86 PLANTS OF NKAV ZEALAND 



South Amcricdii EJcmciit. 



The Soutli American element is better developed in New 

 Zealand than in Australia ; this ma>- be due to our Ijemg 

 somewhat nearer to Peru and C'liili, tlran Australia is. The 

 yeuera Fuclisid and Calceolaria are confined to New Zealand, 

 and temperate or sulvtropical South America. Mt/o.'<iiriis 

 aristata, Hophora tetraptrra (The Yellow Kowhai), Hahti'aijis 

 alata, Hijdrucutj/le Americana, Veronie(t elliptica, and a few 

 other species, are also confined to the same two districts. It 

 may, however, be questioned whether the forms of these 

 species, occurring' on both sides of the I'acific, are exactly the 

 same in every case. Further investigation is required on this 

 point. Probal:)l>' about a fourth of the New Zealand genera 

 are also found in South America, thougir not confined to these 

 two places. A connection of such a pronounced natirre as 

 this indicates thaf. at some time the two stations must have 

 been united liy land, or at least by a chain of islands. 



The evidence of animal life shows that the fornrer alternative 

 is the more pr(.)l)able one, and that there has been direct land 

 communication with South America, perhaps in sub-tropical 

 regions. From tliese and other reasons. Captain Hutton 

 assumed that m the Cretaceous, or Early Eocene, a Pacific 

 Continent connected New Zealand and New (xmnea with 

 Chih.* 



Huh- Antarctic Element. 



But a. much more striking phenomenon is the existence 

 between latitudes 55^ S. and 65^' S. of groups of islands separated 

 sometimes b>' thousands of miles of sea, yet often possessing 

 native plairts of the same species. This community of species 

 shows that these islands must have been m comparatively close 

 communication with each other in quite recent times. Some 

 of the plants referred to are found in New Zealand, more 

 particularly m the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island. A 



■"Nn.tiire" .Tub' 13th, 19U.^. (This letter is probably' the last ijublished scientitic, 

 vritin;^ of the great liiolo^Jist). 



