Art. VIII.—On the Occurrence of Poa antipoda Petrie on Herekopere Island.

By D. Petrie, M.A., Ph.D.

[Read before the Auckland Institute, 3rd December, 1913.]

Among some live grasses sent me from Stewart Island by Mr. H. Guthrie-Smith was a piece of Poa antipoda. On receipt some of the culms were in flower, and others flowered after the plant had been established in my garden. This is a form that differs from the type in having slightly larger spikelets and somewhat stiffer leaves. It has been recorded previously only from our subantarctic islands, having been collected on Antipodes Island by the late Mr. T. Kirk in 1890, on Campbell Island by Mr. W. R. Chambers, and on the Auckland Islands by Messrs. Aston and Tennant. This extension of its range to the main islands of New Zealand is a matter of considerable interest.

The small islands off Stewart Island have now furnished a number of southern plants not found elsewhere outside the subantarctic area, and it is highly desirable that these islands, and especially the Snares, should be carefully explored. The Government might well use their steamers to facilitate this important piece of work.