o44 Transactions. — Botany. 



Hooker's "Handbook of the New Zealand Flora," Morchella should precede 

 Leotia. I think that it is very likely that other species of Morchella will 

 eventually be found in this colony. 



In Germany and France the morel is much used as an esculent 

 when fresh, and in the dried state is used for flavouring gravies, etc. 

 It has also been used for making catsup, for which purpose it is con- 

 sidered superior to the common mushroom. In the forest districts of 

 Germany the morel comes up abundantly after fires, and the collec- 

 tion of these plants was formerly so profitable that the country people 

 are said to have set fire to the forests in order to hasten the production of 

 these esculents. Whether the collection of morels will ever be profitable in 

 New Zealand remains to be seen ; but I trust that it will not be necessary 

 to set fire to our beautiful native forests in order to obtain them. 



Art. XLV. — A Synopsis of the Neiv Zealand Species 0/ Veronica, Linn., with 



Notes oil new Species. By J. B. Armsteong. 



\_Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury y 5th August, 1880.] 



Abstract. 



Introductory. — The genus Veroriica is by far the largest New Zealand 

 family of flowering plants, and excepting Coprosma (of which I am also 

 drawing up a conspectus) it is also by far the most difficult. Although 

 found in many countries the genus is nowhere else so abundant as in New 

 Zealand, and in no other country does it possess so many large shrubby 

 forms, or enter so largely into the composition of the floral scenery. In- 

 deed I may truly say that if we had only this genus, our flora would be very 

 far from devoid of interest and variety, so different in appearance are many 

 of the various forms which the genus assumes. 



Anyone exploring the mountains of these islands cannot fail to be im- 

 pressed by the remarkable characters assumed by these plants. They 

 abound in all situations ; on the lower grassy slopes, in the beds of the nu- 

 merous mountain torrents, on the steep shingly slopes of the higher peaks, 

 and even on the most barren-looking rocks, these hardy Veronicas will be 

 found strugghng to maintain an existence and to beautify the scene. Many 

 of them are indeed most beautiful plants ; from the tiny F. canescens, a little 

 trailing plant forming matted patches less than one inch high, to the stately 

 V. arborea with a trunk three feet in diameter, there is not one but is worthy 

 of the most careful cultivation. 



