Of 
Ranunculus. | RANUNCULACEAE. 43 
Sours Istanp: Abundant in the central and western portions of the Southern 
Alps, from the Spenser Movntains to the south of Otago. SrewartT Istanp: Mount 
Anglem, 7. Kirk. Altitudinal range from 2000 to 5000 ft. November—January. 
Var. Traversiit : Hurunui Mountains, Canterbury, W. 7’. L. Travers. 
A magnificent plant, by far the finest of the genus; so common in many portions 
of the Southern Aips that in summer the mountain-slopes are whitened from the 
abundance of the flowers. It has received many local names, as the “ mountain lily,” 
“ shepherd’s lily,” ‘‘ Mount Cook lily,” &c. Its nearest ally outside New Zealand is 
k. Baurit MacOwan, from the Transvaal, which has peltate leaves 4-5 in. diam. and 
small yellow flowers. R. Traversit does not seem to have been observed since its first 
discovery more than forty years ago. I have seen no specimens, but I am indebted 
to the Director of the Kew Herbarium for a drawing of the type specimen, which leaves 
no doubt in my mind that it is merely a local form of R. Lyallit, or possibly an abnormal 
single specimen. I am indebted to Dr. Cockayne for a somewhat similar abnormality, 
in which the leaves are bicrenate, with one or two irregular notches. 
A . Cael x ee 
* 2. KR. Matthewsii Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 1133. — Habit 
of £. Buchanami, but larger and stouter, 15-20 in. high, glabrous or with 
a few weak hairs on the petioles and peduncles: Radical leaves on 
stout petioles 3-9in. long, reniform or orbicular in outline, ternatisect ; 
the main divisions petiolate, coarsely toothed or lobed. Cauline leaves 
sessile, deeply toothed or lobed, but not so finely as in R. Buchanani. 
Flowers 1-4, large, pure-white, sweet-scented, 21-3in. diam. Sepals 5, 
slightly villous, reflexed when the flower is mature. Petals numerous, 
12-20, oblong-cuneate, rounded at the tip, narrowed to the base; gland 
solitary, large, basilar. Achenes turgid, pilose, forming an oblong-globose 
head $in. diam. or more; styles long, subulate. 
SoutH Istanp; Otago—Mount LEarnslaw, alt. 4000-6000 ft., H. J. Matthews ! 
I have few good specimens of this beautiful plant, and some allowance must 
consequently be made for the description. It is evidently very close to R. Buchanani, 
differing chiefly in the larger size and stouter habit, in being almost glabrous, and in 
the more sparingly divided leaves and larger flowers. 
3. RK. Buehanani Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 5.-—Stout, erect, 
more or less covered with long silky hairs, rarely almost glabrous. Rootstock 
thick, with numerous long fleshy rootlets. Radical leaves on long petioles 
2-6 in. long, with short and broad sheathing bases ; blade reniform in outline, 
2-6 in. diam., ternatisect, main divisions stalked, more or less deeply divided 
into linear or cuneate lobes, which are usually again 3-5-fid or -toothed, 
rarely entire. Cauline jeaves similar, but usually more finely cut, sessile 
or nearly so. Flowers solitary or 2-3, large, white, 141-21 in. diam. Sepals 
5, oblong, villous. Petals very numerous, linear-oblong, rounded at the 
apex, narrowed to the base; gland solitary, basilar. Achenes turgid, 
pilose, forming a globose head $in. diam.—TZ, Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 8: 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 10. 4 G$ i2azB sw 9-e&y ; 
SoutH Istanp: Otago—Lake district, Buchanan / Mounts Bonpland, Tyndall, 
and Aspiring, Petrie! Mount Earnslaw, H. J. Matthews! Bald Peak, B. C. Aston ! 
Mackinnon’s Pass and Mount Balloon, H. J. Matthews and F. G. Gibbs ! Eyre Mountains 
and Routeburn, Poppelwell ; Lake Hauroko, Crosby Smith. Altitudinal range 4000- 
6000 ft. December—January. 
A singular and beautiful plant, quite unlike any other, confined, so far as is known, 
to the high mountains to the west of the Otago lake district. The leaves are said 
to be sometimes nearly entire, and the flowers yellow, but I have not seen specimens 
showing these peculiarities. 
Art-v - oe od KreRe aie. bYS:.22%3 
Apey . arth Hade olto.,. 60: 223, 
