A very low densely tufted branched glabrous moss-like plant, forming small cushions rising an inch or less above the ground.

Leaves closely imbricating, spreading, opposite pairs connate at the base and forming a short membranous sheath, 6–8 mm. long, linear-subulate, acicular, green, with strongly thickened margins, otherwise veinless.

Flowers near the tips of the branchlets, lateral, shortly peduncled, the peduncles elongating in fruit.

Calyx deeply 4-partite, the lobes narrow linear-subulate, acicular, and leaf-like.

Stamens 4, short, inserted between the calyx-lobes and barely half as long.

Styles 4, short, barely exceeding the stamens.

Capsule 4-celled, as long as the sepals when mature.

Hab.—Rocky faces of the Sealey Range, Mount Cook district, at 5,500 ft.

The present species is closely allied to C. canaliculatus T. Kirk. It differs in the number of sepals and stamens, which are uniformly 4; in having the stamens and styles much shorter than the sepals; and in the form of the calyx-lobes, which are linear-subulate and acicular.

Epilobium microphyllum A. Rich. var. prostratum var. nov.

Planta typo simillima, ramis omnibus prostratis diffusisque, pedunculis floriferis longioribus.

Plant similar to the type, except in its prostrate diffuse branches and longer floriferous peduncles.

Hab.—Broken River (lower part); Opihi River (near Fairlie); vicinity of Naseby, D. P.; Mount Somers, B. C. Aston.

This curious form maintains its distinctive characteristics over a wide area of the South Island. It occurs on gravelly flats in valley-bottoms.

Aciphylla intermedia sp. nov.

Caulis erectus, 4–6 dcm. altus.

Folia parum rigida, 2–3-pinnata, 25–40 cm. longa; vagina una cum petiolo laminam dissectam aequante vel excedente; foliola ultima brevia (8–12 cm. longitudine), angusta (4–5 mm latitudine).

Inflorescentia late oblonga, ± 30 cm. longa.

Bractearum vaginae anguste obcuneatae, in prolongationem 1–2-pinnate divisam foliorum laminis subsimilem productae.

Pedunculi universales congesti, longiusculi, tenues, sulcati.

Fructus lineari-oblongus, utraque facie 5-alatus.

Culms erect, 4–6 dcm. high, rather stout (2½ cm. across in the lower part), strongly grooved.

Radical leaves numerous, 25–40 cm. long, 2–3-pinnate, pinnae in 4 or 5 pairs; ultimate leaflets crowded, narrow-linear, grooved, slightly rigid, 8–12 cm. long, 4–5 mm. broad, spinous at the tips, the margins thickened and delicately erose.

Sheatha and petioles together equalling or exceeding the dissected blades; sheaths 8–10 cm. long, 1 cm. broad at the tops, narrow-obcuneate, furnished at either side with a linear spinous leaflet occasionally subdivided and barely half as long as the petiole.