286 Transactions. — Botany. 



anthers and stigma, but the styles diverge in a different direction from the 

 stamens, and only their tip is stigmatic. 



L. micrantha, which is a very abundant plant in the dense bush border- 

 ing the West Coast sounds, is also furnished with pure white, delicate, her- 

 maphrodite flowers. These have no scent, nor have I been able to detect 

 any honey, and they are lorobably self-fertile, though occasionally visited 

 by insects. 



Nat. Ord. Naiades. 



The only sj)ecies of the order which I have looked into is the ubiquitous 

 Potamogeton natans. According to Delpino, quoted by Sir J. Lubbock,* this 

 plant is proterogynous. I could not distinguish this peculiarity as being 

 very well marked. The flowers are hermaphrodite, and probably can 

 fertilize themselves ; but they are also anemophilous, and produce a quantity 

 of light powdery pollen, which is easily shaken out of the anthers. 



TriglocJiin, which also has one species in New Zealand, T. triandrum, is 

 stated by Axellf to be proterogynous. I have not observed this plant 

 carefully. 



Nat. Ord. Liliace^. 



CalUxene parviflora, a beautiful little snowdrop-like plant, is common in 

 the woods of the West Coast, the Bluff, and Stewart Island. I have not 

 been able to notice any contrivance to secure cross-fertilization, and, with 

 the exception of the prominent colour, the flowers have no great attractive- 

 ness to insects, being destitute of scent and honey. 



Cordyline australis — the common cabbage-tree — produces great massive 

 panicles containing thousands of whitish flowers. These are hermaphrodite, 

 but are evidently greatly dependent on insects. They are powerfully fragrant, 

 and secrete a good deal of honey. I have seen them surrounded by great 

 numbers of insects, chiefly Diptera, which, on bright sunny days, swarmed 

 on them in hundreds. 



Astelia — which is usually separated into a distinct order, Astelice — is 

 characterized among other things by its polygamo-dioecious flowers. 



A. nervosa is the only common species in this part of Otago, and is 

 unique in its fertilization, for its flowers are very inconspicuous owing to 

 their colour and are produced quite among the large foliage leaves, while 

 lastly the plants themselves grow in the bush. Its habitat debars it from 

 being wind-fertilized, the plants usually occurring in sheltered parts of the 

 bush, where even a strong wind is little felt. The flowers are completely 

 dioecious in function, but hermaphrodite in structure, though always more 

 or less imperfect. The panicles of male flowers are much more lax and 

 prominent than those of the female flowers, and are lighter and more con- 



* " British Wild Flowers," p. 159. t Loc. cit., p. 161. 



