The Student's Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying Islands List of the Genera and Species of New Zealand Plants

Abstract

IT was well known in botanical circles that the late Prof. Thomas Kirk, of Wellington, New Zealand, who died about a year ago, had long been engaged in the preparation of a comprehensive, descriptive, and illustrated work on the flora of that country; and it was a great disappointment when it transpired that he had left his work in an unfinished state, because it was felt that it would be extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, to find another botanist so well qualified for the task. Prof. Kirk spent some thirty years of his life in the investigation of the flora of his adopted country, and his various writings thereon betoken the careful and accurate botanist. From time to time he published the new species discovered by himself and others; but his fully illustrated “Forest Flora of New Zealand” gave evidence of the extent of his knowledge of his subject. A more remarkable and, in a scientific sense, a more important contribution to the botanical literature of New Zealand is contained in an address delivered before the Philosophical Society of Wellington, N.Z., a few years ago. (see Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, vol. xxviii.). In this address he dealt with the “Displacement and Replacement of the Native Vegetation of New Zealand” in such a manner as to be of permanent value to science. He has there put on record facts connected with the introduction and colonisation of exotic plants in New Zealand that positively throw a new light, and suggest new ideas, on the present distribution of plants in cultivated countries generally. Fortunately the botanical investigation of New Zealand was begun before its settlement by Europeans; and it has been continued by a small band of them with such ardour and exactitude, that future workers in the field have a substantial foundation to build upon. In the absence of authentic records, the present conditions in the vegetation of the country could not have been understood. Kirk estimated that about 500 exotic species of plants had become more or less completely established in New Zealand; and they are spread all over the country, from the sea-coast almost to the altitudinal limits of vegetation. But the most surprising part of it is the extent to which vigorous native plants have been displaced by comparatively delicate foreigners; and it would indeed be incredible in the absence of indisputable evidence. However, I must not pursue this subject here, and I have only alluded to it in connection with the plan and scope of the fragment of Kirk's “Flora” before me. The Government wisely decided to publish so much of this work as was printed off, or ready for the printer, at the time of the author's death. This contains the natural orders Ranunculaceæ to Compositæ, in the sequence of Bentham and Hooker's “Genera Plantarum”; and its value only makes one wish that the author had lived to ocomplete it. Perhaps the only serious criticism one could fairly bring to bear upon the work before having had considerable practical experience in using it for the determination of species, is its size and weight, which would preclude its being used in the field. Rather less than half of the known flowering plants (671), and 260 introduced plants, are described on some 360 pages. Completed on this scale it would make, with glossary, index, &c., at least 850 pages. By using a smaller type with less spacing, and a lighter paper, it would be possible to reduce the book to pocket dimensions. This objection has been raised here, because we believe the New Zealand Government is making arrangements with another botanist to write a complete Flora.

The Student's Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying Islands.

By Thomas Kirk A Fragment. Pp. vi + 408. Large 8vo. (Wellington, N.Z., 1899.)

List of the Genera and Species of New Zealand Plants.

By A. Hamilton. (Wellington, N.Z., 1899.)