532 Transactions. — Botany. 



Schizaea bifida, Sivartz. W. L. W. 

 Botrychium ternatum, Swartz. W. L. W. 



Lycopodiace^. 

 Lycopodium billardieri, Si^ng. Banks and Sol. ! 

 „ „ var. variuni. W. L. W. 



densum, B. Br. W. L. W. 

 fastigiatum, B. Br. W. L. W. ! 

 „ scariosum, Forst. W. L. W. ! 



„ volubile, Forst. 



Tmesipteris tannensis, Forst. 



Isoetes, sp. " In deep water in the bed of the Motu, between 

 Opotiki and Cape Runaway, but I was unable to obtain 

 specimens on account of the depth of the water." H. B. 

 Kirk. 



Maksileace^. 

 Azolla rubra, B. Br. Poverty Bay, &c. : W. L. W. ! 



Art. XLIX. — On the History of Botany in Otago. 

 By T. Kirk, F.L.S. 



\_Read before the Wellinqton Philosoi^hical Society, 17th February, 1897.1 



The publication of Mr. Petrie's copious and valuable " List of 

 the Flowering-plants indigenous to Otago" in the last volume 

 of "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute" naturally 

 attracts attention to the efforts of earlier labourers in the same 

 field, so that no apology is needed for presenting a brief state- 

 ment of the results of their efforts. The elaboration of the 

 flora or fauna of any district can only be effected by a long 

 succession of earnest workers, those of the present taking up 

 the work where it fell from the hands of their predecessors, 

 and in their turn passing it on to those who succeed them. 

 It is well that the memory of the pioneers in any branch of 

 research should be treasured by those who reap the benefit of 

 their labours. 



The first botanists to visit any part of Otago were Reinwold 

 and George Forster, and Dr. Sparrman, who accompanied 

 Cook's second expedition, and landed at Dusky Sound in 1772. 

 Their collections were not large, comprising fewer than 170" 

 species, including those obtained in Queen Charlotte Sound, 

 &c. Most of these were published in G. Forster's " Florulge 

 Insularum Australium Prodromus," but the descriptions were 

 very poor. Amongst the plants obtained by them were the 

 famous Cordyline indivisa and the true Gentiana saxosa. 



