THE VASCULAR FLORA OF MACQUARIE ISLAND.—CHEESEMAN. 
37 
Kirk’s original description was evidently based on incomplete material, which 
apparently has been lost. As the species is endemic in Macquarie Island, and thus 
possesses considerable interest, I have prepared the above diagnosis, using the excellent 
specimens brought back by H. Hamilton. As a species, P. Hamiltoni is best 
characterised by the short strict culms, the deeply laciniate ligule, and the short and 
narrow much-contracted panicle. Kirk states that its nearest allies are P. folios a and 
P. anceps. It doubtless belongs to the P. folios a group; but it has little affinity with 
P. anceps, from which it differs in the mode of growth, in the leaves, and particularly in 
the deeply laciniate ligule, which is widely different from the truncate rim-like ligule of 
P. anceps , also in the acuminate and incurved flowering glumes, and the large anthers. 
Poa annua Linn. 
Poa annua Linn. Sp. Plant. 68; Hook. f. FI. Antarct. I (1844), p. 101; Cheesem. Man. 
N.Z. FI. (1906), p. 1091, and Subantarct. Islands of N.Z. II (1909), p. 445. 
Macquarie I si and :—Naturalized. Scott (1880) ; A. Hamilton (1894) ; H. Hamilton 
(1912-1913). 
Poa annua is one of those plants which penetrate into any locality capable of 
supporting phsenogamic vegetation, however remote or inhospitable it may be. Sir 
J. D. Hooker, in the Flora Antarctica, states that when Ross’s expedition visited the 
Auckland Islands in 1840 it was “ abundant on the tomb of a French sailor, growing 
with St ell aria media, both undoubtedly introduced”; remarking, however, that “it 
has not as yet spread far from the above locality.” Since that time it has become 
abundant in all the subantarctic islands. It was first observed in Macquarie Island by 
Dr. Scott, who observed that it was found near one of the sealers’ huts. A. Hamilton, 
writing fourteen years later, states that it was naturalized, and doing well. He also 
adds that “ it is interesting to see how the introduced Poa annua has taken possession 
of the highly-manured soil on the crown of the beach, and radiates from the settlements, 
together with some other introduced weeds.” H. Hamilton informed me that at the 
time of his visit it was plentiful near all the residences of the sealers. 
Festuca erecta D'Urville. 
Festuca erecta D’Urv. in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris IV (1826), p. 601; Hook. f. FI. Antarct. 
II (1847), p. 384. Festuca contracta T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXVII (1898), 
p. 353; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. (1906), p. 919; Petrie in Subantarc. Islands of N.Z. 
II (1909), p. 479. 
Macquarie Island :—Rocks near the sea. Scott (1880); A. Hamilton (1894); 
H. Hamilton (1912-1913). 
Perennial, densely tufted, 20-30 cm. high. Culms strict, erect, 2-noded or 
rarely 3-noded, the lowest node near the base, quite smooth and glabrous. Leaves 
usually overtopping the culms, narrow, strict, erect, quite glabrous; sheaths rather lax, 
