302 Transactions. — Botany. 



arrived at, until we possess carefully compiled lists of the plants of all the 

 chief portions of the colony. The volumes of the " Transactions of the 

 New Zealand Institute " bear witness that something has been done in this 

 direction ; but much more will be required before a firm basis is afforded 

 for future work. As a slight contribution to the literature of the subject, 

 I propose to give a list of the plants observed by myself during two visits to 

 the Nelson Provincial District, in 1878 and 1881, when I was enabled to 

 travel over a considerable portion of the district, and to make large col- 

 lections, especially of the alpine species. Of course, it will be fully under- 

 stood that my list can have no claim to completeness. To collect the 

 material for even a tolerably complete catalogue of the plants of the Nelson 

 district (or any other of similar area) would involve the expenditure of 

 much time and labour, and is a work that can only be efiiciently performed 

 by local observers, who possess the great advantage of being able to ex- 

 amine the vegetation at all seasons of the year, and with more leisure and 

 circumspection than can be given by a casual traveller, however industrious 

 he may be. At the same time, the list will be found to represent all the 

 chief features of the vegetation, and is probably not much more incomplete 

 than those that have been prepared of other Provincial Districts. 



At some future time I hope to consider in detail the principal features of 

 plant-distribution in Nelson, and to suggest some possible explanation of 

 certain curious anomalies therein. At present the known facts are not 

 sufficient to warrant the attempt, large portions of the district never having 

 been explored in a botanical point of view, and others being very imperfectly 

 known. 



The total number of species included in the catalogue is 666, but this 

 will doubtless be largely added to by future observers. I have included a 

 few species mentioned either in the " Handbook " or the " Transactions of 

 the New Zealand Institute," as occm'ring in the district, but which have 

 not been observed by myself. With the exception of these, all of which are 

 specified in the list, I am personally responsible for the whole of the deter- 

 mmations and for the localities quoted : — 



CATALOGUE OF THE FLOWEEING PLANTS AND FEENS OBSEEVED IN THE 

 NELSON PEOVINCIAL DISTEICT. 



Eanunculace^. 

 Clematis indivisa, Willd. Common at low elevations. Nelson; Foxhill; 

 Wairau Valley, etc. 

 ,, liexasepala, DC. Near Moutere. 



,, 2^'^'>'^iJ^'^'*''^^ ■^' Cunn., v&v. depauperata. "Nelson, Travers" (Hand- 

 book). 

 ,, colensoi, Hook, fil., var. rutafolia. Wairau Valley ; Buller Valley. 



