KiKK. — On the Botany of Otago. 535 



walkej'i, Gratiola nana, Potamogeton pectinatus, Carex acicu- 

 laris, Stipa arundinacea, &c. 



In 1880 Mr. G. M. Thomson and Mr. Petrie visited 

 Stewart Island. The latter gentleman published an inter- 

 esting account of the trip, with a valuable list of the flowering- 

 plants collected, in vol. xiii., p. 323, of the Transactions. 

 Liparcphylhwi giinnii, Actinotus bellidioides, Ehrharta thorn- 

 soni, and Carex longicidmis were amongst the interesting 

 additions recorded. 



Dr. Lyall had collected numerous plants on the island 

 during his visit in the " Acheron." Mr. G. M. Thomson had 

 visited it on two previous occasions, when he discovered the 

 fine Brachycome, named in his honour ; and the late Mr. 

 Charles Traill had collected for several years previously, but, 

 with the exception of Dr. Lyall's plants which are included in 

 the " Handbook," nothing had been published. 



Mr. Petrie's "List of the Flowering-plants indigenous to 

 Otago," published in the "Transactions of the New Zealand 

 Institute," vol. xxviii., page 540, is the last and the most im- 

 portant contribution to the botany of the southern district, 

 and embodies the results of nearly twenty years' work. Mr. 

 Petrie is a close and acute observer, who made good use of the 

 advantages offered by his position as Chief Inspector of 

 Schools to the Education Board of Otago in working up the 

 central portions of the district, the botany of which was but 

 little known. The results of his examination of Mount St. 

 Bathan's, Mount Pisa, Mount Ida, Mount Cardrona, and other 

 high peaks constitute a marked feature in the botanical history 

 of New Zealand during recent years, and have from time to 

 time been published in the Transactions. 



In his List he roughly divides the district into three — 

 eastern, central, and western, Stewart Island making a fourth; 

 but the district lists are not so complete as their author evi- 

 dently intended to make them ; for instance, in his paper on 

 Stewart Island (Trans., xiii., 323) he enumerated two hundred 

 species of flowering-plants collected by him on that island ; 

 but the number of Stewart Island plants mentioned in the 

 general list is considerably less. This, however, is, after all, 

 a small matter, and will only be felt by one who, like myself, 

 finds it continually necessary to refer to local lists. I 

 am thankful to have so complete and accurate a catalogue 

 available for reference. Mr. Buchanan's list comprised 507 

 species of flowering-plants, of which 393 were dicotyledons, 

 and 114 monocotyledons. Mr. Petrie enumerates 532 dicotyle- 

 dons and 229 monocotyledons, showing an increase of full}'' 

 50 per cent, in the number of species, and greatly reducing 

 the enormous discrepancy between the two classes, as shown 

 by Mr. Buchanan's list. 



