a 
