340 Transactions. — Botany. 
MOTUKINO. 
At Motukino I observed a few specimens of Gaultheria fagifolia, which 
was originally discovered by Mr. Colenso in this locality and has not been 
found elsewhere, so that it must be considered one of our rarest plants. Not 
more than five or six plants were observed, all of which were long past 
. flowering ; its fruited racemes were sometimes three inches in length, but 
the calyx was in all cases unchanged. Although remarkably different in 
appearance from G’. antipoda, its habit and general aspect suggest the possi- 
bility of its being an hybrid between that Species and some form of the 
protean G. rupestris. 
Other rare or intgresting plants collected here, Melicytus lanceolatus, 
Panax anomala, Santalum cunninghamii, all of which occurred sparingly. 
Gleichenia cunninghamii was abundant in a solitary habitat. Raoulia monroi, 
and £. hectori were rare and local. Asplenium colensoi was found in a solitary 
habitat—the ditch of an ancient pa—but in a depauperated condition, the 
largest specimen not being more than two inches in height ; the habit and 
colour of this plant contrasted forcibly with the associated A. hookerianum. 
Lycopodium selago was observed for the first time in the N orth Island, and 
with Cassinia vawvilliersii, attains here its northern limit. 
The occurrence of littoral plants in the numerous inland localities stated 
in this paper, affords the strongest support to the theory of the submarine 
origin of the central portion of the island, so far at least as the lower lands 
are concerned. I had occasion to draw attention to this subject when treating 
on the botany of the Lower and Middle Waikato districts, and have pleasure 
in recurring to it, as it demonstrates most forcibly the importance of geological 
change as an agent in the distribution of vegetable life, a fact which has been 
almost lost sight of by phyto-geographical students, : 
The following littoral plants were collected :— 
Ranuneulus acaulis, Banks & Sol.—Rotorua, Tarawera Lake, 
Metrosideros tomentosa, A. Cunn.—Tarawera Lake, abundant, and of large size ; 
Lake Taupo. ; 
Convolvolus soldanella, L.—Shores of Lake Taupo, abundant. 
Chenopodium glaucum, L. var. ambiguum.—Rotorua, Tarawera Lake, Roto- 
mahana, Lake Taupo. 
Astelia cunninghamii, Hook. f.—Tarawera Lake. 
Juncus maritimus, Lam.—Abundant amongst boiling springs, etc., on both 
sides of the Waikato, at Orakeikorako, and at Rotorua. 
Leptocarpus simplex, A. Rich.— Rotorua. 
Scirpus maritimus, L.—Rotoiti, Rotorua, Tarawera, Rotomahana, Orakei- 
korako, Lake Taupo. 
Carex: pumila, Thunb,—Rotorua. 
