Cheeseman. — On the Flora of the North Cape District. 335 



the same year (see Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxiii., pp. 408-424), 

 added several curious and interesting plants to our flora. Not 

 unnaturally, I formed the opinion that most of these would 

 be found on some portion of the North Cape peninsula, for it 

 appeared highly improbable that so small a group, situated 

 little more than thirty-five miles from the mainland, should 

 130ssess five or six endemic species. Nor were other induce- 

 ments to visit the district wanting. It had never been care- 

 fully examined for plants; several wide-ranging subtropical 

 species, of which lyomoea palmata and Tlihiscus diversifolius 

 are perhaps the most conspicuous, were known to inhabit it, 

 and both climate and geographical position were favourable 

 to the belief that others might be detected. In short, it ap- 

 peared to promise a likely field for botanical exploration ; and 

 when, at the close of last year, circumstances permitted me 

 to take a brief holiday, it was with no small degree of satis- 

 faction that I left Auckland for the " far north." I was ac- 

 companied by my friend Mr. James Adams, head-master of 

 the Thames High School, to whom for active assistance and 

 co-operation I am much indebted. I now propose to present 

 to the Institute an account of the journey, together with a 

 list of the plants observed. 



At the outset it will be well to define the district 

 examined, and to give a short sketch of its physical features. 

 For the purposes of this paper, then, I shall consider the 

 North Cape peninsula to consist of the long and narrow tract 

 of country lyiog to the north of a line drawn from Tokomata 

 Point, about midway between Flat Head and Whangaroa 

 Harbour, to the south side of Tauroa, or Eeef Point, the 

 southern extremity of Ahipara Bay. Of course, this is a 

 purely arbitrary line, and is in no sense a natural boundary ; 

 but it has the advantage of leaving to the south the high 

 forest-clad plateau between Kaitaia and Whaugape, the 

 Maungataniwha Eanges between the Oruru Valley and the 

 Mangamuka branch of the Hokianga Eiver, and the wooded 

 hills to the north of "Whangaroa Harbour. In short, it is a 

 line which better than any other cuts off the forests and high 

 land of the country between the Bay of Islands and Mangonui 

 from the open low-lying districts to the north. The extreme 

 length of the district, from Ahipara to Cape Eeinga, is about 

 sixty miles. Owing to the irregular and far-reaching indenta- 

 tions of the eastern coast, the breadth varies excessively. 

 From Tokomata to Ahipara is about thirty-five miles ; but 

 from the head of Doubtless Bay to the coast north of Ahipara 

 the distance is barely sixteen ; while from the Waipapakauri 

 branch of Eangaunu Harbour to the nearest part of the 

 west coast is only four miles and a half. Ohora Harbour and 

 the Waitaia branch of Parengarenga Harbour also reach 



