Inglis. — On neiv Sjjecies of New Zealand Diatoms. 857 



Epiblema grandifiorum, E. Br. 

 Stem erect, 1-15 inches high, with one long narrow leaf and two short 

 sheathing leaves. Flowers 3-4, pedicillate in a short raceme, dark purple, 

 bracts shorter than the ovary. Sepals and petals alike, ^ inch long, narrow- 

 linear, acute, finely veined. Labellum as long as the sepals. Anther erect, 

 or slightly bent forward, the cells distinct, with a short recurved point. 



Brachyglottis rangiora, Buch., n.s. 



A small branching tree, 8-12 feet high; branches, petioles, leaves below, 

 and inflorescence, covered closely with white or pale buff tomentum. Leaves 

 large, 6-8 inches long, ovate or oblong, irregularly sinuato-dentate along 

 the margin, often tapering to an acute point, coriaceous, or stoutly membra- 

 nous, young leaves generally lobulate and dentate, covered on both sides 

 with soft pale buff tomentum. Panicles as large as the leaves, spreading, 

 drooping, or erect, covered with appressed tomentum. Heads numerous, 

 sessile, \ inch long, involucral scales 7, in one series, linear, obovate, obtuse 

 or acuminate, or pilose on top. Florets 9, of which 5 are fertile. 



This is a very distinct plant from For ster's Brachyglottis repanda, differing 

 in its smaller size, coriaceous leaves, which have generally deeper sinuations 

 and more acute angles ; the flower-heads are also constantly sessile. Its 

 geographical distribution is also distinct, being apparently limited to the 

 lands of both islands abutting on Cook Strait. The Maoris also distinguish 

 the two plants by different names, the present plant being known as 

 Eangiora, while the northern plant described by Forster, is called Wharangi- 

 ta-whita. Both plants are poisonous to horses. 



Art. XLIX. — On new Species of New Zealand Diatoms. By John Inglis. 



Plate XXn. 



Description of a new Species of Nitzchia. 



[Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 1st July, 1880.] 



Nitzchia nova- Zealand ia, sp. nov. 



Frustule : front view linear, narrowing at the truncated extremities, 



opposite side of each end obliquely sloping. Valve : linear on side view 



and sigmoid, attenuated towards the extremities, and rounded at the ends ; 



one row of puncta round the margin of the valve. Puncta : there are 



twenty-four puncta or beads to -001 of an inch. 



I have been unable to make out any striae or keel under Beck's J^th 

 immersion. The valves of Nitzchia nova-zealandia resemble Homceocladia 

 sigmoidea, but the latter is frondose and the frustules are sigmoidal on the 

 front view, while the former is free and sigmoidal on the side view. 



