and Ms Travels in Nexo Zealand. 129 



and would attract the attention of the florist. In their place he will find a 

 number of trees and ferns of various descriptions, of which the greater part 

 of the flora consists. But these give at once a distinct character to the 

 vegetation. If the traveller should happen to come from New South Wales, 

 he cannot but observe, either that the glaucous colour of a New South Wales 

 landscape, produced by the Eucalypti, Casuarinese, Acacise, and Banksias of 

 its open forests, which is only relieved in certain alluvial situations by a 

 fresher green, and in certain seasons and localities by a variety of beautiful 

 flowers, has given way in New Zealand to the glossy green of a dense and 

 mixed forest ; or that the landscape, when it is covered with the social fern, 

 has assumed a brown hue. In the former general aspect, together with the 

 tree-ferns, palms, and dracaenas, which abound in New Zealand, that country 

 resembles one situated between the tropics, and especially the beautiful 

 islands of the Pacific." (Vol. i. p. 421.) 



There are 245 species of flowerless plants, including 48 algas, 28 lichens, 

 some fungi, several mosses, and a great many ferns. " Of all plants, however, 

 the ferns and fern-like plants are the most numerous in New Zealand, as 

 they are not only the most common plants as regards the number of the 

 genera and species, but especially as regards the number of individuals of one 

 and the same species : covering immense districts, they replace the Gramineas 

 of other countries, and give a character to all the open land of hills and 

 plains. Some of them grow to 30 ft. and more in height ; and the variety 

 and elegance of their forms, from the most mirnite species to the giants of 

 their kind, are astonishing. Although 94 species of ferns are already known, 

 every day adds new treasures to our knowledge. There exist three tree- 

 ferns, the Cyathea medullaris, C. dealbata, and Dicksonia squarrosa. The Ma- 

 rattia elegans also assumes a tree-like appearance. The Cyathea dealbata is 

 the highest ; I measured some 40 ft. in length. These trees generally grow 

 in groups." (Vol. i. p. 423.) 



The number of exogenous plants is only 76. There are 24 grasses, and 

 20 Cy'^&vdcecB ; one palm, the Areca sapida, which grows to the height of 

 40 ft. with a stem a foot in diameter. The undeveloped leaves are eaten by 

 the natives, and when full grown they are used for roofing their houses. The 

 genera Dracse^na, Cordyline, and Phormium are common, with other yis- 

 phodelege, on the alluvia! banks of rivers. There is a variety of New Zealand 

 flax (P, tenax), with yellow-striped leaves, which is scarce. Ripogonuni 

 parviflorum li. Br,, one of the 6'milacese, is a common and luxuriant climber 

 in forests, and its stem forms the supplejack of Europeans. There are three 

 species of Jridese, and about treble that number of Orchidaceae. The Cala- 

 dium esculentum is cultivated, but according to the natives not indigenous, 

 their ancestors having brought it with them at their first immigration. The 

 swamps are covered with Typha angustifolia, the roots of which are eaten, 

 and the stems and leaves tied in bundles and used both for walls and roofs to' 

 their houses. Freycinet/a Banksw is a monocotyledonous climbing plant, 

 the sweet bractese of the blossoms of which are eaten by the natives. Of 

 Coniferae and 2\ixinese, there are eight species, which produce the most 

 valuable timber of the island. Ddmmara australis, the only cone-beailiig 

 tree, is confined to the extreme north of the Northern Island. The other 

 species are Phyllocladus /richomanoides, P. sp., Podocarpus ferruginea, P. 

 totcira, P. sp., Dacrydium mcliy D. plumosum, D. excelsum, D. cupressinum, 

 and D. sp. 



Of jBriceag, there are three species of Gaultherk ; and there are examples, in 

 all, of between 60 and 70 orders of Dicotyledonese. 



The general conclusion to be drawn from Dr. Dieffenbach's book is, that 

 very little is to be expected from New Zealand in the way of botanical riches ; 

 but that it is an excellent place for an able-bodied agriculturist willing to 

 work, and with a small capital, to emigrate to ; more particularly if he can 

 purchase an allotment of good land, favourably situated, at a moderate price. 

 Every page of this work is full of interest, from the novelty of the occur- 



K 3 



