T. Kmx.—On Plants collected at Okarito. 439 
Art. LKK.— Notes on Mr. Hamilton’s Collection of Okarito Plants. 
By T. Kmx, F.L.S. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 10th January, 1879.] 
Dure a few months’ residence in Okarito, Mr. Hamilton made a collection 
of plants found in the immediate vicinity, and kindly placed it at my disposal 
for examination. The results show that his work is of great value, not 
only throwing light upon the botany of a district of which previously we 
were entirely ignorant, and adding one or two species to our flora, but 
especially in extending our knowledge of the geographical distribution of 
certain local species, and clearing up doubts entertained with regard to 
others. I gladly comply with his request to summarize the chief points of 
interest brought out by his labours, in order that they may accompany the 
useful catalogue of Okarito plants, which he has prepared for publication in 
our Transactions.* 
Mr. Hamilton informs me that the collection consists entirely of lowland 
plants, none of the specimens having been obtained at a greater altitude 
than 1,000 feet. In addition to alpine plants, many lowland species of 
general distribution are omitted from the collection ; amongst these are 
Podocarpus dacrydioides, P. ferruginea, P. spicata, Olearia cunninghamii, 
Convolvolus soldanella, C. sepium, Panax arboreum, Eleocarpus dentatus, 
E. tetragonum, Epilobium pubens, Ranunculus acaulis, and other common 
lowland forms ; also such forms as Dacrydium colensoi, Libocedrus bidwillii, 
and others of a subalpine character, which doubtless attain their lowest 
limit in the district at or below one thousand feet. Amongst genera not re- 
presented in the collection are Pittosporum, Colobanthus, Geranium, Aciphylla, 
Schefflera, Erechtites, Dracophyllum, Rumex, Chenopodium, Atherosperma, Pota- 
mogeton, Gahnia, Triticum, and Echinopogon, all of which must occur in the 
district, although at present'they have not been collected, while many large 
genera, as Ranunculus, Carmichalia, Epilobium, Coprosma, Olearia, Cotula, 
Pimelea, Juncus, are represented by not more than from one to three species. 
At present, therefore, no conclusions based upon the apparent absence of 
certain species would be trustworthy, and I can do little more than point 
out the most remarkable species, and indicate the additions made to our 
knowledge of the geographical distribution of others. 
Alectryon excelsum, DCand., and Quintinia serrata, Cunn., both of which 
may be expected to find their southern limit at or near Okarito, are not 
represented in Mr. Hamilton’s collection. 
Lepidium, sp. 
A fragment of an erect plant belonging to this genus is in the collection. 
The branches are long and somewhat spreading ; leaves half inch long, 
* Vide Art, LXIX: 
