G.-No. 4.

38

APPENDIX TO REPOET OP

CLASS I. A.—Live Plants and Seeds. Seeies of plants in tubs, showing the chief varieties of the Phormium tenax distinguished by the Natives. Collected for the Commissioners by Mr. W. K. Hulke, Taranaki. The names and descriptions are chiefly by Mr. T. Kelly, M.H.R.—(See Report Flax Commissioners, 1870.) 1. Atewheke, Bay of Islands.—This plant is easily distinguished; the leaf is narrow, has a reddish tinge, and a narrow line of bright scarlet on the edge and keel; the fibre is very white. 2. Oue. —This leaf is narrow, of an olive green, and the edge and keel orangecoloured. 3. Bataroa. —Taper, acuminate, bronzy-green leaf, dark purple keel and edge, fading on upper side. 4. Baumoa. —Light green leaf, reddish brown keel and edge on upper side; narrower underneath. 5. Ngutunui. —The leaf stands erect, has a brown edge, a blunt point, and is red at the butts when split. 6. Tarariki. —Tapering acuminate leaves of a dull olive green, lighter on the under side. Dark red keel and edge, the latter gradually shaded away, forming a coloured band -g to f inch broad on the upper side. Two or three inches of the points of the leaves of the same dark colour. 7. Parekoritawa. —This is a very beautiful plant; the leaf is of a bright green, striped longitudinally by a sulphur colour; the edge and keel is of an orange colour. This is a sport, as some of the leaves of the plant are often found green or very partially striped; the fibre is very good. 8. Atiraukawa. —This plant is said by the Natives to produce the best and most abundant fibre; it is not large as compared with Suhiroa, but it is said to be a quick grower. The leaf is inclined to bronze colour when at maturity, when young of a bright olive green; the young leaf is Gothic pointed, and the edge of a dull dark brown, a shade lighter on the inner margin; sometimes leaves are seen with the brown relieved by a bright red line. 9. Tutaewheke. —Leaf streaky bronze colour, black keel and edge, shaded on the upper side. 10. Variegated. —Thames.—Like No. 7. 11. Taiore, Opunake.—ls abundant in the Opunake district; the leaf is a light green, and has a wide black edge; it is easily distinguished. 12. fakaiapu. —The leaf stands erect, has a brown edge; the fibre is very strong, and is used by the Natives for making fishing lines. 13. Tito-o-moe-wai, OpuDake.—Has a long red-edged leaf, the point of which falls over. 14. Suhiroa. —This plant has a blueish green-coloured leaf, which narrows gradually to the point, and a narrow edge of black or very dark brown ; the keel has a reddish chocolate colour; it grows very luxuriantly and produces good fibre ; it is easily separated from the green gummy matter by the Native process of stripping. 15. Tihore, Auckland.— Same as that from the Waikato. 16. Tihore.— Cultivated flax from a Native plantation in the Waikato, per Captain Hutton. 17. Bataroa, Auckland.—From a plantation established by Bishop Selwyn about 1851, from plants got in East Cape District, per Colonel Haultain. Seedlings reared in the Colonial Botanic Gardens from seed supplied by Mr. T. Kelly, M.H.R. :— 18. Atiraukawa. 19. Korako. 20. Variegated. 21. Baumoa. 22. Takaiapu. 23. Manunu. 24. Suhiroa. 25. Parekoritawa.