ON THE LEADING FEATURES 
OF THE 
GEOGRAPHICAL BOTANY 
PROVINCES OF NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND. 
BY SIR DAVID MONRO, M.D. 
[Written for the New Zealand Exhibition, 1865. ] 
Ix his admirable introductory essay to the Botany of the Antarctic Voyage, 
Dr. Hooker writes thus of the physiognomy of the New Zealand flora :— 
* The traveller from whatever country, on arriving in New Zealand, finds 
himself surrounded by a vegetation that is almost wholly new to him—with 
little that is at first sight striking, except the Tree-fern and Cordyline of the 
northern parts, and nothing familiar except possibly the Mangrove; and as 
he extends his investigations into the flora, with the exception of Pomader- 
ris and Leptospermum, he finds few forms that remind him of other countries. 
Of the numerous pines, few recall, by habit and appearance, the idea 
attached either to trees of this family in the northern hemisphere, or to the 
~- Callitris of New Holland, or to the Araucarie of that country and Norfolk 
Island; while of the families that on examination indieate the only close 
affinity between the New Zealand flora and that of any other country, (the 
Myrtacee, Epacridee, and Proteacee), few resemble, in general aspect, their 
allies in Australia. A paucity of grasses, an absence of Leguminose, an 
abundance of bushes and ferns, and a want of annual plants, are the preva- 
lent features in the open country ; whilst the forests abound in Cryptoga- 
mia, and in phenogamic plants, with obscure green flowers, and very often of 
obscure and little-known natural orders.” 
In a subsequent part of the same essay, in drawing a comparison 
between the floras of New Zealand and Tasmania, he goes on to say :— 
“In the neighbouring island of Tasmania, the grasses everywhere form a 
prominent feature; the Cyperacee, from their size, strength, and cutting 
foliage, arrest the traveller's progress through the forest; Orchidee of many 
kinds carpet the ground in spring with beautiful blossoms ; the heaths are 
gay with Epacride; herbs, trees, and shrubs of Composite meet 
the eye in every direction; whilst the Myrtacee and Leguminose 
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