278 Transactions. — Botany. 



V. buxifolia is similarly very white, melliferous and scentless. It is an 

 extremely common plant at elevations of 2,000 feet and upwards. V. lyalli 

 and V. cataracta (an abundant West Coast plant) are similarly characterized. 



V. salicifolia produces conspicuous racemes of white, lilac, or pm-ple 

 flowers which are very fi-agrant and produce a little honey. They attract 

 great numbers of insects, chiefly species of Diptera and moths, besides one 

 or two butterflies. 



V. elliptica, which is especially a sea-side plant, has large and con- 

 spicuous flowers, which are very fragrant, and secrete a very considerable 

 amount of honey. 



Nat. Ord. LENTIBULAEIEiE. 



This order contains only two genera, Utricularia and Pinguicula, of 

 which the former is represented by four species in New Zealand. These 

 are rather rare, or what is more probable are very readily overlooked, ex- 

 cept, however, at flowering time, when they are conspicuous enough, though 

 small. 



Utricularia monantJios occurs abundantly in the bogs at the head of 

 Paterson's Inlet, Stewart Island. The plant is very minute, bearing one 

 or two bright purple flowers at the summit of a slender scape, a half to 

 four inches high. (PI. X. fig. 4«). The few leaves are very small and 

 narrow, and almost always submerged, while the creeping rhizome or root 

 bears two or more of the small compressed bladders from which the genus 

 takes its name. The flowers are evidently adapted for cross-fertilization. 

 The corolla is bilabiate, the lower lip being flattened and expanded at its 

 distal end into a broad landing stage. This is purple in colour, and 

 furnished with a bright yellow glandular line — the honey guide — down the 

 centre. The upper lip (fig. 4b) stands nearly erect, while the base of 

 the corolla is produced downwards into a spur or nectary (though I found 

 no honey in it). The two stamens lie under the upper lip ; the filaments 

 diverge somewhat widely below, but are curved inwards in their upper part, 

 bringing the anthers close together under the stigma. This latter is a 

 flap or plate opening downwards, so as to project somewhat over the 

 entrance to the nectary, and partly covering the anthers. If an insect 

 alighted on the lower lip of the flower, and advanced to suck honey from 

 out the nectary (for, though I did not find any, there can be little doubt 

 that at suitable times the spur does contain honey), its head would pro- 

 bably come first into contact with this flap. This would bend down, 

 exposing the middle or stigmatic portion, to which any pollen on the 

 insect's head would adhere. The lower side of the flap, which is not stig- 

 matic, would meanwhile completely cover the anthers. On withdrawing its 

 head the insect would rub it against the anthers first, and then push up the 



