Cheeseman. — Covfrihutiovs to N.Z. Flora. 439 



tinguished from it and from one another by the leaf alone af 

 first sight. These are Melicytus micranthus, Panax anomalum, 

 and a state of Alseuosniia banksii.^' To these might well be 

 added Myrsine divaricata, Melicope simplex, certain Coprosmce, 

 and some of the juvenile states of Pennantia corymhosa and 

 ElcBOcarpus hookerianns. The resemblance of Myrsine divari- 

 cata to the Pittosporum^ is particularly close, and some years 

 ago flowerless specimens of the former were actually distributed 

 by a Christchurch collector as Pittosponim obcordatum. It is 

 quite possible, and personally I consider it highly probable, 

 that the Pittosporum has been mistaken in a flowerless state 

 (and its flowers are by no means conspicuous) for some of the 

 plants mentioned above, the close general similarity of which 

 has been noticed by all authors when describing the physiognomy 

 of New Zealand vegetation. Under such circumstances it may 

 well have a more general distribution than is commonly sup- 

 posed. I would recommend a search for Pittosporum obcor- 

 datum to those New Zealand botanists who reside near the course 

 of our ^arger rivers, the banks of which are often fringed for miles 

 with a vegetation largely con^posed of the species mentioned 

 above. 



Art. XXXVIII. — Contribvtions to a Fidler Knoivledge of the 

 Flora of New Zealand : No. 1. 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum. 



[Read before ilir Aiick-lcmd Inditvte. 3rd October. IgOG.] 

 Plate XI. 



Under the above title, I propose from time to time to place 

 upon record any additional informavion respecting the New Zea- 

 land flora that appears to be of sufficient importance, either 

 as regards the characters, relationships, properties, &c., of the 

 various species composing the flora, or with respect to their geo- 

 graphical range within the colony. For the present instalment 

 I am largely indebted to the kindness of various correspondents, 

 who have gone to considerable trouble in obtaining specimens 

 and other information, and who have succeeded, in several in- 

 stances, in bringing to light new facts Df interest. My warmest 

 thanks are due to all. 



With respect to the local distribution of New Zealand plants, 

 it will not be out of place to take this opportunity of stating that 

 much remains to be done before the colony can be said to be 

 fairly well explored, and before really accurate general con- 

 clusions can be arrived at respecting the latitudinal and altitu- 



