VI PLANTS OF XJIW ZKAIjAND 



The wdi'k is not a Flora, and tliei'efore does not include all known 

 species. It deals only with flowering plants, and, amon^'st these, 

 onjits tile grasses, and certain less im))ortant orders. The grasses 

 have Ijeen dealt with in special publications by Mr. Buchanan. 

 The other orders omitted are re]iresented by species little likely to 

 attract the attention of any l)ut the trained botanist. All the more 

 important and conspicuous flowering plants, and many of the rarer 

 ones, have been here described, except in the larger genera, such as 

 Coiirosiitii, Ve)'0}>ic((, lidnunculia, Olcand, and Si'iiecio, where we 

 have been reluctantly compelled to content oin-selves with a 

 selection of the chief ty])es. 



Such a book as tliis must he to a considerable extent a compila- 

 tion ; and we liave therefore made free use of the labours of our 

 ])redecessors in the field. Amongst these, especial mention may be 

 made of Sir J. Ifooker, Dr. Cockayne, Dr. Diels, and Messrs. T. 

 Kirk, T. V. Cheeseman, (t. M. Thomson, and D. Petrie. Indeed, all 

 botanical papers in tiie Ti'ansactions of the New Zealand Institute'" 

 have been carefully consulted, and all literature obtainable, bearing 

 on the sid)ject, has l)een read, llnfortrmately, the profound paper 

 of Dr. Diels on the New Zealand Flora still remains untranslated, 

 and so is unaccessible to most students. We have therefore made 

 free use of it. We have to thank Dr. L. Cockayne for helping 

 us over many slippery ])laces, and for much generous assistance 

 freely given. We are indebted to Mr. T. F. Cheeseman for the 

 identification of many difed sijecimens, and for other kindnesses. 

 .Assistance has l)een received from Miss Irene Wilson in the 

 preparation of the glossar>-, and from Mr. J. Christie in tlie proof 

 reading. We are also under obligations to the following gentlemen 

 for the gift of photographs for re])roduction as illustrations : Mi-. J. 

 Deans, Mr. A. C. Gifford, Mr. A. Hamilton, Mr. H. Larkin, Mr. S. 

 Page, ^Ir. J. Crosby-Smitli, and i\Ir. E, Speight. 



It should be mentioned that for the first time an endeavour lias 

 been made to bring the classification of the New Zealand flowering 

 plants into accord witli modern ideas. We have tiierefore arranged 

 the families according to Engler's system, and not in accordance 

 with that of Hooker and Bentham, hitherto in vogue. (Unfortunately 

 we have been unable to find room for a synopsis of the families, but 

 this nniy be obtained in any good modern text-book of botany.) 



' These are shorth' referred to in tlie loot notes, as Tnni.'i. 



