204 NEW ZEALAND PLANTS. 
species found wild in New Zealand and the Malay Archipelago or 
Polynesia (one or both of the two latter); (5) Huropean—.e., 
genera and species found wild in New Zealand and Europe ; 
(6) cosmopolitan—i.e., genera and species found wild in New Zea- 
land and also generally in the tropics or subtropics. Hach of these 
divisions may be termed an “element’’—eg., the endemic or 
Australian elements of the New Zealand flora. In what follows 
no exhaustive treatment is attempted; such would be out of place 
in this little book. The aim is merely to give a fair idea of the 
evidence on which speculations as to the origin and history of the 
New Zealand flora are based. 
Taking 1,780 as a rather low estimate of the total number of 
species of ferns, fern-allies, and seed-plants of the New Zealand 
flora, no fewer than 74 per cent. of the species are endemic ; 
or, if the ferns and fern-allies (162 species) and monocotyledons 
(397 species) be excluded, as both these classes are more wide- 
spread, and, speaking generally, more easy of dissemination, the 
percentage of endemic species amongst the dicotyledons and conifers 
taken together—i.e., amongst the common trees, shrubs, and herbs 
(excluding grasses, sedges, rushes, lilies, orchids, pond-weeds, &c.)— 
is 85 per cent. Thus it appears that a considerable majority of 
the plants which cannot readily travel long distances are pure 
New-Zealanders. ; 
These “‘ pure New-Zealanders,”’ or endemic species, are not all of 
equal rank, so they fall into different classes. Some’ are not related at 
all closely to any other species, but many other species are so closely 
related to one another that it is merely a matter of personal opinion 
whether or not they be merged together as aggregate species. Species 
of the first class may be assumed to be of greater age than those of 
the second class, excepting the one or other of the latter class which 
may be the parent. In other words, the majority of the endemic 
species may with fair confidence be considered of recent origin. 
A few species, on the other hand, may be of extreme antiquity. 
It may be interesting to note the relationships of three or four 
of the endemic genera and subgenera, and so illustrate different 
degrees of endemism. 
The fern Lozsoma, with its one species, L. Cunninghamu, has 
its nearest relative in Lozomopsis of Costa Rica and Kcuador. 
Hectorella, an alpine rock-plant, is of quite doubtful relationship. 
