150 
BOTANY. 
rocky cliffs. Here also I observed several species of Cordyline 
(ti tree), and the Freycinetia Banksii (the kiekie of the natives) 
abounded, the whole closely interlaced by the Ripogonum parvi 
florum, or supplejack, which sadly impeded our progress. In fact, 
the flora along the coast presented quite a new appearance, being 
more like that of the North Island. I also found several new 
forms of Filices and Lycopodiacea?, amongst which were the 
beautiful Pteris comans, and other ferns generally found only in 
the northernmost part of this island, and several belonging to 
the genera Asplenium, Lomaria, Adiantum, &c. Amongst the 
Asplenia in particular were some new varieties of Asplenium 
bulbiferum. 
In the swamps I did not observe any new plants except a 
species of Marchantia, which overspread with its coriaceous glossy 
leaves the more treacherous parts of the swamp, not covered with 
swamp mosses (Sphagnum), which was very abundant. The 
Phormium tenax (the New Zealand flax) is also to be found 
everywhere, ranging, as far as I could observe, to nearly 5,500 
feet, and of winch there are several varieties, principally growing 
on the mountains, and having totally different forms. 
It would lead me too far were I to enter into greater details, 
especially as Dr. Ferdinand Muller, in Melbourne, to whom I have 
sent my collections, will describe what is new. I have no doubt 
that among the Musci, Hepaticse, and lichens, of which I collected 
a considerable number, following the old Linnean maxim “ mirare 
omnia etiam tristissima,” and which are so important for the 
geography of plants. Several will be found to be undescribed, as 
well as the Fungi, of which I made coloured drawings of about fifty 
different specimens on the spot. 
It was at one time my intention to have added to this report 
the meteorological tables kept by me during my journey, with 
comparative remarks upon the climate of the city of Nelson and 
that ot the AVest Coast, but after having carefully looked over both 
tables, I find that generally speaking there is a great similarity 
between them in this respect. The tables therefore would be of 
little practical value, except as showing this result. It would, 
moreover, only add to the bulk of this already long report. 
As I shall have, during further and extensive explorations in 
this island, about to be undertaken by me, ample opportunities of 
collecting data for comparison of its climatological differences and 
peculiarities, I shall in some future publication treat fully upon 
this important subject. 
NELSON : PBINTED BY C. AND J. ELLIOTT. 
