340 Transactions. — Botany. 



moides and Aha caryoj^hyllca, were present in great quantitj'. 

 Only a small portion of the lower course of the Oruru is in- 

 cluded within the limits assigned to this paper, and this is 

 principally covered, where not in cultivation, with Pliormium , 

 Cordyline, Carpodetus, and several species of Coprosma. As- 

 plenium umhrosiim was noticed in several places, but on the 

 whole the vegetation possesses few features of interest. Cross- 

 ing the river at Taipa, we diverged from the A.wanui Eoad in 

 the direction of the head of Doubtless Bay. We passed large 

 quantities of the curious parasite Cassytha panmilata — a 

 plant very generally distributed through the open country 

 north of Mangonui. Its twining leafless stems cover the 

 bushes of Lcptospenmim with a close network, binding one 

 plant fast to another, and often ultimately smothering them. 

 After a monotonous tramp of several hours' duration, we 

 descended to the coast near the mouth of the Awapoko Eiver. 

 Here were some sandy flats thickly covered with the intro- 

 duced Solannm sodomaum. Nowhere have I seen it so 

 abundant or so thoroughly at home. The Messrs. Matthews, 

 who own a grazing-run of considerable size in the vicinity, 

 informed me that it is spreading fast, and that a large amount 

 of trouble is required to keep their paddocks moderately free 

 from it. For many years it has been established on the 

 volcanic hills of the Auckland isthmus, but in that locality it 

 has of late shown little tendency to increase its numbers. 



On the Awapoko Eiver the long sandy beach commences 

 which forms the head of Doubtless Bay. It is backed by 

 sand-dunes, and behind these a low marshy tract extends as 

 far as the eastern shore of Eangaunu Harbour. On the sand- 

 hills the usual arenarian plants appeared, such as Cassinia 

 leptophylla, Coprosma acerosa, Pimelea arenaria, Muhlenheckia 

 complexa, Pliormium, Sclerantlms, Zoysia, &c. In addition to 

 Solamim sodoma^wi, Polycarpon tetraphyllum and Festuca 

 hromoides were plentifully naturalised. Immediately behind 

 th-e sandhills the Awapoko expands into broad brackish- 

 water marshes largely covered with mangroves, and with 

 such plants as Juncus maritimus, Lcpitocaryus simplex, 

 Plagianthus divaricatns, Samolus, Selliera, Crantzia, Apium 

 filiforme, Bammculus acaulis, &c. Kyllinga and Trifolium 

 res^ipinatum were the most abundant naturalised plants. 

 Leaving these swamps on our left, we turned our course in 

 the direction of Lake Ohia, a somewhat extensive sheet of 

 water situated about midway between Doubtless Bay and 

 Eangaunu Harbour. It is surrounded by swamps separated 

 here and there by low ridges of firm ground. These ridges 

 run parallel to the shores of Doubtless Bay, and evidently 

 represent lines of old sand-dunes, formed during the period 

 of depression alluded to in the introduction to this paper. 



