ROMANCE OF THE NEW ZEALAND FLORA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 60

ROMANCE OF THE NEW ZEALAND FLORA.

No. IY.

VISITS PAID TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GARDENS BY MESSRS HART AND DARTON.

By

SIR George Fenwick.

The Queenstown Gardens, then in charge of Mr W. Wilcox, supplied many species now at Wetherstones. Mr Wilcox spent much time in visiting the old gardens m Otago in search of New Zealand plants, and was extremely successful. He also climbed the mountains around Queenstown, and was rewarded by getting several new species of veronica, one of which bears his name, Wilcoxi, and it is certainly a very distinct and decorative little bush. At Queenstown were also got Y. Macrocarpa and its varieties. This has been the most difficult and complex assortment Messrs Hart and Darton have had to diagnose, owing to the similarity of the plants to other varieties. Eventually they brought order out of chaos. Mr Wilcox left no names on his plants when leaving Queenstown. This was certainly not altogether his fault, but was more due to the destructive label vandal, who, when visiting our public gardens, takes a keen delight m changing labels from one bush to another, and in other cases pulls the labels up and throws them away. The old gardens of Riverton and Orepuki were closely scanned and searched, and although nothing of note was found in these places many fine old veronicas were seen. Invercargill Gardens had been planted fifty years ago with many choice native plants, and it was here V. Parviflora was first seen, the original plant having been brought from the Great Barrier* in 1872. Another plant got from Invercargill was V. Martini, which is hot described in the Transactions. This plant was found by Mr Martin and Mr Edginton nearly fifty years ago on the Longwoods, but is now practically extinct on these mountains. An important source from which the collection of Messrs Hart and Darton was built up was the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. Here for mar.y years, chiefly through the assistance of the late Mr H. J. Matthews, an exlensive collection of veronicas was being gathered together. At the time of Mr Matthews’s death the Dunedin Gardens secured specimens of every veronica he had, in addition, of course, to mar.y other valuable native plants. These were for the most part arranged in the rock garden opposite the Band Rotunda, where something like 100 different varieties may he seen today in particularly vigorous and flourishing condition. The first which Messrs Hart and Darton obtained from this source were received in exchange for daffodil bulbs, and were for planting among the daffodils on the hillsides. Tire Lawrence collectors were given free access to the Gardens to obtain any species they desired, and they in turn have given specimens to Mr Tannock so that he has now in his nursery an almost complete replica of the collection at Wetherstones. Many of the species from Air Alatthews’s garden were unnamed, and the work of identification and classifying has been done by Messrs Hart and Darton. One of the first of the private gardens to be visited was that known to a large circle of Nature-lovers as “ Alartin’s Garden.” It is situated on a sunny slope at Fairfield, seven miles from Dunedin. It comprises some five or six acres in all, and was the. home of the late Mr Wm. Martin for more than a, quarter of a century. Air Martin was a tireless collector, and a most enthusiastic grower of the genus Veronica. His name is associated in veronica literature, particularly with A T . Fairfieldii a.nd V. Erecta. The first visit of Messrs Hart a.nd Darton to this historic spot was made on a wintry day in August, 1917, and they describe it as a never-to-be-forgotten day. Veronicas everywhere, growing promiscuously with other plants, and in many cases overgrown by them; Very few of them were labelled, and no apparent attempt made at classification. Chaos reigned; but the plants were there, and that was the main thing. Among the species were Diosmaefolia. Alaoroura, Alacrocarpa. Parviflora, Hulkcana, Fairfieldii, Linifolia, Salicomioides, Cataracta, Obovata. Pimelioides, and many others. Strange to say not a solitary plant of V. Erecta was to be seen, although diligent search was made for it on this and on several subsequent visits. Most: of the Fairfield plants have since been identified, but, there are at present growing at Wetherstones about a dozen species from Fairfield waiting to be named and described. Mr Seaton, the present- owner of the property, most courteously placed his garden at Alessrs Hart and Barton’s disposal, and gave them carte blanche to remove to their new home specimens of any of the species to bo found there. Needless to say, this generous offer of Mr Seaton was gratefully accepted. The next step was to study the dried veronica specimens in the local herbaria. Those of the late Mr H. Matthews and Mr John Buchanan were courteously made available for their inspection. To the custodians of these collections the owners 'of the Wetherstones collection desire to express their grateful thanks. At the Carnegie Library they were privileged to gain access to the surprisingly large collection of works on the native flora, among them being the publications of ]>r L. Cockayne, Dr Lauder Lindsay, Alessrs T. F. Cheesemar, Kirk, and Hooker, and in addition the completed volumes of the “ Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.” I am asked in these articles to convey to Air M’Ewan, and to his assistants, Miss Bryant and Alis« Elliott, the sincere thanks of Messrs Hart and Darton for the unvaried courtesy extended to them on many occasions, and their appreciation of much valuable assistance in marking works of reference and for help in many other ways in connection with their research work. Having exhausted the list of species growing in public and private gardens. Mr Hart and Air Darton next approached the collectors themselves for the rarer plants and those growing in localities not frequently visited. They have pleasure in recording that, within a few months Mr H. Carse, of Kaiaka, Auckland, collected and sent V. Tlebeia. a rare and local plant; V. Tetragon a, first collected by J. O. Bidwill m 1839; and V. Carseii, a new species found when looking for A 7. Tetragona for the Wetherstones collection. Mr James Speden, of Gore (who lias probably sent in more new species than any other naturalist) sent — V. Poppelwellii, A 7. Dasyphvlla, A 7. Puivinaris, V. Bnrleyi. and many other species yet to be described and named. Dr

Petrie, of Auckland, has sent many treasures, among them being V. Laevis (North Island), V. Colensoi, V. Pubescens (first described and named by Banks and So lander in 1769), V. Bollonsoi (from the Poor Knights), V. Procurnbens, A 7. Townsoni. and A 7. Obtusata (a recently-discovered and mgpt interesting species). Dr L. Cockayne sent a plant of that interesting species, Y. Tetrasticha, cutting of V. Buxifolia, V. Glaucophylla, a new species, yet to be named, from Sugar Loaf, New Plymouth, and several varieties of A 7. Salieifolia—viz., Egmontiana, Kirkii, Atkinsoni, and Augustissima. Alessrs Treadwell and B. C. Aston are helping with the North Island species, and have contributed A 7. Astoni, V. Hookeriana, and A 7. Olseni. In the near future ah effort will be made by them to collect V. Spathulata, so far outside the fold. Air T. H. Macmahon, of Marlborough, supplied two or three varieties of A 7; Vernicosa, as well as four or five other still unnamed species from the Awatere Valley, . Marlborough, and the adjacent mountains. Mr F. G. Gibbs collected and sent A 7. \ 7 ernieosa from the Dun Alountams. Nelson, and a new species. V. Acutifolia, from the Western Mountains. By Air Will cox many interesting plants were collected and forwarded —A 7. Willcoxi, A 7. Bichvilli, A 7. Linifolia, V. Rakaiensis, and a new species so far unnamed, but which he proposed to describe and name as A 7. liartii. Dr M’Kay, of Greymouth, gathered and sent on A T . Gilliesiana, that very interesting species quite unlike any other, which has for long hid itself from the view of naturalists. Air Hart and Air Darton themselves traversed the mountain slopes near their own district, and gathered V. Propinqua. A 7. Linifolia, A 7. Staner Cerulea, A 7. Buxifoha, and a new species still unnamed, but- somewhat similar to Y. Pakaiensie. A. Bentliami has been collected at the Auckland Islands, and plants are being grown there to await a visiting vessel to bear them away to join the collection of the genus at Wetherstones. li. is quite possible that it may be necessary to obtain A 7. Ca-nescens from Kew Dardens, London, where it is growing freely. Although fairly common in Otago some year ago, this species seems to have entirely disappeared. SOAIE OF THE VERONICAS GROWING AT WETHERSTONES. It will not be without interest if I give short popular descriptions of a few of the species to be seen in the Wetherstones collection, and I have selected the following a-s very interesting plants:— Who can look at the little gem, Bidwillii, and fail to be impressed with the delicacy ot its creeping tendril® and foliage, which have pushed their way over the stones by which it is surrounded, until there is nothing to be seen but a green surface of giaceful Deauty ? And in its flowering season how that beauty is enhanced by the tiny buds and florets of palest lavender that contrast with the delicate green in which they are embedded. Bidwillii is a diminutive form of the. genus, but it has always had an attraction for me, and it will ever remain one of the favourites of my veronica bed. 1 hen let us look at Flebeia for a moment. Of the same creeping character as Bidwillii, how different ;s its foliage, a,nd vet iiow interesting. Pushing along with some vigour and luxuriance of growth, its soft procumbent sterns and ornate leaves appeal at once to the onlooker as uni i lie those of any other veronica—something of an entirely different character indeed, yet with a.n attractive charm.. Of its pigmy flowers it may truly be said that they, too, seem to be quite unallied to the flowers of any of the veronica tribe. Standing out solitarily, pin-head in size, lavender in colour, they look almost out of place in association with the luxuriant foliage of the plant. But Nature often provides these sharp contrasts, and in this instance, as in many others, doubtful criticism must not be mine. And of Tetrasticha how must I write? If Plebeia is in foliage a.nd habit so unlike its congeners, how widely .different is this plant of the four branchlets—how strangely at variance with the ordinary type of stem and branchlet and leaf. Its colour also—-grey-green, with perhaps the faintest tinge of blue to deepen the grey —how it at once arrests the eye! Its flowers I have not seen: my specimen plant- is too young; but I see they are described by. Air Cheesetnan as blue in colour. Meantime I must be content with the pleasure of anticipation, for I am not likely to have the privilege of feasting on the beauties and peculiarities of (his and other rarer species of the genus in their mountain homes-—that must be left for the enthusiasts of less mature rears. And n-ow let us consider for a moment, before dealing with the whipcords, some of lhe other smaller species of this prolific form of our vegetable life —Lycopodioides, Aiuelleri, Astoni. let us say, as three species of the smaller type of veronica. How appropriately named is Lycopodioides, Inevitably the interested visitor who is making his first acquaintance with these remarkable specimens of New Zealand's plant life, must exclaim, “What a striking likeness it has to a lycopod !” That is to say, to a lycopod of a particular type. Of a light and tender green, its closeiypacked leaves specially attract the eye where there is so much to attract in the bed. Ir matters not that it is not viewed in its flowering season: it is a charming little plant-, fit to take its place among the best of its fellows. And of Aiuelleri? Here, again, we have a veronica of the most diminutive type—so diminutive, indeed, that it requires the sharpest of eyes to detect it if in its native surroundings, probably growing among other vegetation, its rootlets running along under the surface and sending up their short stems topped with their little green leaflet caps. Aiuelleri is not a species that grows very readily under cultivation. It has a habit of withering off in portions, but such is, however, not a characteristic that has shown itself in niv specimen plant, and I am m hopes it will continue its growth u n in te rrup tedl y. As to the identity of Gilliesiana, there has been some discussion of late among the few people who have had examples of the species in their grounds. There were one or two plants of so-called Gilliesiana in the Christchurch Public Gardens, and Air Hart had another in his veronica plantation at AAtetherstone. That it was really this species, however, he had grave doubt. I discussed the matter some time back with the superintendent of the gardens at Christchurch, who was reasonably well assured that the plants he had were Gilliesiana. The doubt as to this was made stronger when an inspection of a. dried specimen of the plant in the herbarium of the late

Mr H. J. Alatthews disclosed characteristics similar to those described in Air Cheeseman’s .“Manual,” and entirely foreign to the living plants above referred to. Confirmation of the doubts being justified came shortly afterwards in the finding of plants of the true Gilliesiana by Dr M‘Kay, of Greymouth, an enthusiastic collector, who, after several failures on some of the mountains of the Grey district, finally located the elusive Gilliesiana on one of the peaks over 4000 ft high—a meritorious and gratifying find at the cost of much previous exertion and disappointment. Plants were at once sent to Alessrs Hart and Darton, and two or three of these rootlets are establishing themselves in my veronica bed at Mornington. They are not much to look at yet, and even when established Gilliesiana may not be one of the gems of the veronica world, but interest lies in the little history I have narrated of Dr Al'Kay’s success in locating plants of the species after his praiseworthy exertions, and of settling the doubts of present-day lovers of the veronica as to the identity of the plants in the Christchurch Gardens and elsewhere.