Buchanan. — On some New Species of Plants. 243 



Mueller, in his criticism of the genus (Chatham Island Flora), thinks it 

 probable that some of them may have been describing varieties of the species. 

 Dr. Hooker, again, in not recognizing more than one species, seems to consider 

 the others not founded on sufficient data. It is, therefore, with some 

 hesitation that the present is advanced as more than a variety. The differ- 

 ences, however, between this plant and Arundo conspicua are so great, 

 particularly in its low habit of growth and dense-flowered, erect, fulvous 

 panicle, that it has for many years attracted attention, and indeed some 

 species of Agrostis and Poa rest on less distinction. 



Collected by Dr. Menzies on the Mataura River, Otago, in 1867 ; and by 

 J. Buchanan at Wellington Heads, in 1873. 



Senecio robusta, n. s. 



A small, woody, robust shrub, branches covered with scales formed by the 

 sheathing bases of the old petioles, leaves below and petioles covered with 

 thin, appressed, buffy white tomentum. Leaves petioled, 1-1 f inch long, 

 oblong ovate, or obovate and acuminate at bottom, rounded at top, margin 

 entire, glabrous, and wrinkled above, coriaceous, the two lower nerves 

 springing from near the bottom and running parallel with the margin for 

 three-fourtlis of the leaf's length. Petioles ^^ inch long, flattening into 

 sheaths at bottom, corymbs erect, spherical, of 5—7 yellow heads on robust, 

 erect, terminal, bracteate peduncles ; bracts linear, obovate, petioled ; 

 bracteoles nearly as long as the pedicels, very narrow, linear, acuminate, 

 peduncle, pedicels and bracts below covered with appressed tomentum. Heads 

 campanulate, f inch across ; involucral scales in one row ^ inch long, linear 

 acuminate, borders membranous, sparsely woolly, and terminated by a small 

 tvift of hairs ; rays I ii^ch long, revolute ; anthers tailed ; pappus hairs in one 

 row, white, scabiid. Achene glabrous, slightly grooved. 



Collected by Mr. J. Morton on Mount Eglinton, Southland, 1873. 



Plate XXII., fig. 1— Plant nat. size. 



Allied to Senecio monroi and Senecio laxi/oUa, but differing very much from 

 both in habit of growth, very coriaceous leaves with peculiar venation, and 

 small robust corymbs of few large heads of flowers. 

 Carex a2:)2^ressa, Brown. 



New to New Zealand. 



Collected by Dr. Hector in Milford Sound, January, 1873. Hitherto 

 found only in the Auckland and Campbell Islands. 



Ruhus parva, n. s. 



A small, prostrate shrub, branches rooting, smooth, unarmed. Leaves 

 simple, alternate, petiole 1 inch long, leaves 1-2 inches long, \ inch broad, 

 linear, deeply serrated ; back of mid-rib with 2-6 large, nearly straight spines ; 

 petioles, mid-rib, and bottom of serratures with a few scattered stiff hairs. 



