CoLENSO. — Botamj of the North Island of New Zealand. 259 



now are, and at one time ? There, in its habitat, everytliing has for years — 

 or ages — combined to favour the growth and spread of that plant ; but, 

 although flourishing, it has not spread. Are we to infer from its scarcity 

 that it is but a creation of yesterday ? or the lingering relic of a past race ? 

 or a new form, or a sportive hybrid of nature ? 



Lastly, may future varieties in certain species be hereafter the more 

 reasonably expected to take place in Kgav Zealand, or vice versa, through 

 colonization, and through the introduction of congeneric plants of honey- 

 making insects and of insectivorous birds ? 



******* 



III. — (Economic. 



23. In considering the ceconomic botany of this island, the past should 

 not be wholly omitted. It cannot, at least, be uninteresting to know some- 

 thing of those plants which, for a long period, were of the utmost import- 

 ance to the race which preceded the colonist on these shores, and to which 

 a large population was mainly indebted for food, for clothing, and for 

 numerous articles of utility and of ornament. Such an inquiry, however 

 brief, is become the more necessary from the fact that, owing to the great 

 and growing disuse of many of those plants which were formerly prized and 

 sought after, the knowledge of their qualities and uses is rapidly becoming 

 forgotten. It is therefore proposed to show, with reference to the past — 

 (i.) the plants used as food ; and (ii.) those of utility and ornament to the 

 New Zealander of former days. 



(i.) The vegetable articles of food not introduced by Europeans, used by 

 the natives of this island, were tolerably numerous, however inferior the 

 qualities of many of them might be. Most, however, were only obtained 

 through much labour, which, no doubt, contributed not a little towards the 

 robust health of the consumers. Those food-yielding plants may be thus 

 placed : — (1.) Main articles of food ; and (2.) smaller fruits and vegetables 

 commonly used, including those only resorted to in times of great scarcity. 



(1.) The main or staple articles of vegetable food were but few in kind. 

 They comprised those cultivated and those which were wild. The cultivated 

 vegetables were only three in number ; and which, curiously enough, and 

 like the garden produc'e of many other countries, were not indigenous. 

 These were — two roots, and one gourd-like fruit ; the kumara, or sweet 

 potato {Convolvulus batatas), the taro (Oaladium esculentuiii) , and the hue, 

 a large kind of gourd, a species of Cucurhita. Of the first, the kumara, 

 they had a large number of varieties, v^ddely differing from each other in 

 quality, appearance, and colour; which, of itself, is a highly puzzling 

 problem, seeing the plant in tMs country never flowers. Of this root, most 



