364 Traiisactions, — Botany. 



Hab. — South Island : Mount Alta, 5,000 feet alt. — Hector and Buchanan, 

 1862 ; Buchanan and McKay, 1881. 



The present three species of Myosotis occupy a prominent place in the 

 alpine flora of New Zealand as showy plants ; the soft rounded cushions 

 when nearly covered with small white flowers would no doubt be much 

 admired in the garden, but it is doubtful if they would retain that beauty as 

 found on the mountain if translated to lower levels. 



Ahrotanella inconspicua. Hook. fil. 

 Handb. N.Z. Flora, vol. i., p. 140. 



A minute glabrous prostrate dark green moss-like plant, ^ inch high, 

 branches rooting on the lower side. Leaves J-^ inch long, -^ inch broad, 

 linear, obtuse or acuminate, entire, closely sheathing at the base, 3-veined, 

 ciliate on the margins at base, and forming fascicles at the ends of the 

 ascending branches. Heads |-|- inch diameter, spherical, terminal, and 

 nearly hidden amongst the upper leaves, involucral scales in several series, 

 similar to the leaves, but shorter, and without cilia at base, receptacle 

 rounded, florets 12-20 outer, females much smaller than the central males. 

 Achene flat, narrowly winged. A most inconspicuous plant and easily 

 overlooked. 



Hab. — South Island : Mount Alta, 6,000 feet alt. Hector and Buchanan, 

 1862 ; Black Peak, 6,000 feet alt., McKay, 1881. 



Plate XXXIV., fig. 1, plant nat. size; 1 a, single head of flowers ; 1 b, 

 male floret ; 1 c, female floret ; 1 d, abnormal florets ; 1 e, scale ; 1 /, leaf. 

 Raoulia m'kayi, Buch., n.s. 



A slender open-foliaged plant. Stems 2-3 inches long, prostrate. 

 Branches ^-1 inch long, erect or depressed. Leaves membraneous, spread- 

 ing, ^-| inch long, narrow, linear-oblong, round on the tip, apiculate, 

 covered on the upper third on both sides with white, loose, silky wool, veins 

 reticulate. Heads small, i inch across, involucral scales J inch long, in 3 

 series of 8-9 each series, linear, or narrow-oblong, acuminate or obtuse, 

 scarcely radiating at tip, inner series very narrow, the whole shining, pale- 

 yellow, florets numerous, 50-60, receptacle flat, pappus hairs few, slender, 

 pilose, not thickened at the tips. Achene glabrous, with a thickened areole 

 at the base. 



The silvery open foliage and scattered golden-coloured flowers of this 

 small swamp-plant, as it is usually found on dark peaty bottoms, is very 

 attractive. It is evidently in its general featiu-es, and in the pappus hairs 

 not being swollen at the tips, allied to Raoulia tenuicauUs, Hook, fil., but the 

 large reticulate leaves and numerous florets determine its claim as a new 

 species of Raoulia, if the large foliage does not ally it more closely to Gna- 

 phalium. 



