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FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND.
Novæ Zelandiæ,’ containing the names of all the plants then known to inhabit the islands,
and descriptions of many : this was published by fragments in the ‘ Companion to the
Botanical Magazine,’ and ‘Annals of Natural History of London,’ about the year 1839.
“ DC. Prodr.” refers to De CandoUe’s ‘ Prodromus,’ the great work alluded to above as
designed to describe all knowm plants. M. Raoul’s ‘ Choix des Plantes ’ is a beautifully
illustrated book on the new- plants brought by himself from the Bay of Islands and Banks’
Peninsula, in 1843. These, and the ‘Flora Antarctica,’ which comprises all the plants of
Lord Auckland’s Group and Campbell’s Island (collected during Sir James Ross’s Antarctic
Voyage in 1839-43), are the principal works referred to. I have, as far as possible, avoided
quoting pages, etc., except where there is some object for doing so; as in cases of doubt
with regard to the identity of the plant described with the name quoted, or when the w-ork
in question contains a good figure, or matter worth consulting relative to the species. It is
impossible to define what works slioidd or should not be quoted, under the various species ;
but quotations in detail are often a w-aste of time and space, when appended to what ought
to be a sufficient description.
Habitats foUow- the Latin character, and these, too, I have curtailed as much as possible.
We are very far from having even a tolerable knowdedge of the distribution of species in
New Zealand; and of about six to seven hundred flow-ering plants, fully two-thirds have
been gathered by five or six collectors, and one-half by twenty or thirty ; for the number of
small collections that have been formed at a few places is veiy great. Of plants which are
evidently common throughout the islands, I mention the discoverers only : these are generally
Banks and Solander, or Forster. I name the more recent collectors only when they
are discoverers, or detectors of rare plants in new or remarkable localities. Amongst these,
Mr. Bidwill, and the Rev. William Colenso, stand prominently forw-ard ; as do Drs. Sinclair,
Dieffenhach, and LyaU ; but it must not be supposed that because their names appear comparatively
seldom, they made small collections ; they have, on the contrary, contributed most
of the common plants, as w-ell as many new and rare ones. One very important consideration,
namely, elevation ahove the sea, is never alluded to in these habitats ; and it is
a serious desideratum I would recommend the plan of carefully determining elevations
by the temperature of boiling water, as amply sufficient for all botanical pm-poses*. This is
an entirely new and most interesting field for investigation with reference to the New Zealand
Flora, and wUl amply repay investigation. Of Alpine plants I have very few indeed, and
the lofty mountains of the Northern Island appear to be comparatively poor in species ; for
the collectors who have visited Tongariro, Mount Egmont, etc., all bring the same plants,
w-hich are also, in many cases, natives of the level of the sea much further south, as at
Dusky Bay. It must be borne in mind, that though New Zealand is luxuriantly clothed
with vegetation, it possesses remarkably few kinds of plants ; the little island of Tasmania
has nearly twice as many flowering plants, though fewer flowerless ones. These questions,
* These should be calculated from the mean height of the barometer at the level of tlie sea, for the mmi/i : it
is seldom sufficient to assume that element, or to take the mean annual height for it.
FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. ^
relative to the geographical distribution of the genera and orders, will be treated of separately
in the Introduction to this work. Such habitats as “ Bay of Islands,” “ Auckland,” “ Canter-
bmy.” must be taken as implying a radius of twenty to forty miles ; and I am often perplexed
by collectors sending as localities the names of insignificant hamlets or streams, which are
not to be found in attainable maps, and convey no moaning whatever; these are often
attached to the commonest plants, but sometimes to scarce and local ones. Lastly, I have
not found it necessary to quote ray own collections, which were made at the Bay of Islands
in 1841, and include 250 to 300 species of flowering plants. I have added the native
name w-herever I have one ou what I suppose sufficiently good authority to render its recognition
probable; but the differences of dialect, pronunciation, and spelling are so great,
and have confused me so much, that I have little hope of giving satisfaction to the New
Zealand scholar, especially as I am not acquainted with the language; but if the publication
of one such name out of five assists the student in the determination of a plant, I shall feel
that the labour of collecting them has not been in vain.
An English description of very variable length and importance concludes the account
of each species. Wliere the genus contains only one species, a sufficient description will
often be found under that of the genus ; where many, the chief and diagnostic characters
are generally sufficient. In many cases a few words aiisw-cr the purpose of a long description,
as, for example, with the first plant in the book, Clematis indivisa: supposing the
student to have referred it to its proper genus, the size of the flowers will sufficiently identify
its species; while to introduce a complete history of each plant would increase the work
beyond all reasonable bounds, and serve no useful pui-pose.
In conclusion, let me assure those who have time and inclination to take up the study
of Botany, that the difficulties are more apparent than re al; and that he w-ho overcomes
them, relying on his own resources, w-iU thereafter make more rapid progress than the
tutored pupil. I would also recommend that the knowledge obtained, bo fixed, accumidatcd
and distributed, by forming and naming collections of dried plants, and depositing them in
public and private colonial schools and libraries.
Dm-ing a residence of some years in our colonies and foreign possessions, I have observed
that the residents are invariably anxious to acquire the names of the plants aroiind
them: they regret not having learnt the rudiments of Botany in their youth, and are most
desirous that their children should be instructed in them ; feeling that their practical knowledge,
however accui-ate and extensive, is useless beyond their ow-n sphere. On my return
to England I was no less struck w-ith the fact (which, as a juror, w-as prominently brought
before me), that for want of a little botanical knowledge on the part of the exhibitors, large
collections of vegetable produce, sent to the Gi'cat Exhibition, were rendered all but valueless;—
and that, amongst these, the contributions of New Zealand were conspicuous.
Km, J fril, 1862.