respects from Armstrong's original description. Kirk's V. obovata only differs in the more truly obovate leaves, and I have little doubt that it will ultimately be merged with that species.
36. V. Cockayniana, Cheesem. n. sp.—A small densely branched shrub 2–4 ft. high; branches rather stout, densely leafy above, conspicuously marked with the scars of the fallen leaves below; younger ones more or less bifariously pubescent. Leaves close-set, decussate, suberect or spreading, shortly petiolate, uniform in size and shape, ⅓–⅔ in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, oblong or elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse, flat or slightly concave, thick and coriaceous, often black on the upper surface when dry, glaucous beneath; midrib puberulous above, thick and prominent beneath; margins entire. Racemes 2–4 near the tips of the branches, rather longer than the leaves, ½–1 in. long, simple, usually lax-flowered; rhachis, pedicels, and bracts pubescent. Flowers white, ¼–⅓ in. diam. Calyx deeply 4-partite; segments ovate-oblong, obtuse; margins pale, membranous, ciholate. Corolla-tube short and broad, equalling the calyx or slightly longer; limb 4-lobed; lobes longer than the tube, broad, rounded, veined. Capsule ¼ in. long, ovate, acute, twice as long as the calyx.
South Island: Nelson—Mount Lyell and Mount Murchison, Townson! near Reefton, R. W. Raithby! Otago—Humboldt Mountains, Cockayne! Clinton Valley, Petrie! 2000–4500 ft. December–February.
I look upon this as a perfectly distinct species, perhaps nearest to V. lævis, but easily distinguished by the pubescent branchlets, fiatcer and more spreading leaves glaucous beneath, by the simple lax-flowered racemes, and larger flowers with very short broad tube and broad rounded lobes. The blackish colour of the leaves when dried is very peculiar.
37. V. buxifolia, Benth. in D.C. Prodr. x. 462.—A stout erect much or sparingly branched perfectly glabrous shrub 1–5 ft. high; branches strict, densely leafy, below closely ringed with the scars of the fallen leaves. Leaves closely imbricate, ⅙–⅓ in. long, ⅛–¼ in. broad, broadly oblong-obovate, obtuse or subacute, suddenly truncate or cordate above the very short thick petiole, concave, keeled by the prominent midrib, rigid, very coriaceous, dark-green and polished above, paler and usually minutely dotted beneath, quite glabrous, entire. Spikes in the axils of the upper leaves, ¼–1 in. long, dense-flowered, often very numerous and crowded, forming a corymbose head to the branches; rhachis puberulous; bracts large, ovate, concave, coriaceous, equalling the calyx or sometimes exceeding it. Flowers sessile, white, ¼–⅓ in. diam. Calyx 4-partite; segments coriaceous, oblong, obtuse, ciliolate. Corolla-tube equalling the calyx or rather longer than it; limb 4-lobed; dorsal and lateral lobes broad, rounded; anticous narrower and subacute. Capsule broadly oblong, obtuse, compressed, almost twice as long as the calyx.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 194; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 210; Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 350; Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 523.
