Illustrations of the New Zealand Flora

Abstract

PERHAPS no country of equal extent possesses a vegetation more interesting than does New Zealand, the 1600 indigenous vascular plants of which include some three-fourths that are endemic. Few floras have received more attention from a long succession of distinguished workers. The history of botanical discovery in the Dominion from the time of Captain Cook's first visit (1769–70) to the middle of last century is fascinatingly told in Hooker's introductory essay to the second portion of his “Botany of the Antarctic Voyages of the Erebus and Terror,” retold and continued with more detail half a century later in Cheeseman's “Manual of the New Zealand Flora.” Space forbids the recapitulation here of this instructive story; it is, however, worth while recalling the chief attempts that have been made to publish the results achieved. The first of these was an “Essai d'une flore de la Nouvelle Z& ande,” by A. Richard, issued in 1833 as part of the account of Dumont d'Urville's voyage in the Astrolabe. This was followed by Allan Cunningham's less satisfactory “Floræ Novæ Zelandiæ Præcursor,” issued in instalments about 1839, and by the fine “Choix de Plantes de la Nouvelle-Z& ande,” published by Raoul in 1846. Next came the “Flora Novæ Zelandiæ” of Hooker, which forms part ii. of the results of the voyages of Ross (1839–43), issued under Admiralty authority during 1852–55.

Illustrations of the New Zealand Flora.

Edited by T. F. Cheeseman, assisted by Dr. W. B. Hemsley. Plates drawn by Miss M. Smith. Vol. i., pp. 8 + 121 plates. Vol. ii., pp. 34 + plates 122–250. (Wellington, N.Z.: John Mackay, Government Printer, 1914.)