Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

The following is from a newspaper cutting from the Christchurch Press "of recent date", [enclosed in a letter from CSIRO, Canberra, Australia to the Director of Botany Division, DSIR, Wellington, requesting more information on the use of Hebe salicifolia].  See  https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19420908.2.34

As long as six years ago the Christchurch Botanic Gardens were supplying seed of the koromiko plant for medicinal purposes to Russia. This information has been given to "the Press" by the curator (Mr J. A. McPherson) following the publication yesterday of an article describing the successful use of koromiko in the treatment of dysentery among New Zealand troops in the Middle East

The Bureau of Plant Information at Sukhum in the southern Caucasus, first wrote to the Botanic Gardens for seeds of the plant in 1936, Mr McPherson said. It was then definitely stated that the Russians wished to use the plant for medicinal purposes; Sukhum was one of the six Russian plant stations with which the Christchurch Domains Board kept regular communication for information and for extensive exchange.

Frequent local requests for the plant were received, the last occasion being late in August, when a city businessman telephoned to say that he was sending his office boy to the gardens to obtain a supply for him, said Mr McPherson.