THE NATURAL SHRUBBERIES. 



57 



At first sight it miuht seem that such plants would be worthless 

 for garden purposes, and yet they are the very elite of the New Zealand 

 flora. The scrubs of the montane and subalpine river-beds and 

 terraces may also be included here. 



These scrubs are the headquarters of the shrubby speedwells 

 (Veronica). Here is Veronica cupressoides, named most fittingly, 

 for no one seeing it for the first time and out of bloom could dream 

 it was not a cypress. Other veronicas met with are- -*V. buxi folia 

 var. odor a. forming shining green bushes, round as a cricket-ball ; 



. 



FIG. 22. Olearia macrodontfi (probably). 



[Photo, J. Crosby Smith. 



V. Trarersii, which is of similar habit, but with much less glossy 

 foliage ; V. yhmcophyUa, with sage-green leaves ; V. subalpina, an 

 early- blooming species ; V.monticola; V . vernicosa ; and, indeed, there 

 are dozens of species, many of which strongly resemble one another. 



Daisy-shrubs (Olearia) are much in evidence. Common are 

 0. Hid foli a (the native holly), with musk-scented prickly crinkled 

 leaves ; 0. macrodonta, somewhat like the above, but with broader 

 and greener leaves (fig. 22) ; 0. nummularifolia (fig. 23). with small 



