422 THE BOTANY OF [PART II. 



Let us now take a rapid view of the genera and species of 

 the islands. 



There are 245 species of CELLULAR or FLOWERLESS plants. 

 Of the tribe of the Algce, or seaweeds, 48 species are known, 

 several of which are true cosmopolites, as they occur in both 

 hemispheres on the coasts of New Zealand as well as on 

 those of England. They belong, amongst the Fucoidece, 

 to the genera Sargassum, Turbinaria, Carpophyllum, Cys- 

 toseira, Castralia ; amongst the Laminar iece, to the genera 

 Durvillea, Macrocystis, Laminaria, several species of the 

 latter are used by the natives to contain oil and other fluids; 

 amongst the Floridece are the genera Amansia, Rhodo- 

 menia, Thamnophora, Plocarnium, Rhodomela, Laurencia, 

 Chondrus, Chelidium, Hypnea, Halymenia. I may observe 

 here that pigs on the sea- shore feed extensively upon some of 

 the seaweeds. 



Of the lichen tribe as many as 28 species have been 

 already described ; and the volcanic nature of the country, 

 in which large districts are covered with basaltic and scori- 

 aceous rocks, and at the same time the moisture of the 

 climate, are very favourable to the development of these 

 forms of plants. Those described belong to the genera 

 Parmelia, Cetraria, Sticta, Nephroma, Cenomyce, Stereo- 

 caulon, Alectoria, Cornicularia, Ramalina, Usnea, Collema, 

 Csenogorium. A most beautiful and interesting kind is 

 the Cenomyce retispora, which is found in the greatest 

 abundance near the Bay of Islands. Some of the genera 

 mentioned contain species which are extensively used in 

 dyeing, and it is probable that such are also found in New 

 Zealand. 



The fungi are also represented by some species. Cham- 

 pignons are found everywhere in the island where horses 

 have been introduced. Another fungus, a boletus, which 

 grows on the weather side of the tawai-tree (Leiospermum 

 racemosum), and to an enormous size, is used by the natives 

 as an excellent tinder. To the fungi also belongs a very 

 curious plant, parasitical on a caterpillar, viz. the Spheerin 

 Robertii, called hotete by the natives. 



