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are but rarely developed on old branches and never in connection with fruit.
At Tepakinina, Geranium sessiliflorum is found in abundance on the pumice deposit by the river; this is probably the northern boundary of this interesting little plant, which had not previously been observed in the North Island. Potentilla anserina, and other plants of interest, were collected here. The open country in the vicinity is clothed with short-growing manuka and fern, largely mixed with an undescribed Schœnus allied to S. pauciflorus, and presents few plants of interest.
Whangape Lake is the habitat of many interesting plants. Asperula perpusilla attains here its northern limit, the usually littoral Chenopodium ambiguum occurs on its banks, Potamogeton pectinatus, only collected elsewhere as a New Zealand plant, near Napier, is abundant in the lake and in the Whangape Creek, as are the undescribed members of the genus already spoken of. Elatine Americana is not unfrequent, Ruppia maritima, usually confined to muddy beaches and salt-water ditches, is common, as is Zannichellia palustris; Scirpus fuitans, L., has not been found elsewhere in New Zealand; a Pilularia, with solitary fronds, is found on the margin of the lake, as well as in deep water, but good specimens have not yet been collected, and the genus has not at present been found elsewhere in the colony. Isoëtes Kirkii, Braunn, originally discovered here, forms a compact turf at the bottom of the lake, whilst charads of several species are abundant,—amongst them Chara fragilis, Desv., var. C. australis, R. Br., and C. gymmopitys, A. Br., are additions to our flora, as is an interesting minute plant, an undescribed Ranunculus of abnormal form, having four sepals and four petals, with spathulate leaves, and which formed matted patches in water of one to six feet in depth.
In the adjacent forest, the elegant Metrosideros Colensoi, with its weeping branches, clothed many of the tallest trees; when in flower, in December and January, it must present a charming sight, the rose-coloured flowers being borne on the extremities of its slender pendulous shoots. It would be a striking addition to the lawn or shrubbery if grafted on the rata or pohutukawa, and treated as a weeping tree. A Fuchsia, of sub-scandent rambling habit, was found here, but without flower or fruit; it is, perhaps, a form of F. Colensoi. Myosotis Forsteri occurred sparingly. Asplenium australe was collected of unusual luxuriance, some of the fronds being six feet high. Occasional specimens of the kauri were observed, but it is decidedly rare.
Waikare Lake is of irregular shape, and about eight miles long by three in width. It presents a marked contrast to Whangape Lake, in the comparative absence of lacustrine vegetation. The only representative of the charads was Nitella Hookeri, which occurred in large masses; the undescribed Ranunculus, already referred to, was abundant, but nowhere to be seen in flower. The maritime plants, Scirpus maritimus, Ruppia maritima, Leptocarpus
