290 Transactions. — Botany. 



January. I have never seen the ripe berry, but it is no doubt viscid, like 

 those of other plants of its class, and eaten by birds. The Maoris call it 

 by the same name, " rorerore," as the smaller roseate fuchsia-shaped 

 Loranthus. 



I have mentioned that while the forests south and west of Euapehu are 

 of red birch, the detached bushes on the east of the mountain are of 

 black. It is curious that the vegetation on the east and south of the 

 mountain differs widely, though the soil and everything but the aspect 

 exactly correspond. The slope of the mountain is so gentle that one would 

 think the aspect could make no difference ; yet plants which abound on 

 the east are wholly wanting on the south, and vice versa. For instance a 

 plant which seems to be identical with or very closely allied to Carmichcelia 

 enysii (Trans., vol. xvi., p. 379) abounds, and forms patches many yards in 

 diameter on the east of the mountain, but there is not a trace of it on the 

 south. As it had neither blossoms nor fruit in January, I did not gather 

 any specimens, and could find no small plants. Next day I sought it in 

 vain on the south side of the mountain. From what I have heard, I 

 believe the vegetation on the north and north-west of the mountain is 

 different again. 



Art. XXXV. — Notes on the Occurrence and Habits of some of our New 

 Zealand Plants. By W. S. Hamilton. 

 [Read before the Southland Institute, 13i/i May, 1884.] 

 Olossostigma elatinoides, Benth. 

 This plant occurs on the flats of the Oreti, in the bottom of ditches that 

 have been opened for some time. Its corolla is pale blue and very pretty, 

 J-J- inch. The strap-shaped stigma is irritable, and springs back on being 

 touched, leaving the anthers exposed ; and taking a place among the petals, 

 looks exactly like an additional one. Before springing back it forms a hood 

 over the anthers, and looks like an Orchid or a Lobelia. This plant has not, 

 so far as I know, been reported from the south before. It does not occur 

 on the flats except where a ditch has been opened, thus leading us to 

 suppose that the subsoil is full of its seed, but that the climate is no longer 

 suitable to its growth, and that it can only grow now under exceptional cir- 

 cumstances of shelter and moisture. 



Pteris scaberula, A. Bich. 

 Like the last-mentioned, this plant occurs in Southland under somewhat 

 exceptional conditions. It also springs up where ditches have been opened 

 along the roadsides, in the cemetery, and in sheltered spots on the Bluff Hill, 



