480 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



to do SO, though he obtained some curious reactions with the 

 balsamic exudation from the stem of tlie freshl}? cut shrub." 



Tlie leaves of BracJu/glotfis rangiora are very handsome, and 

 rival in size those of Eiitelea or Meryta. The flowers are 

 produced in large, lieavily scented plumes, and are very 

 attractive to bees. 



Genus Hei'tecio. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, with alternate leaves. Heads terminal ; flowers 

 solitary, or in corymbs or panicles. Florets yellow ; rays rarely white or purple. 

 Bisk-florets tubular, •5-toothed. Pappus of one or more rows of hairs. Achene 

 round or angular. (Name from the Latin, signifying an old man, from the white 

 hairs of the pappus). 80 sp. 



Senecio lautus (The ElegaMt Senecio). 



Stem sometimes prostrate, 3 in. -'24 in. long. Leaves fleshy, 1 in. -2 in. long, 

 often auricled at the base, narrow, toothed, lobed or pinnatifid. Heads in 

 ciirvnibs, I in.-J in. across. Rays 10-15, yellow. Achene grooved, shining or hairy. 

 Pappus soft, white. Both islands ; Stewart and Chatham Islands. PI. Oct. -March, 



This is a genus of world-wide distribution, and very varying 

 habitat, of which the common groundsel is generally regarded 

 as the ty[)ical form. In New Zealand it is well represented, 

 and mcludes among its species some of our most beautiful 

 shrul)S. The prevailing white of the New Zealand flora is 

 generally modihed in this genus to )'ellow. There are over 

 thirty indigenous species, which, with one exception, are 

 also endemic. As in Olearia, many of these forms, though 

 provided with excellent means of distribution, are extremely 

 local. .S'. (/lai/ci)f)Iii/Uiis is apparently only known from the 

 limestonf rocks of Mount Arthur in Nelson, and ,S'. Pottsii 

 From a single habitat in the Up]>er liangitata. S. pcrdicioides. 

 originally discovered by Banks and Solander, and then lost for 

 nearly a hundi-ed years, is found (jnly in the Illast Cape 

 district. The remarkable S. Hitiifu is confined to the 

 C'hathains, ;S'. Muelleri to an island in Foveaux Straits and t(j 

 the Snares, ,S'. (tittijxxliis t(.) the Antip(jdes. Perhaps the only 

 one which can be said t(j be abundant, is the multiform 

 .S. luiitas, though iS'. hrllidioides, and one or two other sub- 

 alpiuc species are coin[)aratively ccjinmon. The handsome 



Trans. XIV., |). 400. 



