842 Transactions. — Botany. 



Ophioglossum minimum, J.B.A. 



Rhizome creeping underground, and throwing up fascicles of fronds. Stipes 

 2-3 inches long, slender, hypogeous, often or perhaps always jointed to the 

 rhizome. Barren and fertile fronds sometimes quite distinct. Barren ^-1 

 inch long ovate, acute, closely appressed to the ground, usually in pairs on 

 the same stipes, with one fertile rising between them, but often solitary, in 

 which case the fertile rises from the stipes as in other species of the genus. 

 Costa 0. Veins obsolete or faintly reticulated. Fertile frond less than one 

 inch high, spike-like, very narrow, with 10-24 capsules in two rows. 



Hah. — Canterbury plains, near Christchurch ; rare. This very rare little 

 plant differs from all other species of the genus in its widely creeping 

 rhizome. Its nearest ally is the South African 0. hergerianum. I am 

 indebted to Mr. Brown, of Christchurch, an old Scotch botanist and an 

 excellent cryptogamist, for pointing out to me the peculiarities of this plant, 

 which was first found in the Christchurch Botanic Garden. It is quite dis- 

 tinct from 0. vulgatum var. minimum. 



' Donatia novcB-zealandice, Hk.f. 



Dracophyllum muscoides, Hk.f. 



On the herbarium sheet of Donatia in the Canterbury Museum, there is 

 written a note to the effect that I referred the plant to Dracophyllum mus- 

 coides, and that the latter plant is confined to Otago. The plant I referred 

 to Hooker's Dracojjhyllum muscoides, is undoubtedly the true plant of that 

 author, and is found in many localities in the Canterbury and Nelson Pro- 

 vincial Districts. I append an amended description of both plants. 



Dracophyllum muscoides, Hk.f. Very small, stems and main branches creep- 

 ing under ground, stout for the size of the plant, woody. Branchlets erect or 

 spreading, forming dense tufted masses. Leaves x^-^ inch long, hnear- 

 oblong, densely imbricated, subulate, obtuse, or subacute, coriaceous, ciliate, 

 with broad sheathing bases, greyish when dry. Floivers solitary or in pairs, 

 terminal or subterminal, ^ inch long. Sepals linear-ovate, acute. Corolla 

 pubescent, white, the lobes scarcely spreading. Capsule not seen. 



Hah. — Kangitata and Ashburton Valleys. — J. F. Armstrong. Various 

 places in the Alps. — J.B.A. 



Donatia novce-zealandice, Hk.f. A small dense-growing plant, forming 

 broad rigid patches in alpine swamps. Branches 2-3 inches long or less, 

 ■| an inch diameter (including the leaves), densely clothed with closely im- 

 bricated, rigidly coriaceous leaves. Loiver leaves reddish brown, hidden by 

 the upper, which are bright green, i— | an inch long, suberect, linear-sub- 

 ulate, obtuse, nerveless, punctate or pitted, wooUy at the bases. Flowers 

 terminal, sunk among the uppermost leaves. Calyx obconic, adnate. 

 Lohes five, unequal, acute. Petals five, white, ovate-oblong, obtuse, ^ inch 



