JO JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



it may, it is certain that the styles are not " stigmatifeixms towards the 

 apex along the inner face." The stigmas are constantly capitate, 

 without a trace of the decurrence of the stigmatic surface along the 

 style. The number of styles is twelve or by abortion less. When they 

 are fewer than twelve, rudiments of the deficient styles are nearly 

 always to be found. The perfect fruit has twelve compressed carpels, 

 and I have never found this number exceeded. Three or more of these 

 are usually barren, but in a perfect capsule the twelve are very plainly 

 recognisable. These peculiarities do not accord well with the generic 

 character of Plagiantlms. and the plant is evidently on the border-land 

 between Hoheria and that genus. If our plant is still to be ranked as 

 a Plagiantlms there seem to be very scanty reasons for maintaining 

 Hoheria as a genus distinct from Plagiantlms. This small tree is one 

 of the most beautiful of the native shrubs. It is now pretty freely 

 cultivated in private gardens in Dunedin, and is greatly admired for 

 its copious clusters of scented flowers that look quite as gay as cherry- 

 blossom. The season of flowering is Christmas time It is easily 

 propagated by cuttings, but seedlings are difficult to get, as the seeds 

 are very generally eaten by the larva of some small insect. The seeds 

 of Hoheria pojrulnea, A. Cunn., are attacked in exactly the same way, 

 probably by the same larva, and this is perhaps an additional reason 

 for considering the plant a Hoheria rather than a Plagiantlms. 



Lepilcena, sp. Some years ago Mr. Thos. Kirk, F.L.S., noticed 

 the occurrence of this genus in New Zealand. I have reason to think 

 that our species is distinct from any of those found in Australia, and I 

 propose for it the provisional name of Lepilcena monandra. It is very 

 abundant in many fresh and brackish waters of Otago. 



Sciropus (Jsolepis) basilaris, Hook, f. This rare species, which has 

 until recently been found only in one locality in Hawke's Bay, is 

 now found to occur in Otago, near Coal Creek (Roxburgh). I have 

 repeatedly collected it about a mile and a half to the north of Coal 

 Creek on the road to Alexandra South, but until last year I was unable 

 to get the fruit, and was thereto' e uncertain about its identification. 

 Though previously known only from low levels it will probably prove a 

 sub-alpine plant, and be found in many localities between Otago and 

 Hawke's Bay. 



Zannichellia palustris, L. Though this species is given in the 

 Handbook it has recently been suspected that Sir Joseph Hooker had 

 mistaken the indigenous species of Lepilcena for it. This, however, is 

 very improbable, as the true Zannichellia palustris L., grows in the 

 lagoon at Waikouaiti, where I gathered it at the end of January last. 

 The presence of a male flower at the base ot the pistillate one, and the 

 curious obliquely peltate stigmas at once distinguish it from the 

 disecious Lepilcena. 



