328 Transactions.— Botany. 
maritimus, L., and Ranunculus acaulis, with patches of Zoysia pungens, Willd. 
Deschampsia cæspitosa, Palisot, attains its northern boundary at this part of 
the lake. About hot springs at Ohinemutu a Chenopodium occurs with the 
leaves farinose beneath, which in the absence of flowers or fruit I refer to 
C. ambiguum, notwithstanding the sub-erect flaccid habit. Leptocarpus 
filiformis is abundant with Cladium junceum in a hot-water swamp. Viscum 
salicornioides occurs sparingly on Leptospermum ericoides, ete., in several 
places near these springs, and flourishes in the steamy atmosphere. 
A few plants flourish on the heated mud, Limosella tenuifolia „and 
Glossostigma elatinoides exhibit remarkable luxuriance when the roots enjoy a 
temperature of 90° to 95° Fahr. Scirpus lacustris flourishes in one or two 
spots with a temperature of 93° at the roots, but in others it appears scalded 
and stunted at a much lower root temperature, probably the result of a sudden 
increase in the temperature of the surrounding water. Fimbristylis dichotoma 
is a most abundant plant in Ruapeka Bay, and is to be seen everywhere, 
flourishing with a root temperature of 95°, whether growing on heated mud 
or where a faint steam jet has broken through the crust. In these situations 
it exhibits the greatest luxuriance, and contrasts forcibly with the pigmy 
Specimens growing in soil of the ordinary temperature. It is abundant near 
the so-called sulphur sea, Te Arikiroa Bay, but so diminutive that it might 
readily be passed without attracting notice, notwithstanding its peculiar habit, 
and in size and development exactly resembling specimens collected at Peringa 
and Te Pakaruna in the Lower Waikato. It is probable that the plant has 
been conveyed to those habitats by Maoris travelling to the Waikato Heads. 
Lycopodium cornuum, L., a common plant about hot springs in all parts of 
the world, is more abundant at Ohinemutu, often lining the sides of hot pools 
and luxuriating amongst steam jets, its roots must often endure a much 
higher temperature than 95°, but from accidental causes I was unable to 
continue my observations in this direction. Pteris incisa, Thunb., was 
usually associated with the Lycopodium, and showed a like partiality for a 
warm atmosphere. Perhaps the most singular plant found in these situa- 
tions is the terrestrial Alga, Chroolepus aureus, Mitt., which is abundant on 
dead twigs, fern-stalks, etc., its clotted orange-brown filaments being often 
conspicuous at a considerable distance. Wherever the traveller descries this 
singular Alga in the brushwood before him he has a sure indication of the 
close vicinity of a boiling mud-spring, or of heated vapours escaping from 
treacherous ground, and should at once walk warily. The filaments of 
specimens from this locality are much longer than in northern specimens, 
The absence from the Ohinemutu district of any of the tropical ferns found 
in the vicinity of the hot springs further south is a singular circumstance, for 
which no explanation can be offered at present. On the other hand, the 
