Cheeseman. — Additions to the New Zealand Flora. 411 



(opposite where the peduncles are given off) varying from lanceolate to oval, 

 the uppermost coriaceous, 11-15 veined, with very numerous cross veins, 

 and close. areolation all over the leaf when held against the light. Stipules 

 broad, subacute, very translucent and soon decaying. Peduncles rather 

 slender, slightly thickened towards the middle ; spikes dense-flowered, 

 oblong-cylindrical, sepals (perianth leaves) transversely rhombic- orbicular. 

 Fruit small, roundish ovate, slightly compressed, carinated on the back, 

 with a short terminal beak. Embryo curved to one-half its base. Lower 

 leaves 2-|— 4 inches long, J— f inch broad ; lamina of the upper leaves 1-lf 

 inches long. Peduncles 2 inches long. Fruiting spikes f inch long." — 

 Bennett, I.e. 



Hab. North and South Islands ; common in streams, ponds, and lakes. 

 Altitudinal range from sea-level to 3,000 feet. 



This plant, which has long been confounded with small forms of P. 

 natans, L., has been described by Mr. A. Bennett in a recent issue of the 

 " Journal of Botany " from specimens collected by me in the vicinity of 

 Auckland, and I reproduce his description here. It is a familiar plant to 

 New Zealand botanists, being by far the most common of our species. The 

 description of P. nutans in the " Handbook" partly applies to it; and the 

 supposed P. heterophyllus, Schreb.? of the same work is probably based 

 on young plants possessing the lower submerged leaves only. The true 

 P. heterophyllus has not, to my knowledge, been found in New Zea- 

 land. 



4. Car ex muricata, L. 



Stems tufted, 12-18 inches high, slender, trigonous, slightly seabrid 

 above. Leaves longer or shorter than the stems, nearly smooth, flat, 

 grassy, striate, J^-J^inch broad. Spikelets small, few (4-6), androgynous, 

 pale brown, collected into a spike-like head %-l\ inch long, male flowers at 

 the top of the spikelets. Bracts ovate at the base, produced into. setaceous 

 points usually longer than the spikelets, the lowest sometimes li inch long. 

 Glumes ovate, acuminate or awned, pale chestnut or brown, with a green 

 midrib and hyaline margins. Perigynia only seen in a very young state, 

 then ovate with an acute base, gradually narrowed into a rather long rough 

 and serrate 2-toothed beak. Stigmas 2. (In European specimens the 

 mature perigynia are spreading, ovoid or elliptic -ovoid, smooth, gradually 

 narrowed into a broad serrulate beak.) 



Hab. Mount Owen, Nelson ; altitude 4,000 feet. 



This plant so closely resembles the European C. muricata in habit and 

 inflorescence that I can have little doubt that it is a form of that species. 

 At the same time my specimens are all immature, and consequently the 



