T. KiKK. — On an Undescribed Palm-lily. 509 



texture the leaf approaches that of Cordyline banksii, but is 

 more membranous. 



I entertain the hope that specimens of the flowers and fruit 

 may be obtained in time to allow of its being described in the 

 " Student's Flora," and venture to ask the assistance of any 

 resident in the district who may be interested in natural- 

 history pursuits towai'ds realising this object. 



It affords me pleasure to name this plant provisionally 

 Cordyline cheesemanii, as an acknowledgment of my obliga- 

 tion to Mr. Cheeseman for his excellent botanical work. 



I venture to remonstrate against the use of the unmeaning 

 name " cabbage-tree " applied by many settlers to the various 

 species of Cordyline. It may be too much to expect that the 

 native names, " ti," "tikapu," " ti koraha," &c., should come 

 into general use, but surely the most appropriate name, " palm- 

 lily," for which we are indebted to the learned Baron von 

 Mueller, is sufficiently elegant and euphonious to be generally 

 adopted. 



May I be permitted another digression ? I am convinced 

 that much has yet to be done in working up the plants of the 

 district to the north of Whangape and Mongonui. The Cun- 

 ninghams' exploration scarcely extended so far north. Mr. 

 Colenso visited the district in very early times, nearly fifty 

 years ago, when he discovered Lycopodium drumviondii, which 

 has not been found by any later collector. Buchanan's visit 

 to the district in 1865-66 was of a somewhat cursory character, 

 my own visit in 1867 was restricted to a few days during the 

 early winter ; yet a few novelties were found by both of us 

 even under such disadvantageous conditions. Ozothamnus 

 lanceolatus, discovered by Mr. Buchanan, and Kyllinga mona- 

 cephala, detected near Mongonui by Mr. Ball, have not been 

 observed by others. There can be no doubt that a careful 

 examination of the district from Whangape and Mongonui 

 northward would be attended with gratifying results. It has 

 long been known as the home of several plants of a tropical or 

 subtropical character, such as Hibiscus diversifoliiis, Ipovioea 

 ixdmata, Cassytha jMniculata, Pisonia wnbellifera, &c. It 

 would be of great assistance to New Zealand botanists if some 

 of the intelligent settlers of the district could be induced to 

 assist in the work. 



