BOTANY ON THE PLAINS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1613, 14 February 1866, Page 2

BOTANY ON THE PLAINS.

COCKOO-FLOWKRS. TO TH» KDITOB OF THE LTTTKLTON TIME* Sib,—There are many objects of great interest in the botanical kingdom on our Plains aa will be seen by the subjects of my letter' on this occasion. The reputation which in Europe, New Zealand has obtained of being very deficient in flowering plants I cannot agree with.. I do not know whether these two indigenous species of Orchis are new to science or to be found in Hooker's classical work' " The New Zealand Flora." I think to the contrary. The country people in England call them cuckoo-flowers, because they make their appearance when the cuckoo begins to call They make their appearance here in the end of November, in dry, old river-beds, in our meadows and pastures as well. They hare little fleshy roots, composed of two oval knobs, and a number of succulent fibres, and the stems herbaceous. The first one 1 found, the leaves were striated, and I lielieve it to be an Epipactis— flowers, white. The second, the leaves are sheathing at the base, and very like the green-winged meadow orchis in 1 ngland—the outer calyx being a purple green, forming a sort of helmet over the rest of the flower. The orchis tribe is one of the most extentensive and curious of the vegetable kingdom. They belong to the laat order of Monocotyledonous plants. Its genera vary amazingly, but still a most striking proof of the harmony of design. The corolla, a very irregular one, certainly, but nevertheless conformable to all the rules of organization. By this discovery here, at any rate, ont stepping-stone is discovered; for very probably the next step taken, by some ardent pursuer in the science, will be to find in our own woods and bushes some orchids, same at they have done already on the Northern coast of Australia ; a few varieties of Dendrobes now making a stir in England since their arrival there, and realizing 10 guineas for the set. Why should they not be found on our shores as well ? Now that we are certain of possessing the natural order here, and indigenous with us ; very likely other orchids of an epiphytal cha-' racter may he found out in lurking places little dreamt of. We must look sharp and hunt for the squirrel (orchids) in our own woods. In tropical countries, in damp woods, or on the sides of hills, in a serene and equal climate, these glorious flowers are seen in all their beauty. Some are seated on branches of living trees, or resting among the decayed bark of fallen trunks, or running over mossy rocks, or hanging above the head of the admiring traveller, suspended from the gigantic arm of some monarch of the forest; they develope flowers of the gayest colours and the most varied forms; and they often fill the woods at night with their mild and delicious fragrance. I can recollect during my apprenticeship, for a long time such plants were thought incapable of being made to submit to the care of the gardener, for we were very ignorant about than ; but it was not very long before they were found to be the most curious tribe in the whole vegetable kingdom. It has been discovered of late years that by care and perseverance they may be brought to as much perfection in a hot-house as they acquire in their native woods, and they now, under the name of Orchideous Epiphytes, form the pride of the collections in England. I deny in toto that most of our indigenous plants are deficient in flowering; as stated. If the flowers are generally insignificant to the casual observer, to the botanist they are a treasure, particularly when we- can find two or three species of holly (Ilex), not with red berries like the common holly, but with black glossy shining fruit, and with leaves smoothedged instead of prickly. The flower of the holly is well known to be insignificant enough, which I should not have been able to discover had I not seen the flowers on the plants in" our bush first. I can assure you we have them in flower and fruit at the proper season; and as well the-beautiful evergreen Auralias. The insignificance of the- flower is generally made up for after the flowering, by a great contrast in the shape of berries or drupes of all hues and colours for, who has ever been inside a New Zealand bush, and has not observed the beautiful fruit contrasting with the dark green foliage of the different plants which catch the eye. Youra, &c., WILLIAM SWALE. Avonside Botanic Garden, February 13, 1866.