Systematic Botany.] SUBANTARCTlC lSLA]SrDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 4^3 



I much regret that a good series of specimens of this species was not obtained 

 by the expedition. A comparison could then have been made with the numerous 

 New Zealand forms which are at present referred to the species. Hooker's plate, 

 which must be taken as representing the type, might stand for a common New Zea- 

 land form, so far as habit and foliage are concerned ; but the flowers are repre- 

 sented as blue, and the anthers are placed lower down the corolla-tube than is usual 

 in New Zealand. All the New Zealand specimens I have seen have white flowers, 

 sometimes with a faint tinge of yellow, and blue or purple flowers are unknown. 



Myosotis capitata, Hook. f. 



Myosotis cafitata. Hook, f., Fl. Antarct., i, 56, t. 37 (1844). 



Auckland Islands : Gravelly banks close to high-water mark ; Hooker : open 

 hillsides and rocky places, ascending to over 1,000 ft. ; Kirk ! Chapman ! Cockayne ! 

 Aston ! Campbell Island : Filhol ! Kirk, Laing. (Endemic.) 



This must be a very beautiful plant when fresh, judging from Hooker's plate 

 and description. He gives the colour of the flowers as " deep violet-blue." The 

 late Mr. Kirk informed me that it was violet-blue fading to purple, and Mr. Laing 

 states that on Campbell Island it varies from magenta to light purple. 



I now limit this species strictly to the Auckland and Campbell Island plant, 

 for the excellent specimens brought back by the expedition have fully satisfied me 

 that the variety albiflora of my Manual is a distinct species, which may be described 

 as follows : — 



Myosotis albida, Cheesem., n. sp. 



Myosotis capitata, Hook, f., Fl. Nov. Zel., i, 200, so far as the New Zealand 

 localities are concerned (1853). M. capitata, var. albiflora, Armstr. 

 in Trans. N.Z. Inst., xiii, 340 (1881). M. capitata, var. albida, T. Kirk 

 in Trans, N.Z. Inst., xviii, 224 (1885). 



Perennis. Rhizoma crassum, elongatum, horizontale vel obliquum, fibras crassas 

 emittens, ad apicem reliquis foliorum emarcidorum vestitum. Caules vel rami 

 floriferi e rhizomate plurimi, validi, ascendentes, basi plerumque decumbentes, 

 20-45 cm. alti, undique pilis brevibus mollibus et densis patentibus vestiti. Folia 

 radicalia numerosa, 10-15 cm. longa, 1^-3 cm. lata, crassa, plana, lineari-obovata 

 vel linear! - spathulata vel lineari - oblonga, obtusa, in petiolum latum gradatim 

 attenuata, supra et infra pilis brevibus albidis densissime obsita. Folia caulina 

 pauca, minora, 2-4 cm. longa. Racemi terminales et in axillis foliorum superiorum, 

 pedunculati, simplices vel furcati, scorpioidei, capitati. Flores numeros'ssimi, con- 

 ferti, breviter pedicellati. Calyx 4-5 mm. longus, pilis albidis densissime obsitus ; 

 lobis elongatis, lineari -oblongis, obtusis. Corolla hypocrateriformis; alba ; tubus 

 elongatus, anguste cylindraceus, calyce sub | longior, fauce gibbis emarginatis in- 

 structa ; limbus sub 5 mm. diam., explanatus lobis rotundatis. Stamina 5, fauci 

 affixa ; filamenta antheris longitudine aequalia ; antherae fauce.n omnino superantes. 

 Nuculae ovoidae, acutae, atrae, nitidae. 



The Snares : Not uncommon on the cliffs ; Kirk ! (South-east coast of Otago, 

 islets in Foveaux Strait, shores of Stewart Island.) ' 



