ON THE LEADING FEATUEES 



GEOGRAPHICAL BOTANY 



OF THE • ■- 



PROVINCES OF NELSON AND MAELBOEOUGII, NEW ZEALAND. 



BY SIE DAVID MONEO, M.D. 



[Written for the Neio Zealand l]Jxliibition, 1865.] 

 ly his admirable introductory essay to tlie Botany of the Antarctic Voyage, 

 Dr. Hooker writes thus of the physiognomy of the New Zealand flora : — 

 " The traveller from whatever country, on arriving in JSTew Zealand, finds 

 himself surrounded by a vegetation that is almost wholly new to him— with 

 little that is at first sight striking, except the Tree-fern and Cordyline of the 

 northern parts, and nothing familiar except possibly the Mangrove ; and as 

 he extends his investigations into the flora, with the exception of Pomader- 

 ris and Leptosi^ermum, he finds few forms, that remind him of other countries. 

 Of the numerous pines, few recall, by habit and appearance, the idea 

 attached either to trees of this family in the northern hemisphere, or to the 

 Ocdlitris of New Holland, or to the Araucarice of that country and Norfolk 

 Island ; while of the families that on examination indicate the only close 

 afiinity between the New Zealand flora and that of any other country, (the 

 JSIyrtacecB, JEpacridece^ and Proteacece) , few resemble, in general aspect, their 

 allies in Australia. A paucity of grasses, an absence of Leguviinoscp, an 

 abundance of bushes and ferns, and a want of annual plants, are the preva- 

 lent features in the open country ; whilst the forests abound in Cryptoga- 

 mia, and in ph^nogamic plants, Avith obscure gi-een flowers, and very often of 

 obscure and little-knov,Ti natural orders." 



In a subsequent part of the same essay, in drawing a comparison 

 between the floras of New Zealand and Tasmania, he goes on to say :— 

 " In the neighbouring island of Tasmania, the grasses everywhere form a 

 prominent feature ; the Gi/peracecB^ from their size, strength, and cutting 

 foliage, ai-rest the traveller's progress through the forest ; OrcJiidece of many 

 kinds carpet the ground in spring with beautiful blossoms ; the heaths are 

 gay with Epacridce ; herbs, trees, and shrubs of Gompositce meet 

 the eye in every direction ; whilst the MyrtacecB and Leguminosce 

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