366 Transactions. — Botany. 



object, for, as just stated, it is nearly, if not quite, extinct in its original 

 habitat. But I am too ignorant to give au opinion on this interesting 

 point, and must leave it to others to decide. My part consists merely in 

 calling attention to a curious fact in connection with Pisonia brunoniana 

 which, so far as I am aware, has not been noticed in the Transactions of 

 the New Zealand Institute. 



Art. XXIX. — Notes on Botrychium lunaria. By T. Kirk, F.L.S. 

 [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 6th September, 1883.] 

 In November last I had the pleasure of examining a specimen of the Moon- 

 wort (Botrychium lunaria, Sw.), which had been recently discovered by my 

 friend, Mr. J. D. Enys, and a few days later received several specimens 

 collected by him. In New Zealand, however, the species is of a remark- 

 ably fugacious cbaracter, as on visiting the habitat on 3rd January not a 

 trace of the plant could be found ; all had disappeared. 



The habitat is a gently undulating turfy depression on the south-wes- 

 tern flank of Mount Torlesse, at an elevation of 2,800 feet. The Moonwort 

 was growing in somewhat boggy situations, but not where it would be con- 

 stantly moist. The situation is not one of the most favourable character, 

 and it is not surprising that the specimens are of small size, closely 

 resembling examples from the highest known habitats in the Highlands of 

 Scotland. 



The Mount Torlesse specimens do not exceed 3 inches in height, the 

 roots are of a wiry character and the base of the stem is furnished with a 

 membranous sheath ; the sterile portion of the frond is pinnate and consists 

 of from two to four pairs of flabellate sessile pinnules and a deeply cleft 

 terminal pinnule ; the fertile frond is sparingly branched and does not 

 exceed one inch in length ; the sporangia are bright yellow in colour. In 

 the British Islands the plant varies from 3-7 inches in height. 



The brief period of duration above ground may have prevented the 

 detection of this plant in other parts of New Zealand, but in any case it can 

 scarcely be expected to be of frequent occurrence. It may be searched for 

 in cool grassy places from sea-level to 3,000 feet. In Europe it exhibits a 

 predilection for limestone pastures at a low elevation, but is by no means 

 restricted to calcareous soils. 



In Australia it is somewhat rare, having only been observed in Victoria 

 and Tasmania, where it ascends to 4,000 feet. It occurs also in Terra del 

 Fuego. In the northern hemisphere it is generally distributed through 



