496 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
perate climate in the antarctic regions, this mode of distribution may have 
sufficed to introduce some species into New Zealand, but it appears some- 
what improbable that it still continues to any considerable extent. A cor- 
rect knowledge of the oceanic currents which impinge on our coasts, will 
alone enable us to form an estimate of this means of plant immigration, and 
this information I do not possess. 
Having considered very briefly these modes of plant dispersal, and 
noticed the geographical distribution and relationships of those genera 
which have been affected chiefly by their modifications of form, I would 
take a brief glance at the endemic forms which occur so abundantly in our 
islands. As these have probably all originated in or near the localities 
where they now exist, they can only aid us in the solution of the present 
question by their affinities. Many of these affinities are very difficult to 
establish, but in the majority of cases where the relationship of our endemic 
species to the flora of other countries is evident, it is found that Australian 
forms greatly predominate. Long isolation, together with complete change 
in their environment, has probably served to modify many of the immi- 
grants, so that their affinities have become obscured, and this has acted in 
many cases so effectually as to mask them altogether. Usually variation 
first appears in the habit of the plant, and we see this in the form of the 
foliage, ete., of Ranunculus lyallii, our coriaceous Veronicas, Olearias, 
Ligusticums, ete. The same change is seen in recently-introduced plants, 
as in the common watercress (Nasturtium officinale), which in New Zealand 
rivers shows a tendency to assume a very different habit from its Europeat 
parent. Protection against some forms of insect enemies, probably Orthop- 
terous, appears also to have played an effectual part in modifying the 
epidermal structures of many of our species, and may partly account for 
the prevalence of coriaceous-leaved and woolly plants, among the alpine’ 
Species in particular. But we have little data here to go upon ; and before 
passing on to the last part of this address I will just point out a few pect 
liarities of structure in our plants, which are of interest and full of sugges 
tiveness. 
One of these is the scarcity of spiny or prickly plants. As the fune- 
tion of spines and prickles is probably that of defence against mammalian 
enemies, we can readily understand the paucity of such contrivances in our 
plants. Even the apparent exceptions go to prove the rule in nearly every 
case. Where such defensive modifications do occur, we notice that the 
Plants : are usually to be found outside of New Zealand, ea 
