362 Transactions.— Botany. 
Eleocharis gracillima.—This species has recently been distinguished by Dr. 
Hooker from Æ. gracilis, or rather has been acknowledged as being a distinct 
plant, and not a mere variety of the latter. It is a small rush-like plant. 
The specimen I retained has unfortunately been lost. 
Acena nove-zealandice, Kirk.—This species has been determined by Mr. 
Kirk since the publication of Mr. Buchanan’s lists of Otago plants. It is 
defined in Mr. Kirk’s “ Descriptions of New Plants,” a paper read before the 
Auckland Institute two years ago (Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. IL. p- 177). 
Plantago spathulata.—Dr. Haast found this plant on terraces, and in the 
river bed in the Kowai valley. So far as I can recollect it is common where 
I found it, but I do not remember to have met with it elsewhere in Otago. 
Potamogeton polygonifolius.—This plant is mentioned by Mr. Kirk in his 
“Notes on certain New Zealand Plants, not included in the ‘ Handbook of 
the New Zealand Flora’,” (Zrans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. III. p- 163). He remarks 
that though it is abundant in Europe, he is not aware of its existence else- 
where, except in New Zealand. Since it has now been reported from each 
extremity of the islands, it will probably be found to be universally distributed. 
On the subject of the paucity of introduced plants, Mr. Kirk says, 
“ Your notes on the ability of native plants to hold their ground under certain 
conditions against introduced kinds, agree in the main with my own observa- 
tions made on the pumiceous soils in the centre of this (the North) Island.” 
In connection with this subject, Mr. Kirk in a former letter directed my 
attention to some remarks by Mr. Travers, in his lecture on “ Changes effected 
in the Natural Features of a New Country by the Introduction of Civilized 
Races” (Trans. N. Z. Inst., Vol. IL., p. 312). Generalizing too hastily, I think, 
from a certain number of facts, striking in themselves, but not numerous 
enough nor observed under sufficiently varied circumstances to warrant his con- 
clusion, Mr. Travers says, “such in effect is the activity with which introduced 
plants are doing their work, that I believe if every human being were at once 
removed from the islands for even a limited number of years, looking at the 
matter from a geological point of view, the introduced would succeed in dis- 
placing the indigenous fauna and flora.” J udging from the state of things 
which exists in the area from which this collection of plants is derived, an 
area typical of very considerable districts in this part of New Zealand, we 
may well doubt whether the indigenous vegetation would not in most cases be 
found able to hold its own against the strongest intruders from foreign climes, 
unless the latter should be favoured by fostering circumstances, such as accom- 
pany the agricultural occupation of the soil by a civilized race. It is at least 
fifteen years since the cattle of European settlers first began to wander amongst 
the tussocks amidst which I gathered these specimens of plants. The old road 
now abandoned, to which I have alluded, was in use for years, yet the most 
