418 Transactions. — Botany. 



If this be so, then a genus in such a phase seems to me to 

 be at its greatest height of vigour, as evidenced in this case by 

 Veronica takmg entire possession of an aHen's territory and 

 easily repopulating its own. And the converse of this should 

 hold true — that a very well defined species, confined to a cer- 

 tain restricted environment, will be verv ancient and of feeble 

 reproductive powers ; such an one is Dracophyllum traversii, 

 found only at a certain altitude, with plenty of shelter pro- 

 vided by neighbouring shrubs, and only in positions of exces- 

 sive moisture and great drainage. It would possess little vital 

 energy, and so be ill able to reproduce itself under changed 

 conditions. And so with all other species ; so that by a 

 series of investigations in various parts of our Island it 

 might be shown which are modern and which more ancient 

 forms, the comparative age of any species being so deter- 

 mined by observations made not merely after fire, but on 

 prevalence of seedlings, vitality of seed, ease of culture, and 

 the like. 



A fire thus may give us some idea of what may happen to 

 the vegetation as the climate slowly changes, those forms 

 which are comparatively young being the survivors, while the 

 old will perish. Thus, from the tabulated results of such 

 burning as this described here, we may get some idea 'of the 

 future vegetation, shrubby ScroplndarinecB, Gomyositce, and 

 Buhiacea in large measure taking the place of pines* and 

 EpacridccsA Some beai'ing, too, my subject may have on the 

 history of man in this Island. Fires having had their origin 

 in early Maori times would still, perhaps, leave their mark in 

 the shape of subalpine scrub of new form, and the age of such 

 would indicate the pi^esence of man in that region at that 

 date. 



Apart from the scientific significance of this subject, it is 

 of interest from the layman's point of view, showing as it does 

 that a large portion — the most beautiful portion, in fact — of 

 our flora is not in great danger of eradication by fire ; that if 

 areas were set apart as national parks in the alpine and sub- 

 alpine regions, and cattle and sheep kept religiously away, 

 although an accidental fire might sweep over the whole lo- 

 cality, the loss to the colony and to science in the destruction 

 of our unique subalpine flora need not be feared (see Plate 

 XXXVI.). 



* Dr. Diels says, " Ferns, Conifera, Restiacecs (probably), and cer- 

 tain Epacridece belong to the most primitive elements of the New Zea- 

 land flora {I.e., p. 292). (Translated.) 



t Dracophylhim longifoliuvi may seem an exception, since it has 

 been reproduced in large quantities; but, as may be seen on reference 

 to the various sections, its place is constantly being taken by other 

 plants. 



