﻿Kirk. — On the N.Z. Nativity 0/ Polygonum aviculare, L. 239 



I must point out that this statement is essentially misleading, as it is true only 

 of a portion of the South Island, and does not in any way apply to the North 

 Island, or to the northern portion of the South Island. 



In the N"orth Island this plant exhibits exactly similar characteristics of 

 abundance and luxuriance to those which it manifests in the British Islands. 

 It is commonly found by road sides and on waste land, on cultivated land, and 

 on grassy places in the forest. I have not observed it at a greater altitude 

 than 1,800 or 1,900 feet, but there can be little doubt that it will be found at 

 a greater height on the central ranges. I never met with an instance of its 

 occurring in native cultivations to such an extent as to cause " much 

 inconvenience," and the same remark applies to its occurrence in the 

 more extended cultivations of the settlers. I may add that around the 

 chief seats of settlement in the North Island — Auckland, Napier, New 

 Plymouth, and Wellington — also about Nelson in the South Island, it 

 occurs under the same relative conditions as to extent and luxuriance that have 

 just been described. It nowhere obtrudes itself upon the attention of a 

 new-comer from occurring in greater abundance than in ordinary localities in 

 the British Islands, and I am satisfied, from close observation during the past 

 eight or nine years, that it has not increased in a greater ratio than might 

 fairly be expected from the increase of favourable habitats afforded by the 

 spread of agricultural operations. This view of the case is supported by the 

 direct testimony of old settlers and missionaries ; our president states that the 

 plant has, to his personal knowledge, held the same relative position for the 

 past thirty years that it now occupies. 



In the middle and southern part of the South Island the Knot-grass has 

 increased excessively : at present, however, it does not appear whether the 

 typical form of the plant participates in this increase or not. So far as the 

 evidence in my possession is precise on the point, it refers only to the var. 

 Dryandri. In the "Natural History Review " for October, 1864, Mr. Travers 

 writes : — -" This plant [Polygonum aviculare) grows with extraordinary vigour 

 all over the country (Canterbury), where the soil has been at all disturbed, 

 completely replacing the native plants. Its roots often penetrate to the depth 

 of three and four feet," — and in an eai-lier number of the same periodical it was 

 stated on the authority of Mr. Travers that plants " spread over an area four 

 to five feet in diameter." In the " Handbook of the New Zealand Flora," 

 the typical form is stated to ha,ve been collected by M. Raoul on Banks 

 Peninsula, thirty years ago, and the var. Dryandri at Port Cooper, by Dr. 

 Lyall, eight or ten years later. I possess a Christchurch specimen of the 

 variety labelled " P. aviculare" collected by Mr. Armstrong, who remarks 

 that it is fovind " in great abundance and spreading with great rapidity." In 

 the " Handbook " it is also stated that the variety Dryandri " covers acres of 



