848 Transactiofis. — Botany. 



Plate XXVIII., fig. 3, plant nat. size; 3 a, leaf; 3 b, corolla; 3 c, 

 diagram of corolla ; 3 d, sepal ; 3 e, ciliate capsule, etc. 



A small inconspicuous alpine plant, closely related to Logania tetragona, 

 Hook, fil., but differing much from that plant in the small closely-arranged 

 rigid branches and leaves, the sepals being hispid over the back and margins, 

 and in the ciliated capsule. 



Named in compliment to J. B. Armstrong, who has added much to our 

 knowledge of the Alpine Flora of New Zealand. 



Mitrasacme hookeri, Buch., n.s. 



Stems prostrate, much-branched, branches ascending, 1-4 inches high, 

 J inch diameter with the leaves on. Leaves coriaceous, closely 4-fariously 

 imbricate, spreading, linear, widening at the base, obtuse, connate in pairs, 

 ciliate along the margins, convex at back. Flowers tetramerous umbelled, 

 umbels consisting of several 4-flowered spikes, each spike having two 

 opposite pairs of bracteate flowers, the whole forming a ball near the ends 

 of the branches. Calyx deeply 4-cleft, lobes glabrous, veined and ciliate on 

 the margins. Corolla with a short tube, lobes orbicular. Stamens 2, inserted 

 within the mouth of the corolla. Anthers oblong, sagittate. Capsule large, 

 ovate or obovate, 2-celled. Seed numerous, ovate. 



Hrti.— South Island : Mount Alta, 5,000 feet alt. 



Plate XXIX, fig. 1, plant nat. size ; 1 a, leaf; 1 b, 4-merous flowered 

 spikelet with 2-opposite pairs of leaves ; 1 c, single flower ; 1 d, bract, 

 calyx, and capsule of lower pair of flowers ; 1 e, diagram of corolla ; 1 f, 

 capsule and stigma ; 1 g, sepal ; 1 h, flower-bract of upper pair of flowers. 



This plant bears a general resemblance to Hooker's Logania ciliolata. 

 See Supplement to the " Handb. of the N.Z. Flora," but that plant is 

 described as having the flowers solitary in the axils of the upper leaves, 

 whereas in the present plant they are arranged in umbels of bracteate 

 spikelets, agreeing with Bentham's formula distinguishing between Logania 

 and Mitrasacme.-'' It has therefore been considered necessary to place the 

 present and following species, M. cheesemanii, in that genus. 

 Mitrasacme cheesemanii, Buch., n.s. 



A small, much-branched, rigid, woody shrub, branches ascending, 3-5 

 inches long, with the leaves on ^^ inch diameter. Leaves coriaceous, densely, 

 4-fariously imbricate, triangular, acute, entire, concave, ciliate on the 

 margins of the lower half, connate in pairs at the base. Flowers tetramerous 

 umbelled, umbels consisting of 4 or more 4-flowered spikelets, each having 2 

 opposite pairs of bracteate flowers, forming a small baU at the termination of 

 branches. Calyx deeply 4-cleft, lobes linear-obtuse, ciliate on the margins 



* " Flora Australiensis," vol. iv., p. 348, 



