PLANTAGINE^ 465 



Plantago hirtella, H. B. and K. 



Recorded by Cheeseman as P. virginica, L. (?) in 1882, from 

 Rangiriri, Ngaruawahia and other places in the Waikato. In the 

 Manual (1906) it is said to occur in " moist shaded places in the North 

 Island; not uncommon." Apparently introduced from America. 



Plantago Coronopus, Linn. 



First recorded by Kirk from Wellington in 1877, then by Cheese- 

 man in 1882 as occurring in waste places and sandy soil near the 

 sea from a number of localities in the Auckland Province, from Bay 

 of Islands down to Tauranga and Poverty Bay. In the Manual it is 

 reported as not uncommon in sandy and gravelly places in both 

 islands. Cockayne says it is so common in many salt-meadows that 

 it might easily be mistaken for an indigenous species. 



Division INCOMPLETE 



POLYGONE^ 



Polygonum lapaihifolium, Linn. 



First recorded from Ashburton in 1899 by W. W. Smith, and 

 stated in 1903 to have spread up the bed of the Ashburton River. 

 He also reports it (in 19 19) as having gone wild at Whangamomona, 

 Taranaki Province, in great abundance along the roadsides and in 



waste ground. 



Polygonum Persicaria, Linn. 



First recorded by Kirk, on the authority of J. Buchanan, from 

 Wellington in 1877, then by Cheeseman in 1882 in fields near Pan- 

 mure, Auckland. In the Manual (1906) it is stated to occur, but 

 not commonly, in ditches and on roadsides in both islands. It is 

 extremely common in flax-areas after draining. 



In Europe the flowers are visited by Eristalis tenax. 



Polygonum Hydropiper, Linn. Water-pepper 



Recorded from East Cape district in the North Island by Bishop 



Williams. 



Polygonum aviculare, Linn. Knot-grass 



First recorded by Hooker in 1864. Cheeseman in the Manual 

 (1906) states that this species, which is a most abundant weed in 

 roadsides, waste places and edges of fields, is most probably an 

 immigrant. The late Mr Kirk always considered it to be indigenous, 

 and its position was the subject of much dispute between him and 

 Mr W. T. L. Travers (see N.Z. Inst. Trans, vols, iv and v). The 



T. N. Z. 30 



