CoLENSO. — On Neio Zealand Botany. 405 



the tallest, including branchlets that are dead, are often clothed 

 with them ; the steep sides of streams and mouths of caves 

 abound in species ; and even isolated stones and boulders, and 

 dry hardened logs denuded of their bark and exposed to the 

 hot rays of the burning meridian sun, possess them, exhibiting 

 most astonishing proofs of their endurance and long vitality ; 

 even dry black and charred logs, extra heated in the sun, are 

 often thickly clothed with a small red species, bearing fruit too, 

 presenting an uncommon appearance after rains. Many of 

 them are very beautiful, being most exquisitely and symmetri- 

 cally formed and adorned ; each species, however minute, pos- 

 sessing the greatest regularity in shape and size of leaves, in 

 their delicate fringes and their mathematically-formed cells, &c., 

 and this in its most delicate and microscopical distinctions. 



I am not aware of any of them being of service or use to 

 man, only that a few of the larger species of the genera Lophoco- 

 lea and CJiiloscypJms that are odoriferous were formerly prized 

 and eagerly sought after in the woods by the ancient Maori 

 females to impart a fragrant scent to their anointing-oils, as 

 well as to wear in little sachels around their necks. ='' To such 

 an extent was this perfume valued that it was also both used as 

 a proverb and sung in a loving nursery song. 



Oh ! there are curious things of which men know 

 As yet but little — secrets lying hid 

 Within all natural objects. 



He who findeth out 

 Those secret things hath a fair right to gladness ; 

 For he hath well performed, and dotjh awake 

 Another note of praise on Nature's harp 

 To hymn her great Creator. 



Some of our principal genera I will briefly mention, as I 

 purpose showing you mounted specimens of some of their 

 species, and plates of others faithfully drawn and coloured, 

 with their dissections highly magnified, in illustration. I 

 trust that, at least, the ladies of my audience will not be dis- 

 couraged on hearing their proper generic names, supposing 

 them to be sadly uncouth and unmeaning, and totally unfitted 

 for such delicate and elegant forms ; for such is really not the 

 case, as I hope to be able to prove to them. 



Generic names of plants are usually chosen with two 

 objects — 1, to indicate and perpetuate the proper name of the 

 botanical discoverer, or of some distinguished patron or friend 

 of the science ; 2, to show some striking specialty of the plant 

 itself, the type of the genus — for this purpose a suitable Greek 



* These were also worn by the men (chiefs). Parkinson says, "The 

 principals among them had their hair tied up on the crown of their heads 

 and some feathers, with a little bundle of perfume hung about their 

 necks " (Journal of Voyage, p. 93). 



