COLLECTED IX DUTCH NEW GUINEA. 9 



British New Guinea, may throw more light on the distribution of plants whenever we 

 get collections from there. 



There seem, however, to have been invasions of plants from all four points of the 

 compass : from the north, as illustrated by the Palsearctic plants ; from the east, the 

 Polynesian genera ; from the south, the Australian and Antarctic plants ; and from 

 the west, the Malayan element. 



In the low coastal region of the south, which is perhaps of geologically modern date, 

 as Mr. Wollaston records a mass of coral rock on a high ridge inland, the flora is 

 distinctly that of the western ^lalay Archipelago in origin. Despite the proximity of 

 Australia, tlie Australian flora is hai'dlj^ as well represented as might have been expected ; 

 but this is probably due to the great climatic diff"erences between the two countries. 

 The occurrence of Polynesian plants not met with in Australia, as Vavcea, Trimenia, and 

 HeUconin, is, of course, of considerable interest, as showing a wave of invasion from the 

 east. Of the group of plants I have described as Antarctic, perhaps the most prominent 

 is Drimys, of which there are no fewer than eight species in the collection, and two othei- 

 species have been recorded from New Guinea. Tlie genus is strongly represented in 

 Australia and Polynesia and Southern Chile to Mexico. In Asia it gets as far as 

 ]\It. Kinabalu, where it disappears. The Palsearctic flora is nearly confined to the highest 

 l^arts of the mountain, and resembles that of the Himalaya ; nearly all the genera have 

 been found in the Philippine mountains, which may represent the direction from which 

 these northern j)lants have come. 



The scantiness of the Anonaceae, Leguminosce, and Laurineas in the collection is rather 

 striking, especially as in the publications of the Dutch and Germans these orders are 

 not well represented, and they seem to be comparatively rare in New Guinea. Another 

 somewhat striking phenomenon is the immense number of Epidendrese among Orchids 

 and the scantiness of the Vandese ; the species of Dendrobium and BulbophijUum in 

 New Guinea seem endless. 



The Saxifragaceae Cunoniaceae are singularly well represented here, with Qiiin{inia, 

 SpircBOjisis, Astilbe, and the endemic genera Argyrocalymna and Pyrsonoia. 



The Scitamineee of New Guinea are remarkably difi"ercnt from those of the western 

 Malay Archipelago. We may notice the disappearance of such characteristic genera as 

 Zinylher, Gastrochilus, Globba, AJpinia {Catimbium section), and Stacliyphrymum, which 

 are replaced by Biedelia, Eriolopha, Guillainia, AJpinia of the Hellwiyia section, which 

 should probably be specifically separated, Plychanthus, the curious new genus Thylaao- 

 pliora, Tapeinocheilm, Cominsia, and Heliconia ; a number of these are also represented 

 in the Polynesian Islands. The Scitaminese of the Philippine Islands have a much 

 greater Malayan aflinity. 



On the whole, it would appear advisable to consider New Guinea with a few of the 

 most adjacent islands as forming a distinct region of its own, with a large endemic flora, 

 mixed with derivatives from Malaya, Australia, and Polynesia, and, possibly through 

 the Philippines, from the temperate regions of the north. 



SECOND SERIES. — BOTANY, VOL. IX. C 



