84 Transactions. 



• 



Art. IX. — Notes on Plants observed during a Visit to the North of Auclc- 



land. Aiml, 1868. By T. Kirk. 



\_'Read lefore the Auclcland Institute, 4tli, May, 1868.] 



The beaclies and landing-places at the Kawau show traces of the traffic 

 formerly connected with its copper mines in the many introduced plants 

 which have become naturalized — Ghenopodium, Polycarpon, Goronopus, 

 Erysimum, Amaranthus, Fortulaca, and many other genera which follow the 

 footsteps of man, are most abundant. The fine evergreen beech Fagiis 

 fiisca finds here its northern limit ; Sapota costata attains larger dimensions 

 than usual, one fine specimen having a trunk nearly 5 feet in diameter, its 

 branches reaching the height of 60 feet. A Pittosporitm (P. intermedium, 

 Kirk) having the much branched, twiggy habit of P. tenuifolium, with leaves 

 which scarcely differ, except in their larger size and stouter petioles, has 

 much larger capsules on longer peduncles, which are terminal, and usually 

 solitary ; capsules 2- to 3-valved, globose, acuminate. As with other Pittos- 

 pora3 to be mentioned in this paper, flowering specimens Avill be required 

 before its position and specific value can be satisfactorily determined. A 

 small umbelliferous plant, Apiitm leptophyllum, F. Muell., {TIelosciadium 

 le-ptoplnjllum, DC), is found on and near a forest track in the interior, and 

 might be considered indigenous were it not for its occurrence with 

 naturalized plants at the Bay of Islands, which suggests the propriety of 

 further examination before adding it to the list of native plants. It was not, 

 however, observed on the Kawau beaches, where naturalized plants are so 

 common, and where it would have been most likely to occur had it been 

 introduced. It is easily identified by the narrow, almost capillary, segments 

 of its small leaves, and numerous small, axillary, and terminal umbels of 

 minute white flowers and small fruit. A native of Eastern Australia* and 

 South America, easily overlooked from its small size and inconspicuous habit. 

 A J?ittospormn (P. ellipticuon, Kirk) differing from any described species 

 was found on Mount Manaia. A small erect tree, 25 feet high, v;ith black 

 bark, branchlets very short, stout, puberulous, ascending, leaves close set, 

 ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, coriaceous, with the midrib curiously 

 flattened beneath, acute or obtuse, partially clothed with ferruginous 

 pubesence beneath, petioles i inch long, stout, erect ; flowers not seen ; 

 peduncles terminal, usually solitary, stout, |- to f inch long, decurved. 

 Capsules 2-valved, ovate, acuminate at both ends, with slightly flattened 

 sides, valves faintly 2-lobed, granulated, tips erect. Allied to P. crassifoUum , 

 but differing in habit and foliage, in the 2-valved acuminate capsule, and the 

 smaller seeds. An imdescribed Goprosma is found here, and is probably 

 identical with a tree found by Mr. Colenso at "Waipu ; observed also in the 



