;
NEW ZEALAND, ETC.'
Prasopliylluiii Colensoi, H.f.
Spirauthes Nov<x-Zelandia, H.f.
Ortlioceras Solandri, Liudl.
Thelymitra Forsteri, Sw.
Microtis Spr.
Aciauthus Sinclairii, H.f.
Cji’tostylis ohlonga, IT.f.
Adenocliilus graeilis, H.f.
Caladenia minor, H.f.
Pterostylis H.f.
Nematoeeras macrantha, H.f.
Gastrodia CunningTiamii, H.f.
Cheiloglottis cormita, H.f.
AUSTRALIA AND TASMANIA. TEMPERAT E AND COLD S. AMERICA.
Prasophyllum Anstrale, Br.
Spiranthes Australis, Br.
Ortboceras strictum, Br.
Thelymitra ixioides, Sw.
Microtis parvijlora, Br.
Aciauthus fornicatns, Br.
Cyrtostylis reniforonis, Br.
Eriocliilus autumnnlis, Br.
Caladenia carnea, Br.
Pterostylis longifolia, Br.
Corysanthes^wirzfl^fl!, Br.
Gastrodia sesamoides, Br.
Cheiloglottis dipliylla, Br.
Enough is here given to show th a t many of the peculiarities of each of the three great areas of land
in the southern latitudes ai-e representative ones, effecting a botanical relationship as strong as that
■vvlucli prevails throiigliout the lands within the Arctic and N orthern Temperate zones, and which is
not to he accounted for by any theory of transport or variation, but which is agreeable to the hypothesis
of all being members of a once more extensive flora, which has been broken up by geological
and climatic causes.
I have alluded to Pacific Island peculiarities in the New Zealand F lo r a ; these are few, hut very
well marked by some otherwise local genera, as Coprosma, Astelia, Exocarpus, Dammara, Geniostoma,
Cyathodes, Santalum, Elatostemma, Ascarina, Cordyline, and others, of which Ascarina is the most
remarkable, as the genus has hitherto been found nowhere but in New Zealand and the Sandwich
Islands. Until the New Caledonian and Hebridean vegetation especially is known, however, we
caimot follow out this affinity, as I do not doubt th a t their rich floras n ill connect the Botany of the
Pacific, Australian, New Zealand, and Malay Islands in a very remarkable manner, and exhibit affinities
of the utmost importance.
There has lately indeed been discovered a most remarkable and unique instance of representation
by close botanical affinity between very distant spots, viz. the existence of three of the most
peculiar Antarctic, New Zealand, and Tasmanian genera on the lofty mountain of Kini-B.alu, in
Borneo, situated under the equator, viz. Drapetes, Phyllocladus, and Drimys*.
§ II. ON THE VARIATION OF NEW ZEALAND SPECIES.
The difficulty of reducing the variations of species or of the ir organs to any system is confessedly
v'ciy great, and I have not the necessary materials for arranging such data as the New Zealand Flora
affords; still there are certain facts which appear of great importance in the consideration of tiie
general character of any flora, but which are almost invariably overlooked, because in the present
* These formed part of a very small collection made by II. Low, Esq., most of which I have described iu the
‘ leones PLantarum,’ vol. x .; they were gathered at about 8000 feet elevation, and consisted of a mixture of Australian,
Antarctic, and Indian forms. Amongst the latter, many species of Rliododendrou prevailed,—a genus unknown
south of the equator in the Old World, and here associated witii Bacrydium, Ittpacridere, and the above-
mentioned Antarctic genera, which are almost unknown in the northern hemisplierc.
state of onr knowledge they are not of practical application. Such are—1. The relative number and
extent of genera, the limits to whose species it is difficult to assign, owing to the variableness of their
organs.—3. The iiumher of species which materially vary by altering th e ir form and habit during
different periods of their growth, and of those whose variations seem independent of age, climate, or
condition.
There are many minor considerations th a t are equally well worthy of study with th e ahove, but
which can only he treated of in detail, and studied by local botanists ; such as variation in size, sta-
tiu'c, colom-, and many other particulars which do not produce any generally admitted difficulty in
recognizing species.
1. The genera whose species are extremely variable are—
Of veiy general distribution, 45 :—
Clematis. Taraxacum.Taraxacum. Gaultheria.Gaultheria. Parietaria.Parietaria.
Pelargonium.
Ranunculus. Lobelia.Lobelia. Polygonum.Polygonum. Dodonæa.Dodonæa.
Sonchus.
Linum. Euphrasia.Euphrasia. Hypericum.Hypericum. Senecio.Senecio.
5 gen. Cyperaceæ.
Geranium. Cardamine.Cardamine. Apium.Apium. Calvstegia.Calystegia.
10 gen. Grasses.
Oxalis.
Rubus. Olea. Potamogetón.
Epilobium.
Wablenbergia. Urtica. Veronica.
Gnaphalium.
Plantago. Gentiana. Luzula.
Endemic, or of confined geographical distribution, 34
Pittosporam.
Pimelia. Oreomyrrhis. *Cannichælia. Microtis.
Coriaria.
Oreoholus. Craspedia. *Tupeia. Weinmannia.
Cassinia.
*Hoheria. Trophis. Ozothamnus. ^Alseuosmia.
Elatostemma.
Leptospermum. Aristotelia. Leptocaipus. Parsonsia.
Pterostylis.
Dracophyllum. Coprosma. Elæocarpus. Calorophus.
*Anisotome.
Prasophyllum. Ourisia. Leptinella. Calceolaria.
Celmisia.
*Phormium. Thelymitra. Santalum.
[a) The first obvious result of this classification is the gi’eat number of variable genera, amounting
to 79 out of 282, or upwards of one-third ; and th a t the more or less local genera are rather more
variable thau the widely diflused ; for I find in the whole flora th a t those genera common to all quarters
of the globe arc to those confined chiefly to Australia and Tasmairia as 132 to 150, or nearly one-
half of the whole flora : whereas the variable local genera arc to the variable widely distributed in
the proportion of 34 to 45. As, however, the division into local aud peculiar genera is somewhat
arbitrary, and th a t into variable and constant much more so, these conclusions arc necessarily vague.
Perhaps a more intelligible comparison may be made by examining the absolutely endemic genera.
Of these there are 27, or onc-tcnth of all tlic genera in the fiora, and six only (or onc-fiftli) of these
are very variable ; whence it would appear tha t there is absolutely less tendency to vary, amongst the
endemic genera, than amongst those more widely dispersed.
(/;.) With regard to the widely diflused genera tliat arc variable in New Zealand, most of
them are so in all quarters of the globe, but present little uniformity in amount of variation ;
thus Rulms, of which there is only one iu New Zealand, and th a t an extremely variable species,
has very few representatives in Australia, and those not particularly variable; very many iu
* Those marküd with an asterisk arc citlicr absolutely peculiar to New Zealatul, or found elsewhere iu Norfolk
Island only, as Fhormimi; or iu hord Auckland’s Group, as yhiisolome.