Carse. — VJora of the Mangonui County. 205 



have specimens gathered by Mr. A. Thompson at Aponga ; it is not un- 

 common on mossy slopes near Fairburn. C. ohlonga is not uncommon on 

 clay banks and slopes. C. rivularis, in my opinion the handsomest of the 

 genus, is very local; so far I have only seen it in one spot in Mangonui 

 County, between Fairburn and Peria. C. rotundifolia is plentiful, though 

 rather local ; its favourite habitat is on banks of bush-creeks, or on rocks 

 in the bed of the creek. C. triloba, which in many places in common, is 

 rare in this district ; Mr. Matthews found two or three specimens, young 

 plants only, near Kaitaia. 



Gastrodia sesamoides was found by Mr. Matthews near Kaitaia and 

 Tauroa, the only places in Mangonui County from which it has been re- 

 ported. 



Ferns and Allies. 



Of ferns and allied plants there are in New Zealand about 156, of which 

 ninety-nine are in Mangonui County. The majority of these are more or 

 less common from the North Cape to the Bluff, but a few are worthy of a 

 word or two, for one reason or another. 



Loxsoma Cunninghamii, as a rule rather a rare fern, is fairly plentiful 

 in several localities, though there are often considerable areas from which 

 it is absent. Lomaria Banksii, a very local plant, occurs sparingly on the 

 west coast. In dark ravines from near Fairburn towards Hokianga I have 

 found L: nigra, not previously reported from north of Whangarei. As- 

 plenium japonicum occurs in considerable quantity on alluvial banks of 

 streams in Fairburn, and less plentifully near Kaitaia. Ncphrodium unitum, 

 at one time supposed to occur only in the thermal regions (in New Zealand), 

 is not uncommon in swamps, generally near the sea, but inland at Lake 

 Tangonge along with AL Thelypteris. The rarer N. molle was also discovered 

 by Mr. Matthews near Mangatete. In sandy gulHes and other suitable 

 places, never far from the sea, Todea barbara is plentiful. This is a very local 

 plant in New Zealand, occurring only from Whangaroa northward. It is a 

 very different-looking plant from Todea hymenophylloides and Todea superba,- 

 the fronds of which are filmy. These belong to the section Leptopteris. 

 Todea barbara reminds one of the royal fern, Osmunda regalis, of the 

 Northern Hemisphere. The para {Marattia jraxine'a) is not uncommon in 

 gullies in the Maungataniwha Ranges. 



Lycopodiurn Drummondii, already referred to, so far as is known has only 

 one habitat in New Zealand, near Kaitaia, where Mr. H. B. Matthews 

 rediscovered it, probably at the same spot where Mr. Colenso originally 

 collected it in 1839. The rare and curious lycopod Psilotum triquetrum 

 was collected by Mr. R. H. Matthews near Rangaunu Harbour and at 

 Merita Bay, the only places north of Rangitito Island, Auckland, from 

 which it is recorded. 



Plants suitable for Cultivation. 



I regret that I have not yet been able to explore the two highest points 

 in the county — -viz., Raetea and Maungataniwha. I have seen something 

 of the spurs leading from them, and I hardly think that the height of Raetea 

 (2,436 ft.) justifies our expecting any very marked change in the plant 

 covering ; but, still, it would be of some interest to be sure on this point. 



There are certain plants in the district which from their beauty of fohage 

 or flower, or for the sweetness of their perfume, are worthy of a place in our 

 gardens. Several of the species of Pittosporum are already well known in 

 cultivation. P. virgatuni would be a very interesting plant owing to the 



