The New Zealand Species of Metrosideros with a Note on Metrosideros collina (Forst) Gray. By W. R. B. Oliver, M.Sc, F.N.Z. Inst., Director Dominion Museum, Wellington. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical. Society, 24th June, 1928; received by Editor, 31st July, 1928; issued separately, 31st August, 1928.] Plate 67. The purpose of the present paper is merely to revise the nomenclature of the New Zealand species of Metrosideros. Discussions on affinities and distributions are therefore included only so far as they have a bearing on the name to be applied to the species. Investigations into the nomenclature of the genus revealed an amazing state of confusion, for, as will be seen by what follows, no fewer than seven of the eleven names used in Cheeseman's Manual of the New Zealand Flora will require to be changed. Unfortunately, in two cases the names are transferred to different species within the genus. It will be convenient to compare in tabular form the names herein proposed with those in Cheeseman's Flora. Cheeseman's Manual. Present Paper. M. florida M. scandens M. lucida, M. umbellata M. Parkinsonii M. Parkinsonii M. albiflora M. albifiora M. diffusa M. carminea M. hypericifolia M. diffusa M. Colensoi M. Colensoi M. scandens M. perforata M. robusta M. robusta M. robusta. var. intermedia × M. subtomentosa M. tomentosa M. excelsa M. villosa M. kermadecensis Of the above changes M. perforata has already been noticed recently by the author and by Cockayne and Allan (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 56, pp. 5, 27, 1926), while M. scandens (= M. florida) was recorded by Druce in 1917. In the case of the hybrid, M. subtomentosa, this name is adopted instead of intermedia under the authority of a rule which states that the first name used in a specific sense must stand. The rule is obviously not in harmony with the law of priority. In order to verify the results of my researches, I applied to the Department of Botany of the British Museum where the types of the Forsters are preserved. Mr. A. W. Exell kindly took the matter up, fully investigated the problems I placed before him, and drew up a synonymy which not only confirmed mine but added several references not available to me. Thanks to Mr. Exell, therefore, I believe the names now put forward are in accordance with the International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature, and the authori-