the number of species, and by far outnumber them in the abundance of each kind. The rapidity with which foreign plants become naturalized in New Zealand is indeed a most surprising and extraordinary circumstance, and of great interest to every colonist, as it must be quite evident to every observer that the introduction of these European plants will certainly result in the extermination of the indigenous flora, and that at no very distant period of time.

The indigenous Flora seems to have arrived at a period of its existence, when it has no longer strength to maintain its own against the invading races; indeed, every person who has attempted the cultivation of native plants knows how difficult it is to cultivate the most of them, on account of their weakness of constitution. Again the hand of man is busily employed in their extermination—everywhere the forests are being cut down or burnt, the swamps drained, and the grassy plains and valleys broken up and cultivated. Under these combined influences it is evidently utterly impossible that the native plants can survive. Already a few of the rarer species are nearly extinct, and nothing can save our fine forests from destruction but the most rigid preservation by the Government.

It will be seen from the list of species that most of the plants enumerated are natives of Europe; in fact, most of them are common British weeds. Along the roadsides, for miles from the city of Christchurch, are to be seen such plants as Polygonum aviculare, Stellaria media, Capsella Bursa-pastoris, Sinapis arvensis, and an abundant growth of grasses, the most common of which are Hordeum murinum, Poa annua, Bromus Schraderii, B. racemosus, B. mollis, Lolium (several species), etc. On the hills and waste ground may be found Hypochœris radicata, Carduus lanceolatus, Erodium cicutarium, Anthemis nobilis, Marrubium vulgare, Trifolium repens, which is, perhaps, the commonest plant in Canterbury, Conium maculatum, Daucus Carota, Pastinaca sativum, etc. In wet places we find an abundant growth of the large English docks, Rumex obtusifolius and R. crispus, with the sorrel, R. Acetosella, Ranunculus repens, Galium Aparine, etc.

In the river Avon two plants are found which require more than a passing notice—these are the watercress, Nasturtium officinale, Linn., and Anacharis Alsinastrum. The former was introduced about twenty years ago, and has proved a great nuisance, blocking up the river and adjacent water-courses, impeding drainage so much that the Provincial Government have had to spend large sums of money to keep it down; it grows to an immense size, far exceeding anything ever seen in England. I may here mention that the water cress is very much infested with the cabbage blight, Aphis brassica.

The Anacharis Alsinastrum, a well known and remarkable American aquatic, is now to be found in abundance in the river Avon, where two years

ago it did not exist. It was introduced in the year 1868, and planted in one of the ponds of the Acclimatization Society as shelter for the young trout; unfortunately the plant was by some means conveyed into the river, where it is spreading with astonishing rapidity. Although pistiliferous plants only have been found in the province, the latter fact is, perhaps, of little importance, as every joint will form roots when separated from the parent plant. As it is sure to prove a far greater nuisance than the water-cress, its introduction is much to be regretted, seeing that the Avon and other small streams must be kept clear for drainage purposes. The spread of this plant over Britain during the last twenty years is one of the most curious and interesting problems that has come under the notice of living botanists. About the year 1850 it was found in a pond in the centre of England, and was then supposed to be indigenous; shortly afterwards it was found in many distant localities, and was proved to be naturalized, the mode of its migration being still a mystery. It is now common all over Britain, and has, in many instances, impeded navigation in rivers and canals, and interfered with the working of water-mills. In most of those places efforts have been made to eradicate it, but with very little success. The Anacharis is greedily eaten by swans, ducks, and other water birds, but this circumstance, instead of being advantageous, is quite the contrary, as small portions of the plant are carried away by these birds and transplanted to other rivers. It will, indeed, be an extraordinary circumstance if this remarkable plant should become as common in New Zealand as it is in Britain.

Conium maculatum, Linn., the hemlock of England, is to be found in considerable quantities in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, where it was sown in the year 1865 by an herbalist, who, unfortunately, cannot be punished for the injury he has done the province by the introduction of this very poisonous plant.

I see that Polygonum aviculare is considered by Mr. Kirk to be indigenous to New Zealand, but, after nine years' study of the native Flora, I feel compelled to differ from him in this matter. The plant is spreading very rapidly in this province, more especially along the roadsides, where the seeds are carried in the mud on cart wheels, etc.

In conclusion, I beg to remind the botanists in the Middle Island that now is the time to determine the date of introduction of foreign plants into the country.

The following abbreviations are used in the list of species:—a. for Agrestal, plants of cultivated land; aq. for Aquatic, plants growing in rivers, etc.; p. for Palustral, plants of swamps, etc.; s. for Sylvestral, plants growing in woods; v. for Viatical, plants of waysides and waste places.

The following numerals are used to indicate the order of abundance in which the species are found:—1, 2, 4, 6.

• 1—Is used to intimate that of the species so marked only occasional individuals are found.

• 2—That the species is found in greater abundance than 1, but still not common.

• 4—That the species is common in some localities, but does not interfere to any great extent with the native Flora.

• 6—That the species are very abundant, and rapidly taking the place of native plants.

The date of introduction is also given when known.

The derivation of the plants is Europe, unless otherwise stated.

List of Species.

• Ranunculus

• acris, L., v., 4

• repens, L., v., 4

• bulbosus, L., a., v., 2

• Nasturtium

• officinale, L., aq., 6

• Barbarea

• præcox, Br., a., v., 4

• Capsella

• Bursa-pastoris, L., a., v., 6

• Lepidium

• sativum, L., a., 2

• Alyssum

• maritimum, Willd., v., 2

• Cochlearia

• armoracia, L., a., 1

• Sinapis

• arvensis, L., v., a., 6

• Brassica

• Napus, L., v., a., 2

• Rapa, L., a., 1

• oleracea, L., v., a., 2

• campestris, L., a., 1

• Raphanus

• sativus, L., a., v., 1

• Viola

• tricolor, L., v., a., 6

• Gypsophila

• tubulosa, Boiss., v., 4

• Silene

• quinquevulnera, L., Asia, a., v., 6

• noctiflora, L., a., 4

• Stellaria

• holostea, L., v., 4

• media, v., etc., 6

• Cerastium

• vulgatum, L., v., a., 6

• Spergula

• arvensis, L., a., 2

• Githago

• segetum, Lam., v., a., 4

• Dianthus

• barbatus, Asia, s., 1

• Malva

• rotundifolia, L., a., 2

• Lavatera

• arborea, L., a., 2

• Erodium

• cicutarium, L., v. 6

• moschatum, L., v., 4

• Linum

• usitatissimum, L., v., a., 2

• Ulex

• europæus, L., v., a., 6

• Cytisus

• scoparius, Lk., v., a., 6

• capensis, Africa, v., a., 4

• Trifolium

• repens, L., v., a., 6

• pratense, L., v., a., 4

• minus, Sm., v., 6

• medium, L., a., 4

• procumbens, L., a., 2

• Melilotus

• leucantha, Asia, a., v., 4

• Medicago

• lupulina, L., a., 2

• maculata, L., v., a., 1

• Onobrychis

• sativa, Lam., a., 1

• Lotus

• corniculatus, L., a., v., 6

• major, Scop., v., 2

• Vicia

• hirsuta, L., v., a., 4

• sativa, L., v., a., 4

• Lathyrus

• latifolius, L., a., 4

• Rubus

• fruticosus, L., v., 1

• rudis, Wehe., v., 1

• Idæus, L., v., 2

• Rosa

• rubiginosa, L., v., 4

• Prunus

• avium, L., s., 1

• cerasus, L., s., 2

• Pyrus

• mains, L., s., 1

• Geum

• urbanum, L., a., v., 4

• Potentilla

• anserina, L., v., a., 6

• fragariastrum, Ehr., a., 1

• Fragaria

• vesca, L., s., 4

• elatior, Ehr., s., 2

• Amygdalus

• persica, L., Asia, s., 2

• Œnothera

• stricta, L., v., a., 4

• Ribes

• grossularia, L., s., 4

• Petroselinum

• sativum, L., a., 4

• Apium

• graveolens, L., a., v., 2

• Daucus

• Carota, L., a., v., 4

• Pastinaca

• sativum, a., v., 4

• Conium

• maculatum, L., v., a., 4

• Sambucus

• nigra, L., s., 2

• Galium

• aparine, L., v., a., 4

• Helianthus

• tuberosus, L., America, v., 2

• Erigeron

• canadense, L., America, etc., v., 4

• Bellis

• perennis, L., a., v., 4

• Bidens

• pilosa, L.? Asia, etc., a., 1

• Anthemis

• nobilis, L., v., a., 4

• Achillea

• millefolium, L., v., 4

• rubra, 1866, v., 4

• Chrysanthemum

• leucanthemum, L., a., 4

• segetum, L., v., 1

• Senecio

• vulgaris, L., v., 6

• Carduus

• lanceolatus, L., a., v., 6

• benedictus, L., a., 2

• marianus, 1869, v., 2

• Matricaria

• Chamomilla, L., a., 4

• Artemisia

• Absinthium, L., a., v., 4

• Tragopogon

• porrifolius, L., v., 2

• minor, Fries., v., 2

• Centaurea

• solstitialis, L., v., a., 4

• Lapsana

• communis, L., v., 4

• Hypochæris

• radicata, L., v., etc., 6

• glabra, L., 1865, v., etc., 6

• Sonchus

• oleraceus, L., v., etc., 6

• Taraxacum

• dens-leonis, Desf., v., 6

• Gnaphalium

• luteo-album, L., v., 4

• Erythræa

• centaurium, Pers., a., 2

• Ligustrum

• vulgare, L., v., 4

• Echium

• vulgare, L., v., a., 4

• Myosotis

• arvensis, Hoff., v., 4

• Solanum

• nigrum, L., v., etc., 6

• tuberosum, L., v., 4

• Verbascum

• Thapsus, L., v., 4

• Veronica

• arvensis, L., v., 4

• officinalis, L., v., 2

• saxatilis, L., v., 2

• Verbena

• officinalis, L., v., a., 4

• Lamium

• album, L., s., 1

• Mentha

• viridis, L., p., v., 4

• piperita, L., v., 4

• Marrubium

• vulgare, L., a., 6

• Anagallis

• arvensis, L., a., 4

• Prunella

• vulgaris, L., a., 4

• Plantago

• lanceolata, L., v., 6

• major, L., v., 6

• media, L., v., 4

• Polygonum

• aviculare, L., v., etc., 6

• convolvulus, L., a., 1

• fagopyrum, Sm., 1866, a., 2

• Rumex

• obtusifolius, L., p., 6

• crispus, L., p., 6

• acetosa, L., a., 6

• acetosella, L., v., 6

• Clenopodium

• urbicum, L., v., 6

• album, L., v., 6

• Bonus-Henricus, L., v., 2

• Euphorbia

• peplus, L., a., 4

• helioscopia, L., a., 4

• Urtica

• urens, L., v., 4

• dioica, L., v., 2

• Humulus

• Lupulus, L., 1865, a., 4

• Anacharis

• alsinastrum, 1870, America, aq., 4

• Asparagus

• officinalis, L., a., 2

• Phleum

• pratense, L., v., a., 6

• Alopecurus

• pratensis, L., v., a., 4

• agrestis, L., v., a., 4

• Phalaris

• canariensis, L., v., 6

• Holcus

• lanatus, L., v., 6

• mollis, L., v., 4

• Anthoxanthum

• odoratum, L., v., 6

• Panicum

• glaucum, L., Asia, v., 2

• colonum, L., Asia, v., 2

• sanguinale, L., v., 4

• Agrostis

• vulgaris, With., a., 4

• alba, L., a., 2

• Avena

• sativa, L., Asia, a., 4

• fatua, L., a., 1

• Arrhenatherum

• avenaceum, Beauv, a., 4

• bulbosum, Lind., a., 4

• Poa

• trivialis, L., a., 4

• annua, L., v., 6

• nemoralis, L., a., v., 4

• pratensis, L., v., 6

• var. angustifolia, a., 4

• Briza

• minor, L., v., 4

• maxima, L., v., 2

• Cynosurus

• cristatus, L., a., 4

• Dactylis

• glomerata, L., v., 6

• Festuca

• duriuscula, L., v., etc., 6

• bromoides, L., a., 6

• ovina, L., a., 4

• pratensis, L., a., 2

• rubra, L., v., 2

• Bromus

• sterilis, L., v., 4

• erectus, Huds., v., 4

• mollis, L., v., 6

• racemosus, L., v., 6

• asper, L., v., 4

• madritensis, L., 1864, v., 4

• unioloides, Kth., 1866, America, v., 6

• Schræderi, Kth., 1866, America, v., 6

• Lolium

• perenne, L., v., 6

• temulentum, L., v., 4