The Period of Colonial Collectors and Hooker's further Investigations. 5 
From 1847—51, Dr. LYALL, surgeon to the “Acheron”, then surveying the coast, 
made important collections chiefly in the S. and 5. W. of the South Islands. 
Though he ascended to more than goo M. in the Fiord district, he does not 
esem to have gained the actual alpine belt. Early in the fifties Sir DAvıD 
MONRO commenced his valuable explorations of Marlborough and eastern 
Nelson, and some of his novelties are recorded in the appendix to the "Rlora 
Novae-Zelandiae”. In 1853, the first volume appeared, dealing with the spermo- 
phytes, and two years: later, the‘second volume devoted to the cryptogams'). 
CHEESEMAN most truly declares that this work “marked a new era in the. 
botany of New Zealand”. The number of species described, 1767, nearly 
doubled the last enumeration. The work abounds in information valuable for 
the present-day student of the flora, but more important still is the classical 
“Introductory Essay” in which there is a philosophical-discussion on the limits 
‘of species, variation, the affınities and origin of the flora and so on, which for 
lucidity, marshalling of facts, carefully balanced conclusions, and a 
mnoderakiem has never been excelled. 
ec. From 1855 to the Publication of the " Handbook” in 1867. 
When the “Flora Novae-Zelandiae” appeared nothing was known of the 
South Island alpine flora beyond the results of sparse collecting i in the extreme 
northern mountains, nor of that of the lowlands except at distant points alopg 
the coast. The years 1855—67 saw this unhappy state of affairs | 
thanks especially to the labours of TRAVERS, HaasT, HECTOR and BUCHANAN. ; 
