ROSACEA 



405 



In 1869 Kirk records it as common in the Auckland district. On 

 the introduction of the peach curl and other fungoid pests, the wild 

 trees became badly infected in many districts, and almost ceased 

 to bear fruit. Cheeseman in the Manual (1906) says: "Copiously 

 naturalised in the Auckland Provincial District in the early period 

 of settlement, but at the present time rarely spreads out of cultiva- 

 tion." (Fl., Aug. to Sept.) 



Prunus Cerasus, Linn. Cherry 

 Probably introduced early last century by the missionaries and 

 early settlers. Recorded as a common wild plant in Auckland in 1869 

 by Kirk, and in Canterbury in 1871 by Armstrong. Cheeseman in 

 the Manual (1906) says: "Maintains itself in old Maori plantations 

 and deserted orchards, sometimes forming small groves." It tends to 

 spread in bush districts through the agency of birds. 



Prunus avium, Linn. Gean 

 In 1 87 1 Armstrong recorded this plant as naturalised in Canter- 

 bury, where it was probably only an occasional garden escape. In 

 1903 W. W. Smith reported it as dispersing freely in old bush 

 districts. It is being scattered here and there by birds. 



Prunus communis, Hudson, var. spinosa, Linn. Sloe ; Blackthorn 

 Found rarely as a garden escape in one or two localities near 

 Dunedin, where it is distributed by birds. 



Rubus idceus, Linn. Raspberry 

 No doubt introduced at the beginning of last century at the dawn 

 of settlement. Polack in 1838 speaks of it as overrunning the 

 districts where it was planted in the North Island. But Polack 

 is not a very trustworthy guide, for Cheeseman as late as 1906 in 

 the Manual records it as an occasional escape from cultivation in 

 both islands, not common. Like all succulent fruited plants, it be- 

 comes more vsddely spread in districts where fruit-eating birds are 

 abundant. (Fl., Oct. to Nov.) 



Rubus fruticosus, Linn. Bramble; Blackberry 

 Some forms of the blackberry were no doubt introduced at an 

 early date by the first settlers. The first definite record appears to 

 be in 1864, when Hooker's list was drawn up, which includes two 

 sub-species R. discolor, Weihe, and R. rudis, Weihe. According to 

 Cheeseman in the Manual (1906) other sub-species which occur are 

 R. leucostachys, Smith, R. rusticanus, Weihe, and R. macrophyllus, 

 Weihe. Kirk adds R. laciniatus, Willd. The last-named — the Italian 

 blackberry — is the common form about Greymouth. 



