210 



[Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, November 12, 1870.] 



Undescribed Varieties of Claytonia Australasica, Hooh. f. 



Considerable difficulty lias been experienced by collectors in determining 

 this wide-spread little alpine, from the description in the New Zealand 

 Handbook, a racemose variety being much more common than the described 

 species. 



The two following varieties are constant in large patches, and perhaps are 

 so also over certain districts exclusively ; the variations may therefore be 

 considered as due to different conditions of growth only. 



Claytonia Australasica, Hook. f. A glabrous, slender, creeping, succulent, 

 tender herb, rooting at each node, where leaves and scapes ascend. Leaves 

 solitary or in distant pairs, terete, and thickened upwards, obtuse, J-2 in. 

 long, pale green, the petioles dilating into membranous sheaths at the base. 

 Soapes axillaiy, solitary, 1 -flowered, erect, usually shorter than the leaves. 

 Flowers pure white, variable in size, ;|-§ in. diameter. Capsules 3-valved, 

 3-seeded. Seeds large, shining, blach 



Hab. — Lammermoors, Otago, 3000 ft. ; Mount Alta, Otago, 5000 ft. 



Collected by J. Buchanan. 



Var. a. bi^ora. Leaves fasciculate and single on the same plant, 1 in. long. 

 Flowers in pairs, or sometimes two pairs on the same scape, shorter than the 

 leaves. 



Hab.— Mount Egmont, 6000 ft. 



Collected by J. Buchanan, 



Var. b. raceniosa. Leaves fasciculate and in pairs on the same plant, 

 2 in. long. Racemes of 4-7 flowers, pink, much longer than the leaves. 

 Bracts large, membranous. 



Hab.— Dun Mountain, 4000 ft. 



Collected by Henry H. Travers. 



This very showy variety, with its mass of pink flowers, is worthy of 

 cultivation. 



Cyperus gracilis, Buchanan, n. s. 



A flaccid pale green glabrous leafy plant, 1-2 ft. high. Culm sharply 3-angled, 

 grooved, 1-1 0th in. diameter. Leaves shorter than the culms, keel.ed, margins 

 almosb smooth, sheathing part with white membranous border. Involucral 

 leaves 3-6 in. long. Umbels of 6-8 short rays, |-1 in. long, springing from 

 nearly the same base as the involucral leaves, and forming dense round masses. 

 Spikelets arranged in globose umbels ^ in. long, pale dull green. Glumes 

 ovate, acuminate, with white membranous border. Nut 3-angled, pale whitish 

 green. Style persistent. 



