368 Transactions. — Botany. 



Piumex jmlcher, L. 



Tlie fiddle-dock occurs in great abundance on the formation of new 



streets, etc., es^oecially in tlie Te Aro side of tlie city, but soon becomes 



comparatively rare. It seems i3robable that it was one of the earliest plants 



naturalized here, but that it partially died out, its buried seeds retaining 



their vitality. 



Sisyrincldmn cliilense, Hook. 



A pleasing addition to our naturalized flora, abundant on the hills about 



WelUngton and other places. Apparently restricted to this district. 



Iris j^seudacorus, L. 



The yellow flag or French Hly is another welcome addition, probably 



planted in a tributary of the Waiwetu. 



Agrostis alba, L., /3. stolonifera. 



Fiorin grass : a useful addition to our naturalized economic plants, from 



its affording a supply of herbage early and late in the season on cold clay 



soils. 



Glyceria fiuitans, Br. 



A valuable grass spreading rapidly in wet places, and affording a large 



snpply of nutritious herbage, especially grateful to horses. The seeds form 



a large part of the food of the trout in Europe, and in seasons of scarcity 



have been ground and made into bread. 



Briza maxima, L. 



An elegant grass abundantly naturalized on the hills about Wellington, 

 but of trivial economic value. Dr. Curl, to my great surprise, advocates its 

 cultivation, but its brief period of duration completely deprives it of value to 

 the agrictilturist. 



This and the two preceding species are more abundant about Wellington 

 than in any other locality in the colony. 



Lepturus, sp. 



A remarkable plant naturalized on shingly beaches, and distinguished 



by its flattened rachis. I have not been able to identify it with any species 



of which I possess descriptions, but can hardly doubt its being of exotic 



origin. 



Anthistiria australis, Br. 



In 1874 I observed the kangaroo grass growing on sandy soil in the 



Lower Eangitikei, and subsequently ascertained that it had been sown in 



the vicinity some years before, and was supposed to have died out ; recently 



it was pointed out to me on Mount Yictoria by one of the students of 



Wellington College. It is a valuable and nutritious grass, but cannot be 



expected to maintain its ground unless allowed to seed freely. 



