862 Transactions. — Botany. 



Hah. On decaying logs, in dense forests between Norsewood and Dan- 

 neverke, Waipawa County, 1883 : W.G. Only observed in two spots, yet 

 there plentiful. 



Obs. — A beautifully white species, graceful bivalve- shell-like ; naturally 

 allied to P. phlebophorus, Berkeley ; a plant also discovered in forest GO 

 miles further south by W.C. 



Genus 23. Aseroe, Labill. 

 Aseroe corrugata, sp. nov. 



Stipes sub-cylindrical, stout, 1-| inches long, obconical, 1 inch wide at 

 top, f inch wide at base, srnoothish or slightly rugulose, sub-translucent, 

 nerves reticulated, a rectangular hole at centre of base, 2 lines long and 

 1 line wide ; colour white. Rays ofpileus 6, of a brilliant red colour, darker 

 within, conniving, If inches long, 2 lines broad at base, deeply trans- 

 versely and irregularly rugose and wrinkled on both surfaces, but more so 

 on the upper side, the outer lower margins angled and broad as if ribbed, 

 each ray continuous with stipe on the outside and forked at \ inch from its 

 base, and thence bearing a deep central groove downwards to stipe, very 

 acuminate, subulate towards tips which are twisted, a tolerably large irregu- 

 larly shaped hole at the base of each bifurcation on the upper side ; the 

 large central aperture above in the pileus at the bases of the rays is 6-angled 

 with small papillose portions of the rays projecting into the centre. 

 Volva small, globular or broadly obovate, about an inch in diameter, rugu- 

 lose, sessile, dark umber-coloured on the outside, white within ; roots central, 

 long, white, spreading and much branched. 



Bah. In forests, Te Aute, Hawke's Bay, April, 1883 : Mr. C. P. Winkel- 

 mann. Woodville, from settlers there : W.C. 



Obs. — Among several good specimens, one has 7 double rays ; another 

 has two stipes, united near to the base of the pileus, thence diverging and 

 bearing together 8 double rays, one of them being very broad and divided 

 into 4 single rays. According to the Woodville settlers, this species is fatal 

 to their cats ; they say that their cats eat it, being fond of it, and die soon 

 after. This plant is evidently allied to our two other New Zealand species, 

 A. rubra and A. hookeri (as well as to the few known foreign species), but is 

 abundantly distinct from them all. 



Genus 27. Geaster, Micheli. 

 Geaster coronatus, sp. nov. 



Outer peridium about two inches diameter, expanded, flattened at base, 

 thickish, divided half-way down into 7 pretty equal broadly triangular 

 obtuse sub-erect segments, semi-papillate and dark brown on the outside, 

 blackish-brown and densely pubescent on the inside, with a continuous 

 raised border at their inner bases ; inner peridium f inch diameter, globular 



