30 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



mass of facts to justify the statement that the flora as a whole 

 is of an exceptionally ancient type. 



One line of evidence that might help us largely is, unfor- 

 tunately, not available at present to any large extent. Of the 

 fossil botany of these islands we know very little. The chief 

 paper on the subject is by the famous palaeo-botanist, Baron 

 von Ettingshausen. A translation of this appears in volume 

 xxiii. of the Transactions. If the data contained in it are 

 reliable, it would seem (1) that the living flora has largely 

 been derived from the tertiary flora ; (2) that the tertiary 

 flora was part of the original universal flora from which are 

 descended all plants of the present day; and (3) that only one 

 part of the tertiary flora has been changed into the living 

 flora, the rest having become extinct. It would appear also 

 that at one time there existed in New Zealand, trees similar to 

 the great redwoods of California, the Norfolk Island pine, the 

 she-oaks and gum-trees of Australia, the alders, oaks, 

 elms, and maples of the Northern Hemisphere, and the fig. 

 With the exception of the gum-trees, and perhaps the fig, 

 these are all old types, now extinct here, though existing 

 elsewhere. These identifications have in most cases been 

 made from fossil leaves only, and in the absence of flowers 

 and fruit ; some of them, therefore, can only be regarded 

 as tentative. 



THE AFFINITIES OF THE NEW ZEALAND FLOBA. 

 The relationships of the New Zealand flora to those of other 

 lands, have given rise to greater discussion than its affinities to 

 those of the past. We have obviously much more material for 

 the investigation of the present distribution of plant life, 

 than for that of times long gone by. Still, many of the 

 problems concerned are very difficult of solution. Amongst 

 those who have dealt with these questions may be mentioned 

 the late Captain Hutton, Dr. A. K. Wallace, Professor Engler, 



