324 Transactions. — Botany. 



Aet. XL VIII. — On the Occurrence of the Genus Sporadantlius in New Zealand. 

 By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S. 

 [Read before the Auckland Institute, 2nd June, 1879.] 

 The plant now constituting the genus Sporadanthus was originally discovered 

 by the well-known naturalist, Dr. Ernst Dieffenhach, in the Chatham 

 Islands, in 1840. Neither flowering nor fruiting specimens were obtained, 

 and it was therefore impossible to determine, with accuracy, the systematic 

 position of the plant, although Dr. (now Sir Joseph) Hooker, in the "Flora 

 Novte-Zealaudife," ventured to provisionally refer it to the genus Caloro'phus. 

 During the interval which elapsed between the publication of the "Flora" 

 and that of the "Hand-book," no additional information was obtained. 

 Neither does it appear that the plant was observed during Mr. Henry 

 Travers' first visit to the Chathams in 1863-64, for it is not mentioned in 

 the list of species collected by him and recorded in Baron Von Mueller's 

 "Vegetation of the Chatham Islands ;" although casually referred to in the 

 introduction as " a doubtful Calorophus, mentioned by Dr. Hooker." On Mr. 

 Travers' second visit in 1871, he was more successful, and I believe a good 

 series of speciinens Avas obtained. Some of these, including male flowers, 

 were forwarded to Baron Von Mueller, and from their study he described 

 the plant under the name of Lejiyrodia traversii.* Shortly afterwards, fruitmg 

 specimens were also received, which proved that the plant has nucular and 

 not capsular fruit as in all true species of Lepyrodia. This discovery neces- 

 sitated its removal from that genus ; and ultimately Baron Von Mueller pro- 

 posed a new genus — Sporadanthus — for its reception. Under this name it 

 appears in Mr. Buchanan's Hst of the " Flowering Plants and Ferns of the 

 Chatham Islands."! 



Up to the present time, it had been supposed that Sporadanthus was 

 entirely confined to the Chatham Islands. In January last, however, while 

 travelling by rail from Hamilton to Ohaupo, in the Waikato District, I 

 noticed that the extensive swamp through which the railway passes before 

 reaching Ohaupo, was in many places entirely covered with a tall-growing 

 Eestiad, quite new to me. A few days later, I walked through the swamp 

 for the pm-pose of identifying the species, and found that it was evidently 

 the Chatham Island plant above referred to. Since then I have learnt from 

 Mr. Percy Smith that it is abundant in some parts of the extensive Piako 

 swamp, and Mr. E. E. M. Campbell also informs me that it occurs in pro- 

 fusion in the centre of the marshy district between Cambridge and Eangiao- 

 hia, known as the Moanatuatua swamp. Very probably it will be found in 

 all the larger morasses of the Upper Waikato basin. 



* Fragmenta PliytographijB AnstraliaB, Vol. VIII., p. 79. 

 t Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. VII., Art. XLVU. 



