P. longifolia, Banks and Sol. ex Wikstr. in Vet.' Akad. Handl. Stockh. (1818) 280.—A small erect much-branched shrub 2–5 ft. high, perfectly glabrous except the inflorescence and sometimes a minute tuft of hairs at the tips of the young leaves; bark dark reddish-brown. Leaves crowded, opposite, spreading or sub-erect, 1–3 in. long, ⅓–¾ in. broad, oblong- or elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, narrowed into a very short petiole, coriaceous, flat, smooth, midrib and lateral veins distinct beneath; floral leaves similar or slightly broader. Flowers in compact many - flowered heads terminating the branches, sessile, sweet-scented, white or white tinged with rose, polygamo - diœcious. Receptacle villous. Perianth densely silky - villous; males the largest, ½–¾in. long, with exserted anthers on slender filaments and a rather short style with small capitate stigma. Females smaller and narrower; anthers smaller, on short filaments, usually without pollen; style longer, with a larger capitate and papillose stigma. Fruit dry.with a membranous epicarp, included in the swollen base of the perianth.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 242; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. '7. Passerina longifolia, Thunb. Mus. Nat. Acad. Upsal. xiii. 106.

Var. lanceolata. — Leaves narrower, 1–2 in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, linear-lanceolate. Flowers smaller.—P. lanceolata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii (1890) 483 (male). P. similis, Col. l.c. (female). P. angulata, Col. l.c. xviii. (1886) 265 (a form with occasionally 3 or 4 stamens).

North Island: Not uncommon throughout. South Island: Nelson— From Gollingwood southwards to Westport. Sea-level to 3000 it. Taranga. October–December.

P. Gnidia, Willd. Sp. Plant, i. 50.—A stout erect much-branched shrub 1–5 it. high, glabrous except the inflorescence and sometimes a tuft of silky hairs in the axils of the leaves; bark dark reddish-brown. Leaves close-set, opposite, shortly petioled, ⅓–¾ in. long, oblong or oblong-lanceolate or linear-oblong, usually acute at both ends, rigid and coriaceous, often slightly keeled by the prominent midrib, veinless, margins usually slightly thickened; floral similar or rather broader. Flowers in compact many-flowered heads terminating the branches, sessile, white or pale-rose, polygamo-dicecious. Perianth densely silky-villous, ⅓–½ in. long. Anthers exserted. Style slender; stigma capitate, exserted. Fruit dry.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 171; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 343; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243. Banksia Gnidia, Forst. Ghar. Gen. 8, t. 4. Passerina Gnidia, Forst. Prodr. n. 170. Cookia Gnidia, Gmel. Syst. i. 24.

Var. pulchella.—Robust. Leaves larger, ½–1 in. long, elliptic-lanceolate or linear-obovate, acute or obtuse, not keeled, lateral veins often evident. Heads larger with more numerous flowers. Flowers almost as large as those of P. longifolia. Intermediate between P. Gnidia and P. longifolia, and with equal claims to be referred to either species. 20—Fl.

North Island: Euahine Range, Colenso (Handbook). South Island: Marlborough and Nelson—Mount Stokes, J. R. Macmahon! Torrent Bay, Sandy Bay, Kingsley! Maitai Valley, Mount Owen, Wangapeka, T. F. C.; Mount Rochfort, W. Townson! Ofcago—Dusky Bay, Forster, Menzies, Enys! Sea-level to 4000 ft. December–January.

Very close to P. buxifolia, but always to be distinguished by the glabrous branches.

P. Traversii, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243. —A small very stout usually erect densely branched shrub 6–24 in. high; branches stout, often tortuous, prominently tubercled at the insertion of the fallen leaves, glabrous or slightly pubescent;, usually with a tuft of silky hairs in the axils of the leaves; bark blackish-brown. Leaves closely quadrifariously imbricated, sessile, —in. long, oblong or obovate-oblong to suborbicular, obtuse, thick and coriaceous, quite glabrous, midrib evident or obscure, veinless, margins often edged with red; floral leaves larger and broader, often twice or thrice as large, sometimes drying a peculiar verdigris-green. Flowers numerous, densely capitate, white or pinkish-white, polygamo-dicecious. Perianth densely silky-villous, J—J-in. long, the females shorter and broader than the males. Anthers in the male flowers almost reaching the top of the lobes, in the female flowers small and empty and on very short filaments. Ripe fruit not seen.

South Island: Marlborough—Kaikoura Mountains, Monro, Buchanan! Nelson—Mount Percival and Clarence Valley, T. F. C. Canterbury—Hurunui Mountains, Travers; Upper Waimakariri, Kirk I Ashburton Mountains, Potts! Rangitata Valley, Armstrong I Mount Dobson, T. F. C. Otago—Mount St. Bathan's, Mount Ida, Petrie! 2000–4500 ft. December–February.

In its ordinary state a distinct little species, easily recognised by •the very robust habit, stout scarred and usually glabrous branches, small broad leaves, and numerous rather large flowers. Diffuse or almost prostrate iorms, with slightly pubescent branches, show an approach to P. Icsvigata.

North Island: Mountains near the head of the Tairua River, J. Adams / Mount Hikurangi, S. Dodgshun, Adams and Petrie! Tongariro anrl Euapehu, Colenso, Captain G. Mair! H. Hill! Rev. F. H. Spencer! Ruahine Mountains, Colenso, Petrie! A. Hamilton I H.Hill! Kaweka Mountain, Colenso! 1500–4500 ft. December–March.

Very close to P. Gnidia, but easily distinguished by the branches being-hirsute with coarse hairs. Hooker mentions the "evident lateral nerves" of the leaves as a good character, but I find that the leaves frequently have the veins very obscure.

P. virgata, Vahl. Enum. i. 306. — A slender erect much-branched shrub 1–4 ft. high; branches long, slender, virgate? slightly ringed with the scars of the fallen leaves, younger ones more or less clothed with appressed silky hairs. Leaves spreading, close together or remote, not imbricate, almost sessile, ½–1 in-long, linear-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, not coriaceous, flat, nerveless, usually glabrous above, pilose with appressed silky hairs beneath; floral leaves similar or occasionally larger and ovate-lanceolate. Flowers in compact 6–12-flowered heads at the tips of the-branches, sometimes becoming axillary by the rapid growth of leafy shoots springing from beneath the heads. Perianth ¼–⅓ in. long, densely silky-villous; tube swollen at the base; lobes ovate, obtuse. Fruit usually baccate, white, ovoid-oblong,⅙–¼ in. long, often hairy at the tip.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 173; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 345; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. FL 243. P. pilosa, Willcl. Sp. Plant, i. 50. P. dichotoma, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 485. Passerina pilosa, Linn. j\ Suppl. 226; Forst. Prodr. n. 171.

North and South Islands: From the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape to Nelson and Marlborough. Sea-level to 2000 ft. September–December.

A common plant in the northern portion of the colony, well marked by the slender habit and rather lax lanceolate spreading leaves.

P. Haastii, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xii. (1880) 396.— "A strict low-growing shrub 6–10 in. high; branches few (?), very slender, white with silky hairs. Leaves in distant pairs, petioled, ascending, narrow-lanceolate, ¾–1¼in. long, acute, hairy below or nearly glabrous, margins recurved; floral leaves similar. Flowers 5–8 in a head, very small; perianth swollen below, silky; lobes, narrow, spreading. Filaments short. Style equalling the perianth-tube. Fruit not seen."

South Island: Alps of Canterbury, Haast, Armstrong!

Of this species I have only seen a single very fragmentary specimen in Mr. Kirk's herbarium, and have consequently quoted the original description. It appears to differ little from P. virgata, except in the more slender habit and distant rather longer and broader leaves.

P. arenaria, A. Cunn. in Bot. Mag. t. 3270.— An erect or spreading rarely procumbent shrub 9–30 in. high; branches stout, strict, erect or ascending, simple or dichotomously or corymbosely branched above, densely clothed with long silvery white appressed silky hairs. Leaves opposite and decussate, close-set or remote, not usually imbricating, spreading or deflexed, ¼–½ in. long, elliptic-oblong to broadly oblong-ovate or almost orbicular, obtuse or subacute, flat, coriaceous, veinless, glabrous or sparsely pilose above, densely clothed with shining silky appressed hairs beneath; floral leaves rather larger and broader. Flowers in compact 5–15-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white, polygamo-dioacious. Perianth shaggy with white silky hairs, ⅕–¼ in. long; tube short; lobes oblong, obtuse; females smaller, with a broader base. Anthers oblong. Fruit baccate, rather large.— Precur. n. 347; Raoul, Choix, 42; Booh. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. Passerina villosa, Thunb. in Mus. Acad. Upsal. xiii. 106. Gymnococca arenaria, Fisch. and, Mey. Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. x. (1845) 47.

North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Abundant on sand-dunes on all the coasts. Aute-taranga; Toroheke. November–March.

A most beautiful plant, at once recognised by the copious white silky hairs on the branches and under-surface of the leaves. According to Mr. Colenso, the berries were formerly eaten by the Natives, who also used the inner bark of the branches for preparing cloth-like strips for fastening up their hair.

P. laevigata, Gaertn. Fruct. i. 186, t. 39, f. 1.—A small prostrate or suberect much-branched shrub; branches scarred, stout or slender, long or short, from 4 or 6 in. to 2 ft. long; the younger ones usually more or less pubescent or sometimes glabrate, seldom white with villous hairs as in P. Urvilleana; bark dark-brown or reddish-brown. Leaves sometimes crowded and quadrifariously imbricate, at other times laxly placed, erect or spreading or deflexed, 1/10–⅓ in. long, lanceolate or linear-oblong to elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse or acute, flat or concave, nerveless or the midrib prominent beneath, usually glabrous on both surfaces; floral leaves rather larger and broader. Flowers in few- or many-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, small, white, polygamo-dicecious. Perianth ⅛–¼ in. long, more or less silky-villous or pilose, the females smaller. and narrower than the males. Fruit usually baccate, white, ovoid, acute.—P. prostrata, Willd. Sp. Plant, i. 51; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 174; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 346; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. P. rugulosa, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxi. (1889) 102. P. micro-phylla, P. bicolor, and P. heterophylla, Col. I.c. xxii. (1890) 484–486. Passerina prostrata, Forst. Prodr. n. 172. Cookia prostrata, Gmel. Syst. 24.

Var. erecta.—Stems stout, erect or suberect. Heads usually many-flowered.

Var. repens.—Stems more slender, procumbent or prostrate, often very diffusely branched. Flowers fewer and smaller.

Var. alpina.—Stems stout, suberect or spreading, branches tortuous, scarred, often nearly glabrous.

North and South Islands: Prom the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards to the Bluff, abundant. Sea-level to 4500 ft. October–March.

An almost polymorphous plant, the various forms of which are much in need of careful study and comparison.

P. Urvilleana, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 175.—A small widely spreading rather laxly branched procumbent shrub; branches 4–18 in. long, scarred, the younger ones white with copious short appressed silky hairs. Leaves close-set, usually quadrifariously imbricating, spreading or deflexed, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear-oblong to oblong or oblong-ovate, obtuse or subacute, thick and coriaceous, concave, nerveless, usually glabrous on both surfaces; floral leaves usually larger and broader. Flowers in 4–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, small, white. Perianth ⅙–⅕ in. long, villous with long white hairs; lobes equalling the tube, broadly oblong, obtuse. Fruit baccate, white.—A, Cunn. Precur. n. 348; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. P. prostrata var. Urvilleana, Meisn. in D.G. Prodr. xiv. 517. Gymnococca microcarpa, Fisch. and Mey. Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. x. (1845) 47.

North Island: Usually near the sea. Bay of Islands, Cunningham; Whangarei Heads, Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Little Barrier Island, T. F. C.; vicinity of Auckland, Colonel Haultain! Taranaki, Dieffenbach. South Island: Nelson—Tasman Bay, D'Urville. October–March.

A very imperfectly understood species, apparently only differing from states of P, Imvigata in the copious snow-white hairs on the young branches.

P. Suteri, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 259.-A small much-branched shrub 4–12 in. high; branches spreading or suberect, often tortuous; the younger ones sparingly pilose with rather long straight silky hairs; bark dark red-brown or black. Leaves crowded, shortly petiolate or nearly sessile, erecto-patent, about ⅓ in. long, narrow linear-lanceolate, subacute, coriaceous, concave above, both surfaces glabrous or rarely with a few lax hairs, margins and apices ciliated with long straight hairs. Flowers in 4–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white, polygamo-diœcious. Perianth ¼–⅓ in. long, villous with white hairs. Fruit baccate, red, ovoid, acute, hairy at the tip.

South Island: Nelson—Dun Mountain Range. W. T. L. Travers! P. Lawson! R. J. Kingsley! 2000–3500 ft.

A peculiar little plant, closely related to P. Lyallii and P. Icevigata, but differing from both in the narrower leaves, with ciliate margins and apices.

P. Lyallii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 222.—A small stout prostrate or suberect much-branched shrub.6–18 in. high; branches sometimes long, spreading or trailing, at other times shorter, ascending or erect; the younger ones more or less silky-pilose with appressed hairs, rarely almost glabrous; bark dark red-brown. Leaves usually close-set, erect or patent, ⅙-½ in. long, linear-oblong or elliptic-oblong or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, concave, nerveless, glabrous above or nearly so, silky with long hairs beneath or almost glabrate; floral leaves similar to the others. Flowers in 4–12-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white. Perianth about ¼in. long, densely silky-villous; lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse. Anthers short, oblong.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 245.

Var. sericea.—Usually erect. Branchlets and leaves on both surfaces densely clothed with long silky appressed hairs, the leaves usually larger and broader.

North Island: Ruahine Range, Colenso! Tryon! A. Hamilton! Var. sericea: Ruahine Range, Colenso! Hawke's Bay, A. Hamilton! South Island, Stewart Island: The typical form abundant in mountain districts throughout. Var. sericea: Kurow and other places in the Waitaki Valley, Buchanan! Petrie! Clutha Valley, Petrie! Crown Range, Cardrona, Kirk! Usually from 2000 to 4500 ft., but descends to sea-level in the south of Otago and on Stewart Island. December–March.

An exceedingly variable plant. Slender erect forms approach P. virgata, others with smaller almost glabrous leaves seem to pass into P. Iœvigata, while the extreme state of var, sericea has much of the appearance of P. arenaria. Var. sericea is referred to P. virgata in Kirk's herbarium, but I think it is-better placed under P. Lyallii.

P. sericeo-villosa, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 245.—A much-branched prostrate shrub, forming compact depressed patches 3–18 in. across, everywhere densely villous with long pale silky hairs; branchlets short, stout, densely leafly. Leaves crowded, closely imbricating, erect, ⅛–¼ in. long, linear-oblong or elliptic-oblong, obtuse or acute, concave, both surfaces villous with long straight hairs, which usually completely conceal the leaf. Flowers in 2–6-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white. Perianth ⅙–⅕ in. long, densely silky-villous; lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse.

South Island: Marlborough—Monro; Mount Duppa, Macmahon! Nelson — Wairau Mountains, Travers; Jollie's Pass, Haast! T. F. C.; Upper Clarence Valley, T. F. C. Canterbury—Lake Tekapo and Mackenzie Plains,. T. F. C. Otago—Waitaki Valley, Hector and Buchanan! Clutha Valley, from. Cromwell to Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, Petrie! 500–3500 ft. December–March.

Differs from P. Lyallii in its more completely prostrate and often densely compacted habit, and in the far more copious covering of long straight silky-hairs.