Hamilton. — On the Habits of some New Zealand Plants. 291 



Its spores are no doubt lying in the gravel-beds of the subsoil, and would 

 thus appear to have been of universal occurrence at some past time. Its 

 local and exceptional occurrence at the present day, would also argue the 

 decrease of the temperature, and hence of the moisture held in solution, a 

 change which is also evidenced by the disappearance of the ordinary bush 

 over wide tracts of country in the South Island. 



Corysanthes macrantha, Br. 



This fine orchid occurs plentifully, but always in one kind of situation, 

 where water is oozing out of a bed of gravel on a slope. It likes a bum-brae, 

 and is there only found on the shady side. It is particularly luxuriant and 

 large in Southland ; its leaves as large as a florin, bright green and succu- 

 lent. It folds its large apron (labellum) so closely around the short style 

 and the pollen masses that it must be a very small insect indeed that is able 

 to find its way to them. It not only seems independent of the services of 

 insects, but takes good care that they do not get at its treasures. 

 Stylidium subulatum, Hook. f. 



This curious little plant occurs plentifully over the Seaward Moss, and 

 seems to be more closely allied to the Pratia family than has been generally 

 supposed. The fruit is not one-celled as stated in Hooker's " Handbook," 

 but is strongly two-celled, the cartilaginous septum being particularly strong 

 and permanent. The seeds are agglomerated on a spot in the middle of the 

 septum on each side of it ; and from those in the centre having longer 

 placentas than those around the outside of the bunch, they look like a hemi- 

 spherical mass, somewhat like the spore-bundles of Polypodium. 

 Pelargonium australe, Willd., var. prostrata. 



This variety, hitherto unreported in New Zealand, occurs in the Seaward 

 Moss, and varies in size from 2 to 8 inches or more, with dark brownish- 

 purple foliage and much-branched prostrate almost creeping stem ; root- 

 stock fusiform and very short and stout, flowers small, very slightly 

 irregular and pure white, pink when dry. 



Callitriche verna, Linn. 



It does not seem to have been observed that the first flowers of spring of 

 this species are all male, with very long filaments. After a few days the 

 male flowers decrease, and a few female flowers begin to appear on the 

 same plants, and sometimes on the same peduncle with the male. Later 

 on the flowers are all female, and one may search in vain for a single male 

 flower, and yet the fertilization goes on, no doubt from the pollen grains 

 adhering to the moist foliage and remaining in a fit state for germination 

 during the summer ; this is also observable in the Gunnera family, all the 

 New Zealand species of which seem to be- more or less polygamous. But it 

 is observable that the first flower-scapes that are sent up in spring bear only 



