C.---12.

Large examples are 27 em. tall. Leaves may measure as much as 14 cm. long, with the blade 9 x 3-2 cm. ; they are somewhat flaccid, succulent, and copiously hairy on the under-surface. The flowers are in dense heads, white, 7 mm. in diameter, and the filaments considerably exceed the anthers. The species, then, belongs to the section Exarrhena. (xiii.) Veronica Laingii Cockayne, sp. Nov. Fruticulus humilis 15-25 cm. altus. Caules pauci primum procumbentes deinde erecti ramosissimique. Rami ultimi stricti, teretes circ. 5 cm. longi, 2 mm. in diam. Folia 4 seriata, dense adpressa imbricata paribus oppositis basi connatis tumida ovato-deltoidea, 3-3-5 mm. longa, 2-5 mm. lata marginis ciliatis apicibus obtusis. Flores circ. Bin apicibus ramulorum in parvis capitulis 10 mm. longis, calycis lobis obtusis ciliatis circ. 2 mm. longis corollae tubum aequantibus, ovariis glabris. Stewart Island : Near summit of Mount Anglem ; flowers in January, seed ripe end of February. A smaller plant than V. Hectori, with the ultimate branchlets more slender, and not arranged round the main stem on all sides vertically, but mostly on one side, giving a dorsi-ventral appearance to the shoot system, as in V. Armstrongii. The leaves of V. Hectori have more rounded apex than those of V. Laingii; they are connate for more than half their length, and the apex of the leaf-lamina next below does not nearly extend to the angle of division of the leaves above, as in V. Hectori. It is more closely related to V. salicornioides, differing in the shorter branchlets and less acute leaves. (xiv.) Veronica buxifolia Benth. var. prostrata Cockayne, var. Nov. Caulibus prostratis ; foliis imbricatis ; spicis typo brevioribus. South Island: Longwood Range, in wet subalpine meadow. Stewart Island: Subalpine meadows of highest mountains. (xv.) Ourisia modesta Diels sp. Nov. in Rep. Nov. sp. Regni veg. 1909. (I have not yet seen the description, and so cannot give further particulars as to publication.) A small herb, forming matted patches of slender, much-branching creeping stems, rooting at the nodes. Stems creeping on surface of the ground, rather wiry, pale green, about I mm. in diam., very sparsely hairy, with pale weak hairs. Leaves very small, petiolate, variable in size, almost rotund, sparsely hairy on petiole and occasionally on margin of lamina, sometimes glabrous ; lamina dark green especially on veins, moderately thick, somewhat wrinkled on upper surface, 6-3 mm. in diam., generally quite entire, rarely emarginate, sometimes slightly lobed at base; petiole about 13 mm. long, more or less erect, frequently channelled above. Flowers white, small. Stewart Island : Rakiahua Valley, in wet ground. Blooms at end of December and beginning of January. All my flowering specimens were sent to Dr. L. Diels, so I can give no detailed description of the flower. The species, Dr. Diels tells me, is allied to Ourisia breviflora Benth. of Fuegia, and also to 0. integrifolia R. Br. of Tasmania. It differs altogether in size of flower and general appearance from any other New Zealand species. (xvi.) Celmisia rigida (T. Kirk) Cockayne, comb. nov. — C. petiolata Hook. f. var. rigida, T. Kirk in " Students' Flora," p. 286, 1899. Stewart Island : On cliffs to south of Mason Bay ; not subalpine. Closely related to C. petiolata, but stouter in all its parts, with leaves broader, usually longer and much thicker, those of C. petiolata being membraneous ; midrib green, not purple ; tomentum more or less ferruginous, not white ; scape stout, and flower-head larger than in C. petiolata. The plant is quite different in its general appearance to C. petiolata, but the differences are hard to define. It is much more amenable to cultivation, and keeps its characters unchanged. Living plants of the two species growing side by side can be distinguished at a glance. (xvii.) Olearia divaricata Cockayne sp. Nov. Frutex erectus ramosissimus 1 m. altus v. altior, ramis rigidis virgatis tenuibus oppositis divaricatis, foliis parvis anguste obovatis 7 mm. longis 3 mm. latis subtus ferrugineo-tomentosis, capitulis 6 mm. longis saepe solitariis v. 2-4 ramulis abreviatis. An erect shrub 1 m. or more in height, with stiff, slender, twiggy, divaricating branches. Bark pale, smooth except for two or three long ridges, slightly hairy on young twigs. Under-surfaces of leaves, pedicels, and involucral leaves more or less densely covered with rusty short hairs. Leaves rather dark-green, narrow, obovate, with cuneate base gradually narrowed into a short petiole, inserted 2 or 3 together on the short reduced lateral branchlets. Flower-heads 6 mm. long, cylindrical, solitary or 2-4 on reduced lateral branchlets ; pedicels slender, 8 mm. long, spreading out radially ; involucral bracts short, stained dark purple or pale green, ovate or oblong, obtuse, pilose with rusty hairs ; rayflorets 4, reflexed ; disc-florets 2-3 ; achene scantily pilose. Distinguished at once from 0. odorata by the few florets and rusty tomentum, and from all forms of 0. virgata by the stiffer branches, more divaricating habit, rusty tomentum, few florets, and pale bark. Stewart Island : Table Hill, in sheltered subalpine meadows. Not noted elsewhere. Flowers in early February ; flowers very sweet-scented.

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