454 
BOTANY. 
Fam. P rimulacece.—(Anagallis arvensis, samolus littoralis.) 
The Fam. Fagus.—Tawai betula nigra , has perhaps two 
representatives, which attain a great height and diameter; they 
form alpine forests in the southern extremity of the North 
Island, and everywhere abound in the Middle Island. The rat 
formerly fed on the mast: it is said only to fruit once in ten 
years. 
Fam. Scrophularinacece. — Koromi/co, kokomiko, {veronica sali- 
cifolia,) perhaps the most generally diffused plant in New 
Zealand, and a very ornamental one, but disappearing before 
the horse. Formerly large groves might be seen of it in every 
direction: it bears a tapering shaped flower, of a purplish 
white. Napuka, korokio, (— speciosa ,) a variety found at the 
Hokianga Heads, bearing a fine scarlet flower; the leaves are 
broader, rounder, and thicker than the former. Taranga, 
(— augustifolia,) a small-leafed variety. (— macrocarpa, — 
UgustrifoUa ,— parviflora, elliptica, — cataractce,) Piriti, (— di¬ 
es mifolia, — calycina, gratiola sexdentata, euphrasia cuneata .) 
The sides of Tongariro are covered with several curious varie¬ 
ties of this family, some of which may prove to be new. 
Fam. Cyrtandracece. — Wainatua, (rhabdothamnus solandri.) 
A beautiful delicate shrub, with small round leaves, and bell¬ 
shaped flowers, of an orange color, streaked with purple, much 
resembling the penstemon. 
Fam. Solanece. — Poroporo, kohoho, koheuheu, {solarium lacina- 
tum,) a bush sometimes found lai’ge enough to be classed 
amongst trees; it is found occasionally bearing white flowers 
and lighter green leaves, but in general the flowers are very 
similar in color to those of the potatoe, and the leaves of a 
dark sombre hue. The berries are as large as gooseberries, of 
an orange color, and are commonly eaten. There is a smaller 
solanum closely resembling the English night-shade in size 
and flower, which is white; it bears a purple berry, which, 
with the leaves, are both eaten; its native name is raupeti and 
remuroa. 
Fam. Myoperinece. — Manawa, {aricennia tomentosa ,) the 
mangrove; it abounds in the north end of the island, where it 
forms a kind of marine grove, having numbers of oysters 
