Art. XXXI.—On some Plants new to the New Zealand Flora. By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S. [Read before the Auckland Institute, 5th October, 1896.] Haloragis cartilaginea, n. sp. Stems numerous, stout, erect, 6in.-12in. high, sharply four-angled, usually branched above, rough with minute asperities, but otherwise glabrous. Leaves opposite, often decussate, sessile or very shortly petiolate, broadly ovate or ovateoblong, ½in. ¾in. long, acute, coarsely and deeply serrate, very coriaceous, margins thickened and strongly cartilaginous. Flowers small, in many-flowered racemes terminating the branches, clustered, usually drooping. Calyx lobes broadly

triangular, acute. Petals rather longer than the calyx lobes, usually wanting in the female flowers. Stamens 8; styles and ovules 4. Fruit broad at the base, where it is furnished with four short horns or wings, narrowed upwards, conspicuously rugose between the wings. Hab. Cliffs near the North Cape; not uncommon. I advance this species with considerable hesitation, on account of its close general relationship to the common and variable H. alata. Its differential characters are its smaller size and stouter habit, the shorter and broader leaves, which are highly cartilaginous, and the much more wrinkled and rugose fruit. Coprosma kirkii, n. sp. A procumbent or prostrate shrub, forming large rounded masses 1ft.—4ft. high and several feet in diameter. Branches numerous, rather stout, often interlaced, younger ones covered with a short and soft greyish-white pubescence. Leaves in opposite pairs, or more usually in opposite fascicles, ½in.—¾in. long, linear, narrow linear-oblong or narrow linear-obovate, obtuse or subacute, coriaceous, gradually narrowed into a short petiole, flat, midrib usually evident below, lateral veins indistinct. Stipules very short, broad, margins ciliate. Flowers on short lateral branchlets. Males not seen. Females in 3—6-flowered fascicles. Calyx lobes 4, minute, equal. Corolla narrow campanulate, 4-fid. Immature drupes oblong. Hab. North Cape peninsula; Tapotopoto Bay: T. Kirk ! Near Whangakea, and coast between Tom Bowline's Bay and Hooper's Point: T.F.C. Near Ahipara: T.F.C. A distinct species, of which my material is unfortunately somewhat imperfect, the male flowers and ripe fruit being unknown. It is allied to C. cunninghamii and C. propinqua, but differs from both in the smaller size, prostrate habit, pubescent branches, and in the fascicled leaves. From C. linariifolia it is at once removed by the absence of the long sheathing stipules which are so conspicuous in that species, and by the much smaller fascicled female flowers. It was originally discovered by Mr. T. Kirk, and I have much pleasure in associating his name with it. Cassinia amœna, n. sp. A small round-topped densely-branched shrub, 1ft.—2ft. in height, with much of the habit of an alpine Veronica or Pimelea. Branches stout, furrowed, younger ones covered with greyish-white tomentum. Leaves close-set, spreading, ¼in.—2/3in. long, linear - spathulate, narrow linear - obovate or linear-oblong, obtuse, gradually narrowed into a short petiole, margins recurved, glabrous above, covered with dense white

tomentum below, midrib not always evident. Heads numerous, in terminal hemispherical corymbs, narrow, ¼in. long, 4—5-flowered; involucral scales pubescent, margins cottony-fimbriate, inner with short spreading white rays. Hab. Cliffs near the North Cape; abundant. Differs from C. leptophylla in its much smaller size and different habit, larger leaves, narrower heads with much fewer florets, and in the almost total absence of scales among the florets. It is much nearer to C. vauvilliersii, some forms of which approach it in habit. It can easily be distinguished, however, by the smaller size, narrower heads, fewer florets, and the absence of scales. The scales are so often completely wanting that the plant might be appropriately placed in the Ozothamnus section of Helichrysum as Helichrysum (Ozothamnus) amœnum; but, as in appearance and habit it is clearly nearer to the New Zealand species of Cassinia, than to those of Helichrysum, I leave it for the present in the former genus. Geniostoma ligustrifolium, A. Cunn., var. crassum. A small shrub, agreeing in size and mode of growth with the typical state of the species, but differing in the leaves; which are much smaller and broader, ½in.—¾in. long by 1/3in.—2/3in. broad, broadly ovate or orbicular-ovate, subacute, very thick and fleshy in the fresh state. Mature flowers and fruit not seen. Hab. Cliffs near the North Cape; not common. The usual form of G. ligustrifolium has leaves from 1 ½in.—2 ½in. long, membranous or only very slightly fleshy, so that the short, broad, thick, and fleshy leaves of the North Cape plant give it a very distinct appearance. At the same time I feel confident that the differences are only of varietal importance. An unusually large-leafed variety is abundant on the Three Kings Islands. In it the leaves are from 4in.—6in. long by 2in.—3in. broad, but the texture is the same as in the type. It might be appropriately distinguished as var. major. Veronica insularis, n. sp. A small erect or decumbent robust shrub, 1ft.—3ft. in height. Branches spreading, stout, covered with transverse scars, pubescent towards the tips. Leaves closely imbricate, suberect or spreading, sessile or nearly so, ¾in.—1in. long, 1/3in.—½in. broad, very coriaceous, oval, oblong or oblong-obovate, acute, rarely mucronate, flat or slightly keeled, opaque, often glaucous, entire, margins thickened, midrib strong. Flowers pale-lilac, in many-flowered corymbs towards the ends of the

branches; bracts large; pedicels rather long. Calyx short and broad; sepals broadly ovate, margins ciliate. Corolla rather large, 1/5in. diameter, tube much longer than the calyx. Capsule ovoid, turgid, acute, rather more than twice as long as the calyx. Hab. Three Kings Islands; rocky places on both the Great King and the Western King, but not common. Closely allied to V. elliptica, and principally differing in the smaller size; broader, darker green, and more coriaceous leaves, which are almost always sessile; in the more truly corymbose inflorescence, larger bracts, smaller flowers, broader shorter calyx, and longer tube to the corolla. In aspect the two plants are very dissimilar, the dwarf habit, dark-green or glaucous leaves, and lilac flowers of V. insularis affording a strong contrast to the tall-growing V. elliptica, with its pale-green foliage and white flowers. The genus Veronica has such a pre-eminently southern distribution in New Zealand that the discovery of an additional species in the extreme north of the colony is most interesting. It is curious that the nearest ally of V. insularis should be a species which attains its maximum development in the islands to the south of New Zealand, and which barely advances northwards half-way along the coast of the South Island.