VI. PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



The work is not a Flora, and therefore does not include all known 

 species. It deals only with flowering plants, and, amongst these, 

 omits the grasses, and certain less important orders. The grasses 

 have been dealt with in special publications by Mr. Buchanan. 

 The other orders omitted are represented by species little likely to 

 attract the attention of any but the trained botanist. Most of the 

 more important and conspicuous flowering plants, and many of the 

 rarer ones, have been here described. In the larger genera, such as 

 Coprosma, Veronica, Ranunculus, Olearia, and Senecio, we have 

 been reluctantly compelled to content ourselves with a selection 

 of the chief types. 



Such a book as this must be to a considerable extent a compila- 

 tion ; and we have therefore made free use of the labours of our 

 predecessors in the field. Amongst these, especial mention may be 

 made of Sir J. Hooker, Dr. Cockayne, Dr. Diels, and Messrs. T. 

 Kirk, T. F. Cheeseman, G. M. Thomson, and D. Petrie. Indeed, all 

 botanical papers in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute" 

 have been carefully consulted, and all literature obtainable, bearing 

 on the subject, has been read. Unfortunately, the profound paper 

 of Dr. Diels on the New Zealand Flora still remains untranslated, 

 and so is inaccessible to most students. We have therefore made 

 free use of it. We have to thank Dr. L. Cockayne for helping 

 us over many slippery places, and for much generous assistance 

 freely given. We are indebted to Mr. T. F. Cheeseman for the 

 identification of many dried specimens, and for other kindnesses. 

 Assistance has been received from Miss Irene Wilson in the 

 preparation of the glossary, and from Mr. J. Christie in the proof 

 reading. We are also under obligations to the following gentlemen 

 for the gift of photographs for reproduction as illustrations : Mr. J. 

 Deans, Mr. A. C. Gifford, Mr. A. Hamilton, Mr. H. Larkin, Mr. S. 

 Page, Mr. J. Crosby-Smith, and Mr. E. Speight. 



It should be mentioned that for the first time an endeavour has 

 been made to bring the classification of the New Zealand flowering 

 plants into accord with modern ideas. We have therefore arranged 

 the families according to Engler's system, and not in accordance 

 with that of Hooker and Bentham, hitherto in vogue. (Unfortunately 

 we have been unable to find room for a synopsis of the families, but 



*These are shortly referred to in the foot notes, as Trans. 



