Abstract
IN the summer of 1843, Mr. Colenso being at Hawke's A Bay, first saw the Ruahine Range, looking sublimely grand under its crest of virgin snow. Hearing at this time of natives living secluded in the interior, in the country lying between this range and the famed central volcanic district, Tongariro, he determined to visit them, and he has lately published a most graphic and interesting account of several visits to and over the range, which were accomplished between the years 1845 and 1847. This narrative is, as would be expected from a botanist like the author, largely interspersed with valuable notes on the flora, and there are also some on the fauna of that region. It is also somewhat interspersed with quotations, for the most part appropriate ones, from the author's favourite poets. It is not necessary that we should make any comments on the fact that this little memoir does not appear in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, already so full of various important contributions to our knowledge of New Zealand forms from Mr. Colenso's pen, for the publishing Board of that Institute, having declined to publish more than an abstract of it, the memoir was, by request, returned to the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, before which Society it had originally been read, and it has been by them laid before the scientific world with additional and copious notes. The first attempt to cross the range was. made under great difficulties in February, 1844: the weather was bad, heavy rain flooded the rivers and mountain streams, and the guide had forgotten the route. Despite all disadvantages, many a rare and several new plants were found. On a Saturday night, after a slender supper amid the deepening gloom of the beech forest, we read: “Here, pendent from some of the trees, hung a most lovely species of Loranthus (Loranthus flavidus), while on many other trees that fine species L. tetrapetalus formed dense bushes, bearing crimson flowers in profusion, so that in some of the more open spots among the closely-growing trees the whole forest wore a reddish glare.” At the very spot where they halted, a fine bushy composite shrub with hydrangea-like leaves was gathered, which has been since named by Sir J. Hooker, Olearia Colensoi. Fatigued with the day's work the party slept till 10 o'clock on the Sunday, and then awoke to find themselves completely invaded by a large “blue-bottle fly,” which, it appears, inhabited the beech-wood in countless numbers, and was most teasing and audacious: their blankets and woollen clothing had been attacked, and were literally filled with the fly eggs, and the hair of the natives' heads had also similarly suffered. These blue-bottles spoiled the Sabbath day's rest; they had never before been met with by Mr. Colenso. We wonder if the species has been recognised by Baron Osten Sacken, who has recently been engaged in describing New Zealand Diptera. After two days' more fatigue, the party were obliged to descend without crossing the summit, being nearly starved into the bargain. But amid all these troubles, Colenso writes that he at least had some joys, certainly, under the circumstances, unknown to the natives, in that he discovered, on the return, several fine new plants (Alsophila Colensoi) several new species of Coprosma, some of which grew so compactly together that in some places it was impossible to get through them, and so they had to walk upon them. Here, but only, in one spot, that beautiful fern, Hypolepis millefolium, was found. Many beautiful and new forms of Veronica, as V. buxifolia, V. nivalis, and V. tetragona, this last species in its barren state resembling much the branch of a Podocarpus. Here we venture to interpose a wish that Mr. Colenso would write an essay on the mimetic resemblances of the species of the genus. But this was not all: a little further up there were found “splendid Celmisias and Ranunculuses in countless numbers, intermixed with elegant Wahlen-bergias and beautiful Ourisias, Euphraisias, Gentians, Dracophyllums, Astelias, and Calthas, and many others. Here were plants reminding one of those of our native land, with rare and little known novelties.“After the first burst of surprise, the great difficulty of carrying off these prizes presented itself: no collecting materials were at hand. There was no time to lose.” First pulled off my coat, and made a bag of that; then, driven by necessity, I added thereto my shirt, and, by tying the neck, got an excellent bag. Lastly the crown of my hat held a few. Fortunately the day turned out a fine one, and on returning to the camp the night was spent placing them among spare clothing, bedding, and books. Of this “find” drawings of nearly fifty were published by Sir W. J. Hooker, or Sir J. Hooker, in the “Flora Novae Zelandiæ” or the “Icones Plantarum.” The graphic account of that terrible plant, Aciphylla Colensoi, we must content ourselves by thus referring to; it is too long to quote, and too good to condense.
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The Ruahine Range, New Zealand . Nature 32, 108–109 (1885). https://doi.org/10.1038/032108b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/032108b0