Adams. — On the Botany of the Thames Goldfields. 385 



Art. XXXIX. — On the Botany of the Thames Gold-fields. 

 By. J. Adams, B.A. 

 [Read before the Auckland Institute, 2nd July, 1883.] 

 This is the title of a valuable paper by Mr. T. Kirk, F.L.S., that appeared 

 in the second volume of the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, 

 and as the object of the present paper is to supplement what has been there 

 published, the title of Mr. Kirk's paper appears to be the most appropriate. 



No cursory examination of the district could add anything to the paper 

 of this distinguished botanist ; but a residence of three years in the district, 

 a thorough exploration of the dividing-range, and a careful examination of 

 the vegetation in every season have enabled me to collect the following 

 additional information. 



The district examined will be found to differ slightly from that reported 

 on by Mr. Kirk. It is the country intervening between a line drawn on 

 one side from Tapu to Puriri, and on the other side from Mount Wynard 

 (Mamaepuke) to Pakirarahi, which are peaks on the main range between 

 the Thames and Tairua. One visit was made to the east coast, in order 

 that some comparison could be made between the evident zones of vegeta- 

 tion on the west side with those on the east, and aiso with the hope of 

 finding some of the plants that have not been gathered since the time of 

 the visit of the first botanists to the coasts of New Zealand. 



The term "main rangv}"is used to distinguish it from a second range on 

 the Thames side, not very well defined, which rises into peaks at the 

 " Look-out Bocks" and Ipuwhakatara. In the secondary range all the 

 streams flowing west take their rise, with the exception of the Kaueranga, 

 which comes from the very heart of the main range. It is scarcely neces- 

 sary to say that this range is the most interesting part of the district from 

 a botanical point of view. Wherever the summit is examined, it shows a 

 characteristic vegetation which enables an observer to know at once that he 

 is on the main range. 



The plants specially referred to are Melicytus lanceolatus, Metrosideros 

 albiflora, Panax discolor, Panax simplex, Coprosma faitidissima, C. colensoi, 

 Gaidtheria rupestris, Archeria racemosa, Pimelea buxifolia, Phyllocladus glauca, 

 and Dacrydium intermedium. In the gorges will be found Senecio myrianthos, 

 Loxsoma cunninghamii, Lomaria elongata, and lAndscea viridis. 



Some of these plants can be found on the peaks of the secondary range, 

 but Coprosma colensoi, Panax simplex, Pimelea buxifolia, and Archeria race- 

 mosa are, according to my observations, only found on the main range. 

 Indeed the abundance of Archeria racemosa in this locality induced me to 

 make diligent search for it on the secondary range, but without success. 

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