﻿Kirk. — The British and N'ew Zealand Floras compared. 255 



tlieir erect stems and waxy-wliite flowers, combined witli their peculiar leaves, 

 render fcliem "the grandest species of the genus." R. Godleyanus and R. 

 insignis are also noble species. R. Sinclairii and R. sericoiyhyllus are inter- 

 esting forms of smaller growth. The remarkable genus AcvphyUa comprises the 

 " spear-grass " and " bayonet-grass " of the colonists, so-called from their rigid 

 pungent leaves, which occasionally inflict uncomfortable wounds on incautious 

 travellers. Many species of Ligusticum are found at great altitudes. Gelmisia 

 is a peculiarly montane genus, comprising twenty-five species, only two of 

 which are found north of the Auckland Isthmus. It is characterized by linear 

 radical leaves surrounding nvimerous one-flowered scapes, the leaves varying 

 from half an inch in length to nearly two feet ; acicular, or bi'oad ; mem- 

 branous, or clothed with densely appressed tomentura ; the flowers are almost 

 sessile, or on long scapes, and in some species fully three inches in diameter. 

 Strange looking Ozothamni abound, with imbricated appressed leaves, clothed 

 with cottony tomentum, or shining, Pei'haps the most singular forms are the 

 species of Raoulia and Gnajihalium, known to the shepherds as " vegetable 

 sheep f the stems are so closely compacted that it is impossible to thrust the 

 fingers between them, and the inabricated, closely appressed leaves are clothed 

 with a dense coating of velvety hairs. In the closely allied genus Haastia the 

 plants form rounded cushions, several feet in diameler, the leaves being clothed 

 with cottony wool. Several pastoral epacrids represent to some extent the 

 crow-berry of the British mountains in habit. The mountain gentians, with 

 their handsome yellow or purplish flowers, are amongst the most atti-active of 

 the genus. Myosotis comprises several species of similar habit to the British 

 M. alpestris, with others, having terminal, solitary flowers, and hoary leaves. 

 Numerous shrubby veronicas and a few herbaceous foi-ms occur as sub-alpines ; 

 amongst the former is a group of singular forms, usually with closely appressed 

 or imbricated leaves, but occasionally developing othei'S of vai-ious forms, 

 which are spreading and pinnatifid. Showy species of Euphrasia are frequent, 

 and moss-like patches of the genera Pygmea and Forstera ai-e not uncommon. 

 The alpine section of the British Flora exhibits no such strilcing plants as 

 the above, either with regard to form or beauty ; in many parts a compacted 

 growth of Salix herhacea, Carex rigida, and Lycopodium alpi-num is foiind on 

 the highest peaks. Silene acaulis, Gnaijhalium, supinuni, Saxifraga stellarisy 

 Viola palustris, a few hawkweeds, alpine Gerastia, willow hei'bs, Alcheniilla 

 alpina, Empetrum nigrum, four or five grasses and rushes, Saxifraga ojipositi- 

 folia, S. nivalis, Sedum Rhodiola, Lomaria spicant, Lycopodium Selago, Poly- 

 gonum, viviparum, Gochlearia officinalis, Tlialictrimi aljnnum, and Oxyria 

 reniformis, form the bulk of the sparse vegetation at and above 4,000 feet. 

 About one-fifth of the British phsenogamic plants and ferns occur between 

 2,000 feet and 4,330 feet; many of these, however, descend much lower. 



