in New Zealand. 
277 
travelling in a S.W. direction for Maungatautari, an 
elevated district situated nearly midway between the 
E. and W. coasts. In crossing a small stream, I dis¬ 
covered a peculiar Car ear-like procumbent plant grow¬ 
ing in its bed, completely under water. As it was now 
the driest season of the year, and as the water of the 
stream was nearly two feet deep, this plant must neces¬ 
sarily be always immersed. A graceful leaved Hydro - 
cotyle , I also obtained from the same locality. After 
walking about eight miles over level and barren ground, 
we entered a romantic valley, called by the natives 
Hinuera. This valley has, on either side, high and 
perpendicular volcanic rocks, composed of a conglo¬ 
merate of pumice, scorise, obsidian, &c. On the S. side 
of the valley, this rocky rampart ran continuously for 
nearly two miles; while on the N. side, the hills bore 
on their table-tops groves and clumps of graceful pines, 
contributing not a little to the beauty of the landscape. 
At 2 p.m., we halted to dine under a large and pensile 
crag, which, jutting out from the rocks on the N. side, 
overhung our path. Here, beneath this rock, I disco¬ 
vered an elegant Asplenium (A. Hoolterianum, n . sp . 
W. C.) f a species approaching, both in habit and affinity, 
very near to A. ColensiL I did myself the honor and 
pleasure of naming this graceful fern, in memorial of my 
much respected and talented friend, J. D. Hooker, Esq., 
M.D., who, as assistant-surgeon and naturalist, visited 
these islands in H.M.S. j Erebus, in the winter of 1841. 
In a thicket in this neighbourhood, through which we 
passed, I detected a graceful shrub of very slender 
habit, with peculiarly hairy bark. This plant bears a 
small white blossom, has but few divaricate branches,, 
and attains to the height of 6-9 feet. 
