Pollination. — Seasonal changes. 121 
About 49 p. c. of the species, here being dealt with, possess fairly attrac- 
tive flowers, but those of the remainder are generally both dull in colour and 
very small. The attractive flowers are of the following colours: — white 81 
(48 p. c.), cream 4, yellow 31, orange ı, purple 26, lilac 3, blue 3, pink 9, 
red 5, scarlet ı and green 4. In some cases the colours are combined, es- 
pecially in the Orchidaceae, and the more brilliant colour, though less in area . 
than the groundwork, may be far the more striking. The most showy flowers 
occur in the genera Zlyrranthe, Clematis, Ixerba, Sophora, Pennantia, Hoheria, 
Metrosideros, Veronica, Olearia and Senecio. At least 76 species (22 p. c.) 
are more or less sweet-scented but I have insufficient details, as also is the 
case with regard to nectar-flowers. There is no doubt however that insects 
play a most important part in pollinating the lowland plants. Certain of the 
species are pollinated in part or exclusively by birds and such is probably 
the case in the following species and genera some, by the bye, not purely 
lowland, — Phormium, Knightia‘), Clianthus, Sophora, Metrosideros florida, 
M. lucida, M. robusta and perhaps other species, Fuchsia excorticata, F. Colensot, 
Vitex”) and Rhabdothamnus:). Cleistogamy has been recorded by-G. M. THOMSON 
in Viola filicaulis, V. Cunninghamii and Melicope simplex. 
3. Seasonal changes. 
Although there is a distinct response in New Zealand lowland plants to 
the seasons yet this is rather the result of long “habit” than of any truly great 
difference between summer and winter. It is true that in the great majority 
of species there is a longer or shorter winter resting period but, at the same 
time, there are species which find that season eminently suitable for the devel- 
opment of flowers. Thus during winter in the lowland forest the following 
are in full bloom: — Dysoxylum spectabile, Nothopanax arboreum, eh z 
species of Coprosma especially C. ‚grandi, ifolia, C. robusta and C. spathula 
During August a few northern species come into bloom i in ı the ‚North Auck 
land forest, : - Sophora t tetraptera, Pitt folium, 
tetraptera, 
fhamnus Sol 
