3. Urtica aspera sp. nov. Planta U. incisae Poir. affinis; differt floribus dioeciis; foliis subcoriaceis obtuse nec alte serratis; eulmis ramis ac petiolis pilis pungentibus dense vestitis; foliorum nervis parce similiter vestitis. A rather rigid much-branched dioecious herb, 30–40 cm. high. Stems moderately stout, densely clothed with rather stiff white stinging hairs, as are the branches, petioles, and inflorescence. Leaves opposite; petioles rather stout, as long as the blades or somewhat longer; blades coarsely and bluntly but not deeply serrate, ovate or ovate-deltoid, more rarely cuneate at the base, ± 5 cm. long, ± 3 cm. broad, acute, subcoriaceous, with scattered stinging hairs on the nerves both above and below. Male inflorescence single or geminate from the axils of the upper leaves of the stem and the branches, rather long spicate, bearing short rather distant small clusters of flowers; perianth glabrous; female inflorescence simple or branched, with more numerous crowded flowers; nuts broadly ovoid, enclosed in the not enlarged perianth. Hab.—Among tussock-grass in the more open parts of Firewood Creek, Cromwell, at about 2,300 ft.; Sowburn, Maniototo County, among patches of Discaria toumatou Raoul: D. P. Head of Awatere Valley, Marlborough: L. Cockayne. An indifferent specimen collected by B. C. Aston in the Dee Valley, Clarence basin, is probably of this species. 4. Thelymitra caesia sp. nov. T. pulchellae Hk. f. affinis; differt floribus subcoeruleis, sepalis petalisque acutis, columnae lobo posteriore bifido ac apice subcrenulate incrassato, lobis lateralibus latis valde complanatis brevioribus insuper a marginibus subpectinate fimbriatis. Stems moderately slender, 65 cm. high or less. Leaves shorter than the stem, variable in length, long-sheathing at the base, linear, fleshy, concave above, shining light green, midrib obscure. Cauline bracts usually two, thin, short, sheathing for most of their length, rather abruptly acuminate; floral thin, lanceolate-acuminate, slightly exceeding the peduncles. Flowers about five, laxly racemose, shortly pedunculate, large (± 2½ cm. across); sepals and petals ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute (sepals slightly the longer), lavender-coloured but closely streaked with deep blue; lip broader, paler, sharply narrowed above and less acute. Column stout, broadly winged, much shorter than the perianth, 3-lobed; posterior lobe bifid, shorter than the anther, its divisions truncately obtuse, thickened and slightly incurved along their somewhat wavy brownish-yellow tops; lateral lobes short but equalling the anther, forming broad thin flattened plates, subpectinately fimbriate along the upper margins, the fimbriate processes more or less cut into very short hair-like subdivisions; anther broad, connective produced into a short slightly grooved tip. Hab.—Birkdale-Glenfield Reserve, Waitemata County. Flowers late November and early December. This species was collected recently by Mr. H. B. Matthews, who has for several years devoted much time and attention to hunting up the native orchids, with quite remarkable enthusiasm, acuteness, and success. To him I am indebted for the specimens examined and for a note of the tint of the leaves and the colour of the perianth. When the species is better known the range in stem-height and in the number of flowers may be greater than the present description discloses. The species is clearly a fairly close ally of T. pulchella Hk. f.