240 Transactions. — Botany. 



closely anastomosing ; petioles 1^-3 inches long ; stipules large, mem- 

 branous, veined, entire. Peduncle 1-1J inches long, slender (two are often 

 united below near base, and thus become bi-peduncled), sometimes largely 

 pilose. Involucral leaves two, sub- orbicular or orbicular-ovate, sessile and 

 half-clasping, glabrous, veined, purple stained or margined, very mem- 

 branous. Flowers single, sessile (rarely two together, and when so then 

 one is shortly pedicelled), petals rather large, ovate, sub-acute, purple, 

 renexed. Fruit large, sub-orbicular, compressed, 2 lines diameter, obso- 

 letely 3-4-ribbed, tops purplish with a few loosely scattered hairs. 



Hob. Wet sides of slopes, gullies near Norsewood, County of Waipawa ; 

 1884 : W.O. But not common. 



Obs. A species having pretty close affinity with H. asiatica, Linn., but 

 differing in several particulars. 

 3. Hydrocotyle intermixta, sp. nov. 



Plant very small ; stems short, creeping and rooting interlaced under- 

 ground. Leaves orbicular with a narrow deep sinus, 3-4 lines diameter, 

 thickish, much veined, dark green, sparsely pilose on both sides with long 

 succulent scattered hairs, 5-6-lobed, lobes short, broad, sub-tri-laciniate, 

 cut, obtuse ; petioles 4-5 lines long ; stipules delicately membranous, reti- 

 culated, sharply laciniate. Flowers in small globose heads, 9-10 (sub 12), 

 minute, red, sessile, petals incurved, obtuse ; styles short ; peduncles 7-8 

 lines long, erect, striate ; involucral leaves small, obovate, obtuse. Fruit 

 very small, shortly pedicelled, glabrous, turgid, broader above than below, 

 shining, dark brown ; carpels sharply keeled on back, 1 rib on each face, 

 and a deep hollow between the two lateral ridges. 



Hab. On dry open hills near Matamau, Seventy-mile Bush, County of 

 Waipawa ; forming thick little patches among short grasses and mosses, 

 and other small plants, scarcely visible without close search ; 1880-84 : 

 W.O. 



Order XXXIV. ABALIACE^. 

 Genus 2. Panax, Linn. 

 1. Panax microj)hylla, Col.* 



Flowers axillary, in 2-4 small umbellate panicles, conjoined at base and 

 wearing a fascicled appearance, each sub-panicle containing 2-4 flowers — in 

 all 3-14, small and inconspicuous, 1-| lines diameter, pedicelled, each 

 pedicel surrounded by many minute stipellaa ; petals broadly ovate, sub- 

 acute, darkish-red on the outside greenish-red within, spreading, slightly 

 recurved, deciduous ; calycine teeth minute, acute, purple ; filaments short, 



*„For description of this plant (without flowers), see " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol, xvi, 

 p. 328. 



