280 Hems ley . — The Flora of 
has not been found in the whole of Polynesia, if we except 
New Caledonia; but Luzula reaches the Sandwich Islands. 
Passing to the table showing the distribution of the Howe 
Island species, the total number, as already pointed out, 
is large for a remote island ; yet the endemic percentage 
is low, both as compared with other less isolated islands 
and continental areas of greater extent. As compared with 
a similar area, say, in the South of England, the number of 
species is decidedly small ; but it should be remembered 
that the increase in the number of species is in the inverse 
ratio to the increase of area. Thus a single county of 
England contains something approaching two-thirds of the 
species found in the whole of the counties. 
The most interesting point in the distribution of the non- 
endemic species of Howe Island is their extensions beyond 
the island. Leaving out the sporiferous plants. 55 out of 
160 have a wide distribution ; including the sporiferous plants, 
79 out of 209 ; and this number includes only a small pro- 
portion of the plants known to be dispersed by oceanic 
currents and birds. Taking those species which do not 
extend beyond the countries indicated in the first three 
columns, namely, Australia, New Zealand, and Norfolk Island, 
we find that thirty-one are found elsewhere only in Australia ; 
five only in New Zealand; three only in Norfolk Island; 
twelve only in Australia and New Zealand combined ; four 
only in Australia and Norfolk Island ; one only in New 
Zealand and Norfolk Island; and four extend to Australia, 
New Zealand, and Norfolk Island, but are not found elsewhere. 
Adding these fifty- eight to the fifty endemic species, we have 
something more than half of the total coming under the head 
of what I should term Australasian species. The proportion 
of Australasian species would be slightly augmented by leaving 
the Ferns out of the calculation, as Ferns generally have 
a wider range than flowering plants. The total number 
of known extensions 1 to Australia is 142; to New Zealand, 
1 I use the word ‘ extension ’ here in a conventional sense, of course ; not in the 
sense of the island being the centre from which the plants have actually spread. 
