﻿444 
  Transactions. 
  — 
  Botany. 
  

  

  . 
  Poli/poditnn 
  grammitidh, 
  Br. 
  

  

  On 
  tlie 
  West 
  Coast 
  of 
  the 
  South 
  Island 
  this 
  plant 
  exhibits 
  a 
  greater 
  

   range 
  of 
  variation 
  than 
  usual. 
  Mature 
  sporiferous 
  specimens 
  collected 
  by 
  

   Mr, 
  J. 
  D. 
  Eiiys 
  are 
  from 
  2 
  to 
  3 
  inches 
  long, 
  and 
  not 
  more 
  than 
  \ 
  inch 
  

   wide. 
  The 
  lower 
  portion 
  is 
  cut 
  into 
  deltoid 
  pinnules 
  or 
  lobes 
  ^ 
  of 
  an 
  inch 
  

   long 
  ; 
  the 
  upper 
  part 
  is 
  deeply 
  toothed. 
  In 
  this 
  state 
  it 
  closely 
  resembles 
  

   the 
  Cingalese 
  P. 
  curuUatum, 
  Nees, 
  but 
  the 
  pinnules 
  are 
  broader 
  at 
  the 
  base. 
  

   Some 
  of 
  Mr. 
  Hamilton's 
  Okarito 
  specimens 
  have 
  the 
  pinnules 
  lobed 
  and 
  

   worked 
  to 
  an 
  excessive 
  degree, 
  in 
  others 
  the 
  fronds 
  are 
  8 
  to 
  10 
  inches 
  long, 
  

   pinnatifid, 
  with 
  simple 
  entire 
  pinnules. 
  In 
  others 
  again 
  the 
  frond 
  is 
  

   similar, 
  but 
  the 
  pinnules 
  are 
  slightly 
  toothed. 
  When 
  in 
  this 
  state 
  I 
  am 
  

   unable 
  to 
  distinguish 
  this 
  plant 
  from 
  P. 
  subfalcatum, 
  Blume, 
  of 
  the 
  Malay 
  

   Archipelago. 
  

   Lycopodium 
  ramulosum, 
  Blume. 
  

  

  Only 
  known 
  at 
  present 
  from 
  this 
  locality, 
  and 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  Hokitika. 
  

   See 
  Art. 
  LXXIII. 
  

  

  P.S. 
  — 
  Since 
  the 
  above 
  was 
  written, 
  Mr. 
  Hamilton 
  has 
  informed 
  me 
  that 
  

   Cehniaia 
  hellidluides 
  and 
  Euphrasia 
  revolala 
  were 
  collected 
  near 
  the 
  face 
  of 
  

   the 
  glacier, 
  at 
  an 
  elevation 
  of 
  between 
  700 
  and 
  800 
  feet. 
  

  

  Aet. 
  LXXI. 
  — 
  Xotcs 
  on 
  the 
  Botany 
  of 
  Waiheke, 
  Ranyitoto, 
  and 
  other 
  Islands 
  in 
  

   the 
  Hauraki 
  Gulf. 
  By 
  T. 
  Kirk, 
  F.L.S. 
  

  

  [Read 
  before 
  the 
  Wellington 
  Philosopldcal 
  Society, 
  2Qtli 
  September, 
  1878.] 
  

   In 
  few 
  localities 
  is 
  the 
  importance 
  of 
  atmospheric 
  moisture, 
  as 
  a 
  factor 
  in 
  

   the 
  distribution 
  of 
  vegetahle 
  hfe, 
  more 
  forcibly 
  demonstrated 
  than 
  amongst 
  

   the 
  small 
  islands 
  in 
  the 
  lower 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  Hauraki 
  Gulf. 
  Most 
  of 
  these 
  

   islands 
  consist 
  of 
  sandstones, 
  clays, 
  and 
  slates, 
  and 
  are 
  watered 
  by 
  springs 
  

   and 
  small 
  streams. 
  In 
  every 
  case 
  the 
  islands 
  of 
  this 
  class 
  exhibit 
  a 
  luxu- 
  

   riant 
  vegetation, 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  copious 
  in 
  the 
  ninnber 
  of 
  species, 
  according 
  

   to 
  the 
  variety 
  of 
  soil, 
  situation, 
  and 
  aspect. 
  One 
  or 
  two 
  of 
  the 
  smaller 
  

   islands 
  are 
  composed 
  of 
  basaltic 
  scoria, 
  and 
  are 
  entirely 
  destitute 
  of 
  water, 
  

   except 
  such 
  as 
  may 
  be 
  collected 
  in 
  rock-cavities 
  during 
  rainy 
  weather, 
  

   and 
  are 
  therefore 
  entirely 
  dependent 
  upon 
  atmospheric 
  moistiu-e 
  for 
  the 
  

   maintenance 
  of 
  vegetable 
  life. 
  While 
  both 
  classes 
  exhibit 
  marked 
  pecu- 
  

   liarities 
  in 
  their 
  botanical 
  features, 
  the 
  most 
  striking 
  are 
  those 
  to 
  be 
  seen 
  on 
  

   islands 
  of 
  the 
  latter 
  class, 
  destitute 
  alike 
  of 
  surface 
  soil 
  and 
  a 
  perennial 
  

   water 
  supply, 
  

  

  