^ARYjaoJ 



T BANS ACT IONS 



OF THE 



NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 



1914. 



Art. I. — A Revised List of the Norfolk Island Flora, with some Notes o)> 



tin 1 Sped en. 



By Robert M. Laing, M.A., B.Sc. 



[Rend before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 4th Novi mber, J!)14.] 



Introductory. 



In January and February, 1912. I paid a visit of five weeks to Norfolk Island. 

 During that time I collected and examined the indigenous plants, visiting 

 all parts of the island in search of them. Several hours were also spent on 

 the outlying Phillip Island, three or four miles to the south. I was unable 

 to make a complete examination of this interesting rock, but I had time to 

 reach its highest point. Since my return from the island I have had the 

 opportunity of looking through the collection of the Norfolk Island plants 

 in the herbarium of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney. I have also received 

 many additional specimens from my father, Mr. W. Laing. resident on the 

 island, and I have seen a collection of specimens made on the island by 

 Mr. H. C. Quintal] for Mr. W. R. B. Oliver. From this material I propose 

 to draw up a revised list of the species, to add some notes on the lesser-known 

 forms, and to make some remarks on the present condition of the vegetation 

 and on the difficulties in ascertaining the original contents of the flora. 



Before doing so, however. I should like to thank the following gentlemen 

 for much assistance kindly rendered : Mr. Gerald Allen, of Norfolk Island, 

 who gave me much aid in reaching various parts of the island ; Mr. J. H. 

 Maiden, Government Botanist of New South Wales, for the identification 

 of some species and much other assistance; Mr. D. Petrie, of Auckland, 

 for much help in the identification of the grasses : Mr. Cheeseman and 

 Dr. Cockayne, F.R.S. ; and, lastly, Mr. W. R. B. Oliver, whose investigation 

 of the Kermadec and Lord Howe Island plants has served to make the 

 florulas of these subtropical islands much better known. 



I do not propose in this paper to discuss the relationships of the flora. 

 Much work has been done, and is being done, in this direction by many 

 writers. Norfolk Island has undoubtedly to be considered firstly in con- 

 nection with the Kermadecs and Lord Howe Island, and then in relation 

 to New Zealand and Australia. I have, therefore, shown as far as I could the 

 external distribution of all species occurring on Norfolk Island. This will 

 provide other investigators with the necessary data for determining the 

 origin of the florula. 

 1— Trans. 



