Bucuanan.—Sketch of the Botany of Otago. 185 
deciduous vegetation; but when many of the Otago trees are in flower, such 
as the Metrosideros lucida with its brilliant scarlet covering, and the 
Weinmannia, Leptospermums, Sophora, Aralias, Pittosporums, and a host of 
others, mix their masses of white and yellow blossoms, few persons could 
adopt the idea of some writers on New Zealand, that its vegetation is sombre 
and uninteresting. This view of the subject only applies to the places first 
visited in the North Island, which nowhere can compare, in brilliant fresh- 
ness or varied colouring, with Otago. 
The following genera, many of which are represented by more than one 
species, compose the Otago bush :— 
Podocarpus, Dacrydium, Phylloclades, Libocedrus, Fagus, Griselinia, Metro- 
sideros, Leptospermum, Panas, Schefflera, Pittosporum, Myrsine, Melicytus, 
Plagianthus, Hoheria, Pennantia, Sophora, Carpodetus, Weinmannia, Fuchsia, 
Drimys, Aristotelia, Lleocarpus, Coriaria, Myrtus, Coprosma, Olearia, Senecio, 
Dracophyllum, Veronica, Myoporum, Epicarpurus, Ascarina, Hedycarya, 
Cordyline, and, as forming a marked feature everywhere in the bush, the 
tree-ferns, Cyathea dealbata, C. medullaris, C. smithii, Dicksonia squarrosa, 
and D. antarctica. 
Shrub species of the genus Coprosma are most commonly found as an 
undergrowth in the forests,—most of the New Zealand shrubs preferring 
the open,—but a dense undergrowth of ferns is often seen of the genera 
Lomaria, Aspidium, Leptopteris, and Polypodium, many of which acquire 
trunks two or three feet high. The forest is often rendered impassable by 
climbing plants, the Clematis indivisa [or supple-jack] climbing the highest 
trees, and spreading its masses of showy white flowers to the light, the 
Rubus australis, the common bramble or “ bush-lawyer," forming impassable 
thorny masses on the ground, or interweaving the branches of fallen trees j 
this plant also climbs the highest trees, clothing them at top with foliage, 
flowers, and fruit; the strong fragrance of its flowers is felt at a great dis- 
tance—and, again, the Rhipogonum scandens, [or black vine,] with its 
numerous smooth black stalks, dark green shining leaves, and bright scarlet 
berries, festooning the bush, is also a very striking plant. The parasitic 
mistletoes will also attract attention, some of the genus Loranthus having 
bright crimson flowers. Those species are generally found on the Fagus 
(beech trees), while one species, Loranthus micrantha, is often found on the 
Leptospermum ericoides (manuka), forming large round masses of ovate 
leaves, which contrast with the finer foliage of the manuka. The Tupeia 
antarctica may be found on almost every species of tree and shrub round 
Dunedin, and sometimes parasitic on its fellow parasite, Loranthus micrantha. 
The genus Visewm has two species in Otago, one of which is very abundant 
on manuka trees, often occupying a fair share of the branches. 
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