Ranunculaceae.

Ran unculus bulbosus Linn. Originally recorded for New Zealand by J. F. Armstrong (1872:287) from Canterbury, the identity and distribution of this species appears to have been misunderstood by local botanists. Allan (1940:48) was the first to question the apparent wide distribution of the species, stating “Seen in only one locality by me.” I have examined a number of specimens in New Zealand herbaria under this name, and find that all belong to the closely allied R. sardous Crantz.; further, over a ten-year period I have collected Ranunculi from localities in both islands, but have not yet found any specimens which belong to R. bulbosus Linn. Until Armstrong's original specimens on which the record is based are found and proved to be correct, I consider that R. bulbosus Linn, should be regarded as a very doubtful member of the naturalized flora, and should perhaps even be removed therefrom.

There are difficulties in the determination of the species, and I have found the bulbous character of the rootstock not to be entirely satisfactory, since New Zealand material of R. acer Linn. and R. sardous Crantz. often shows swollen rootstocks similar to those possessed by foreign specimens of R. bulbosus Linn. in local herbaria. Achene characters appear to offer an additional means of distinguishing

R. sardous Crantz. and R. bulbosus Linn., in the former the achene surfaces bear an almost peripheral ring of tubercles, whereas in the latter species the peripheral ring of tubercles is absent.

Ranunculus (Ceratocephalus) sp. This plant was first gathered from Kurow, Bald Hill Flat, and other localities in Otago by D. Petrie about 1885, and the first published record of its occurrence that I have been able to trace is that by Kirk (1899: 20) as a naturalized species under the name R. falcatus Linn. Petrie must have originally considered this plant as indigenous, for his labels bear the name Ceratocephalus laniger nov. sp., but there is no evidence that he published the species. This plant has been treated as naturalized by Cheeseman (1906: 1063 and 1925: 1064) and Allan (1940: 50). I have examined Petrie's specimens from Bald Hill Flat and gatherings by subsequent botanists in the Otago region, and find that our plant is certainly not R. falcatus Linn., differing markedly from that species in growth habit, shape of the petals and achene conformation. To the present, I have been unable to match this plant with any species in the section Ceratocephalus of the genus Ranunculus. The problem is an interesting one, in that species of this particular section are stated to be endemic in Central Europe and Asia, and according to the Index Kewensis there are only two valid species; descriptions of these are available, but the local plant agrees with neither. Thus, it is possible that this plant could be indigenous to New Zealand and is an undescribed species, or, alternatively, that it is an alien species which has been described only recently.

Argemone mexicana Linn. var. ochroleuca (Sweet.) Lindl. All the specimens of this species in the herbarium of the Plant Research Bureau belong to this variety, characterized by the flower colour and the distinct styles, the typical form of the species having the stigmas sessile. The material examined included: Henderson, Auckland, Long 17788; Rotonui, Te Puia Springs, F. W. J. Fox 5267; Wanganui, A. R. Dingwall 36271; Havelock, T. H. Munro 3885; Oamaru, H. H. Allan 7763.