recurved portion of their petals purplish. Like those of the preceding species, they are crowded chiefly along the under-sides of the branches, but are even more hidden by the foliage. They are sweet-scented, and contain abundant nectar. Nat. Ord. Pittosporeæ. About twelve species of Pittosporum occur in New Zealand, and two of these are common in the east of Otago. P. tenuifolium, belonging to the section of the genus having solitary flowers, is a very handsome little tree. Its flowers are a good deal hidden by the foliage, but are tolerably conspicuous, the petals being bright purple when first expanded, and gradually deepening in colour as they begin to wither. As soon as the flower opens the stigma is seen to be viscid, and it remains so long after the pollen is shed. The base of the ovary is hairy, and between it and the filaments small beads of honey are secreted. The object of the hairs is probably to prevent any insects reaching the honey except those which are furnished with a proboscis. The pollen is very coherent, and not easily shaken from the anthers. The flowers have no perceptible fragrance. P. eugenioides, according to Hooker, is more or less diœcious, though the numerous specimens I have examined were invariably hermaphrodite. The flowers are produced in large corymbs, which are very conspicuous, and they are extremely fragrant, and secrete a quantity of honey between the bases of the ovary and filaments. In many cases, when opening, the anthers are found dehiscing almost on the viscid stigma, to which some of the pollen-grains adhere. In this way probably the flowers are often fertilized, while their attractions to insects are so numerous as almost to ensure cross-fertilization. Nat. Ord. Caryophylleæ. The order is represented by four genera—Gypsophila, Stellaria, Colobanthus, and Spergularia. Our species are probably all self-fertilized, the only doubtful one being Stellaria roughii, a mountain form with large green flowers. The others have small, and, in some cases (Colobanthus), perfectly inconspicuous flowers, destitute of colour, scent, or honey. Nat. Ord. Portulaceæ. Claytonia australasica has small, white flowers, which are, however, relatively very large when compared with the size of the whole plant. They are tolerably conspicuous, have a little honey at their base, and are distinctly proterandrous, the divisions of the style being stigmatic on their inner faces only, and these remaining closed until the pollen is scattered. Nat. Ord. Hypericineæ. Two species of Hypericum are found in New Zealand, and both occur in Otago.