1 20 



Maoris for colouring mats and baskets. E. Hookerianus, similar to dentatus, 

 but smaller. Plagianthus betulinus (Ribbon Wood), wood of which is worthless. 

 Pittosporum eugenioides, a small, beautiful tree, with yellow, sweet-scented 

 flowers, bark resinous, wood white, useful for cabinet work. Garpodetus 

 serratus, flowers white, profusely produced ; wood tough, useful for axe 

 handles. Panax crassifolium, the Ivy tree. 



Shrubs, etc. 



Drimys axillaris, a large evergreen shrub, aromatic and pungent, used by 

 the Maoris for various diseases, the " Winter's bark " of New Zealand. 

 Pepper tree of the settlers, wood used for veneers. Melicytus ramiflorus, a 

 large shrub, with soft white wood, useful for cabinet work, leaves eaten by 

 cattle. Pittosporum tenuifolium, a large evergreen, pyramidal shrub, with 

 purple flowers, wood hard, yellowish, useful for cabinet woi'k. P. Colensoi, 

 similar to the last, but larger, wood useless. Hoheria populnea, a large shrub, 

 with abundantly-produced white flowers, the bark affords a demulcent drink, 

 and is also used for cordage. Aristotelia racemosa, a very handsome shrub, 

 with large racemes of reddish, nodding flowers ; wood very light, said to be 

 good for veneers. Pennantia corymbosa, a large, very beautiful shrub, covered 

 profusely with very fragrant white flowers. The wood was formerly used by 

 the Maoris for kindling fires, by friction. Coriaria rusci/blia, a small shrub, 

 foliage poisonous to cattle, etc. ; the seeds are said to produce delirium and 

 death. A beverage, like elderberry wine, is made from the juice. Urtica 

 ferox, the Stinging Nettle, stings most violently ; the pain lasts three or 

 four clays. Rhipogonum scandens, Supplejack. The long under-ground stems 

 have been used as sarsaparilla by the settlers ; the stems as cordage, by the 

 Maoris. Phormium tenax, the fibres of which are very strong ; its roots, also, 

 have been used as a substitute for sarsaparilla. 



Another interesting locality, in the neighbourhood of this city, and 

 visible from our streets, is the so-called Dry Bush, which, from numerous fires 

 having passed through it, has a scorched appearance. Although there are 

 some large coniferous trees in this small forest, it has more the characteristics 

 of that portion of our bush vegetation which invariably edges our larger 

 forests, of which the Mount Pleasant Bush is a still more characteristic 

 representative. 



The only conifers are Podocarpus Totara, and P . ferruginea. The other 

 principal forest trees are Alectryon excelsum (Titoki), a beautiful tree, with 

 large panicles of reddish flowers ; the oil of the seeds was formerly used by the 

 Maoris for anointing the person ; wood hard and durable. Sophora tetraptera, 

 var. grandijlora, a beautiful tree, with large pendulous yellow flowers, wood 

 red, valuable for fencing and cabinet work. Fuchsia excorticata, wood white, 

 soft, probably worthless. 



There are in this small bush about twenty-eight species of shrubs, 

 enumerated in the appended list ; some of them are very beautiful, and worthy 

 of cultivation in our gardens ; while others may prove useful for their 

 medicinal properties. The most remarkable among these are Carmichcelia 

 australis and C. juncea, with beautiful pea-like flowers. Discaria Toumatou, 

 the spines of which were used in tattooing. Myrtus obcordata, Piper excelsum 

 (Kava Kava), the New Zealand Pepper tree : a beverage, called kava, was 

 formerly made from the roots and leaves by the Maoris ; an infusion of the 

 leaves is used to cure toothache. Clematis, n. sp., a curious leafless climber, 

 with verticillate, yellow, sweet-scented flowers.* 



The Sand-hills. 

 It is evident from the shifting nature of the ground in the littoral zone, 



* See List of Plants of Otago, by J. Buchanan, p. 38, "Trans. N. Z. Inst.," Vol. i. 



