327 Annuns Emittens

ON A BOTANICAL VISIT TO THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS. 327 annuns emittens. Folia longe petiolata, crassiuscula, herbacea, cordato-ovata, absque petiolo i-li poll. longa, vix acuta, basi cordata vel rotundata, integra vsl saepe grosse paucidentata (utrinque dentibus 34),vix hispidula, venis primariis lateralibus utrinque 2-3 sat conspicuis j petiolus graeillimus, laminam sspe sequans vel interdum excedeus. &!ores subsecundi, pollicares, in racemos breves densos dispositi, brevissime pedicellati, bracteis foliaceis parvis ovatis petiolatis muniti ; calyx puberulus ; corolla puberula, arcuata, tubo gracili ; stamina inclusa. Nucuke ignots. Ziarat. Similar to X. grossa, Wall., but having a more woody caudex, slenderer flowering-stems, and slenderly petiolate few-toothed or entire leaves. Itanunculus acaulia. " Catabrosa " antarctica. R. subscaposns. Hymenophyllum demissum. Colobanthus subnlatus. H. flabellatum. Myosotis antarctica. I€. rarum. Urtica aucklandica. ' Todea superba. Gaimardia ciliata. Polypodium Grammitidis. Deschampsia czspitosa, with Lycopodium scariosurn. 328 MR. T KIRK ON BOTANICAL Amongst the novelties are a charming “Triodia,” from the hills above Carnley Harbour ; a Ranunculus from the same place (not R. alccklandicus) ; a Stellaria allied to,#. decipiens; another “Triodia ” from Antipodes Island ; a handsome Aralia, similar to my A.Lyallii, but with petioles like those of garden rhubarb ; a fine Celqnisia of tbe vernicosa type, but with broad leaves ; a small Pleurophylllcna ; a grand herbaceous Senecio, the heads of which reminded me of X. candicans; B curious Gentiann, Poa sp., and some others, besides a few additions, as Carpha, Phor- miunz, Samolus, &c. Unfortunately I was badly sea-sick the whole time ; so that my specimens did not fare so well as could have been wished; but this did not interfere with my getting about. The Snares are covered with vegetation, although there is but little variety; but imagine the effect of tKo such grand plants as Olearia Lyallii and Senecio Muelleri in mass ! Both attained the height of 25 feet; the latter, with a trunk 1to 2 feet in diameter, is surely the largest member of the genus. Some of the Ieaves of the Olearia were 7 inches long ; the flowers are like those of 8. Colensoi, destitute of ligulate florets; and there is but little to distinguish the two except the large, more ovate, less acuminate leaves, and more open habit of 0. Lyallii : one grand specimen on Ewing Island was 30 feet high, and another on Point Ross was nearly as large. What appeared to be the same plant occurred cjn the south head of Carnley Harbour, 11 here it was a low shrub ; but I was unable to land. Antipodes Island is simply the crater of an extinct volcano ; its largest shrub was Coprosma cuneafa (identified in the absence of flowers); the oiily others observed were C. ciliafa and C. repens. Fifty-four plants were collected. On the Snares only twenty-nine, several of which were introduced. Cattle, sheep, and goats have been introduced in all these islands: rabbits have been turned out on Macquarie Island and at Port Ross. The cattle greedily devour Stilbocarpa on Antipodes Island, eating even the rhizomes ; so that some of our choiced things will soon be thinned. A remarkable gentian was abundant on Antipodes Island, forming dense masses, ci to 12 inches high and 1 to 2 feet in diameter ; the subprocumbent stems gave off numerous erect, strict branches. Some specimens exhibited yellow stems and leaves, with mhite floRers ; others red stems and leaves with white flowers streaked with red j so that in both forms alike the VISIT TO TEE ADCELAND ISLANDS. 329 flowers were undoticed until the plant was examined somewhat close,ly. I unite with this your Bentiana concinna from Campbell Island. All the specimens of G. concinna observed had self- coloured flowers, red, purple, and white, but uone were streaked. G'. cerina was plentiful on Shoe Island, Ross Island, &c., and on the hilIs up to 1200 feet at Carnley Harbour, the flowers being self-coloured white, red, or purple, or less frequently streaked ; it is a lovely plant. Chcysobactron Rossii was past flowering, so also Pleurophyllum crinifeerum ; P. Cilliesianum was nearly past, P. speciosum at its maximum. I did riot see Buchanau's P. Hookeri, which seems to be identical with P. Hombronii, Decne., judging from the de- scription and plates in ' Voy. au P81e Sud,' and Trans. N. Zeal. Inst. xvi. t. 37, and that again in all probability is P. criniferum ; both, however, show globular flower-heads, while in P. criniferum they are discoid. P. Gilliesiamunt has globular heads ; but the scapes are always naked, and the leaves difer widely from those represented by either drawing. I found the leaves of P. crinifevum invariably petiolate, the petiole sometimes 8 to 12 inches long or more; you devcribe them as amplexicaul: it maintains the petiolate character under cultivation in Ch. Traill's garden at Stewart Island. There appear to be two well-marked forms of P. speciosum. The Axkland lsland plant has whitish or pale ray-florets, and the leaves have no moniliform bairs j the Campbell Island form has vio!et-coloured ray-florets, and the leaves produce moniliform hairs profusely on the upper surface. These differences have been constant under cultivation during twelve years. The Draeophyllum scoparzum of Campbell Island is endemic, the plant referred by New Zealand botanists to that species being very different. The island plant has the habit of Cupressus sempervirens, and possesses good claims to specific distinction. Buchanan is in error in ref:rring the Chatham Island plant to this form. There are two forms of Dracophyllum bngifolium on the islands, one with terminal racemes, the other with lateral. Hypolppis Millefolium is frequent ; I think there can be little doubt as to its identity with Polypodium rugubSum, which attains to a large size. Tlle island form of Ranunculus pinguis differs from any thing we have on the mainland in the large heads of fruit, pale colour, md lobulate teeth. The mainland plant, whether glabrous or hairy, is nearly alrrays branched; branched specimens are 330 ON A BOTANICAL VISIT TO THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS. extremely rare in the islands. R. aucllandicus is not unfrequent on Campbell Island ; but I failed to find R. subseaposus. Pour Rumex cuneifolius, var. alsinczfolius, is my R.neglectus ; observed only in Port Ross. Colobanthus muscoides is found Aparingly on the Snares, and plentifully on Antipodes Island, SO that its northern range is considerably esended. Pozoa renilformis occurred on the Aucklaud Islands as well as on the Carripbell Islands. I found it many years ago in the Spenser Mountains, Nelson, and received specimens from the Ashburton ranges (both in New Zealand). One or two patches of Coprosma repens with simple stems less than 1inch high bore hermaphrodite flowers. Celinisia verbasci- folia is a fine addition to the Campbell Islands flora : the flowers are the largest I have seen. At Port Ross and other places I fobd two or three species of Corysanthes. About C. macrantha and C. ric.zilaris I feel certain, although flowers were not seen ; but another flowerless plant, which may have been referred by you to the C. rotundzyolia, appeared to me the same as the one-flowered monophyllous orchid from Mount Anglein, in Stewart Island, which you thought would constitute a new genus, intermediate between Burnettia acd Caladenia. I have been much puzzled with your Ligusticmn interntediurn and L. Lyallii, of which, or rather of the former, good specimens from Port Preservation and Stewart Island have been sent to Kew ; but I can find nothing that exactly agrees with L. Lyakliii. On the Snares a few plants of a large form, 5 feet high, with stems 2 inches in diameter, were found in fruit; the leaves bipinnate, pinna pinnatifid, segments acute ; fruit longer than the pedicels. The entire plant devoid of the milky juice so characteristic of L. intermedium. I hope this will not prove wearisome : should it do so, please remember that more than forty years ago reviews of ‘Plora Antarctica ’ laid fast hold of me, and kindled an intense desire to gee Chrysobactron Rossii, Pleurophyllum speciosunz, and Cel- nzisia cernicosa in their native soil. After long waiting, the hasty pleasure has been realized, and I hope to enjoy it again before I die. Believe me, Tours truly, !I1.KIRK. .

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