FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 5 
relative to the geographical distribution of the genera and orders, will be treated of separately 
in the Introduction to this work. Such habitats as “ Bay of Islands,” “ Auckland,” “ Canter- 
bury,” must be taken as implying a radius of twenty to forty miles; and I am often perplexed 
by collectors sending as localities the names of insignificant hamlets or streams, which are 
not to be found in attainable maps, and convey no meaning whatever: these are often 
attached to the commonest plants, but sometimes to scarce and local ones. Lastly, I have 
not found it necessary to quote my own collections, which were made at the Bay of Islands 
in 1841, and include 250 to 300 species of flowering plants. I have added the native 
name wherever I have one on what I suppose sufficiently good authority to render its re- 
cognition probable; but the differences of dialect, pronunciation, and spelling are so great, 
and have confused me so much, that I have little hope of giving satisfaction to the New 
Zealand scholar, especially as I am not acquainted with the language; but if the publication 
of one such name out of five assists the student in the determination of a plant, I shall feel 
that the labour of collecting them has not been in vain. 
An English description of very variable length and importance concludes the account 
of each species. Where the genus contains only one species, a sufficient description will 
often be found under that of the genus; where many, the chief and diagnostic characters 
are generally sufficient. In many cases a few words answer the purpose of a long descrip- 
tion, as, for example, with the first plant in the book, Clematis indivisa: supposing the 
student to have referred it to its proper genus, the size of the flowers will sufficiently identify 
its species; while to introduce a complete history of each plant would increase the work 
beyond all reasonable bounds, and serve no useful purpose. 
In conclusion, let me assure those who have time and inclination to take up the study 
of Botany, that the difficulties are more apparent than real; and that he who overcomes 
them, relying on his own resources, will thereafter make more rapid progress than the 
tutored pupil. I would also recommend that the knowledge obtained, be fixed, accumulated 
and distributed, by forming and naming collections of dried plants, and depositing them in 
public and private colonial schools and libraries. 
During a residence of some years in our colonies and foreign possessions, I have ob- 
served that the residents are invariably anxious to acquire the names of the plants around 
them: they regret not having learnt the rudiments of Botany in their youth, and are most 
desirous that their children should be instructed in them ; feeling that their practical know- 
ledge, however accurate and extensive, is useless beyond their own sphere. On my return 
to England I was no less struck with the fact (which, as a juror, was prominently brought 
before me), that for want of a little botanical knowledge on the part of the exhibitors, large 
collections of vegetable produce, sent to the Great Exhibition, were rendered all but value- 
less ;—and that, amongst these, the contributions of New Zealand were conspicuous. 
Kew, April, 1852. 
