58 Transactions. 



It may, however, be pointed out that on the same hills many northern 

 species find their southernmost limit, at least on the east coast — e.g., Macro- 

 piper excelsum, Alectryon excelsum, Passiflora tetrandra, Dodonaea viscosa, 

 Rhopalostylis sapida, Corynocarpus laevigata, and Hedycarya arborea. The 

 lower valleys of the hills are almost subtropical in character, whilst the 

 hilltops have a vegetation similar to that of the adjacent alps. The con- 

 trast is a striking one, as within 2,000 ft. one can pass from a coastal flora 

 with strong resemblances to that of Nelson or Wellington to a plant as- 

 sociation of a subalpine type. Indeed, though containing fewer species, 

 the association at the tops of Mounts Sinclair and Fitzgerald are very similar 

 to those met with at similar or somewhat greater heights on the Canterbury 

 mountains between Mount Torlesse and Mount Gray. 



It should, perhaps, be mentioned here that the existence of this sub- 

 alpine florula was pointed out as long ago as 1869 by Sir Julius von Haast 

 (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 2, p. 118), who, in classifying the main zones 

 of vegetation in Canterbury, writes thus : " Subalpine zone ... It 

 ranges from 2,500 ft. to 4,500 ft., and includes the lower portion of the 

 interior of the province and the highest summits of Banks Peninsula." 

 No attempt, however, so far as I know, has been made to describe the 

 phytogeography of this locality, except in so far as there are species from 

 it recorded in the lists of Messrs. J. F. and J. B. Armstrong, in vols. 2 

 and 12 of the Transactions. 



The following species, recorded by Mr. J. F. Armstrong, might be ex- 

 pected to appear in this list, but I have not seen them on Banks Peninsula : 

 Craspedia alpina, Epilobium crassum, Veronica Raoulii. The same may 

 be said of the following additional species recorded by Mr. J. B. Armstrong : 

 Ranunculus pinguis, Acaena adscendens, Drosera binata, Epilobium pur- 

 puratum, Pozoa hydrocotyloides, Ligusticum piliferum, Celmisia coriacea, 

 C. Lyallii, C. spectabilis, Cotula pectinata, C. pyrethrifolia. Raoulia tenui- 

 caulis, Myrsine nummular ia, Myosotis capitata, Veronica cupressoides, 

 Euphrasia Monroi. Most of these have clearly been recorded in error ; 

 others possibly have once existed on the peninsula, but have now become 

 extinct. It is barely possible that one or two of them may still be found. 



Attached is a list of the species that may be regarded as confined to the 

 mountain-summits of the peninsula. 



Whether this florula is to be regarded as a collection of waifs and strays 

 or the remnant of a more widespread flora of glacial times I shall not en- 

 deavour to discuss here. 



List of Species. 



[Those marked with an asterisk have apparently not been recorded hitherto from 



Banks Peninsula.] 



1. Aciphylla Colensoi* Hook. f. 



2. Anisotome aromatica Hook. f. Cooper's Knobs, and generally abundant 



above 1,800 ft. ; also on The Tors (Lyttelton Hills). 



3. Anisotome Enysii (?) (T. Kirk) Laing. Castle Rocks, Heathcote, One 



Tree Hill, hills behind Akaroa ; occasionally found below 1,000 ft. 



4. Cordyline indivisa Steud. Near the Akaroa Summit Road and in beech 



forests. 



5. Danthonia flavescens Hook. f. Common above 1,500 ft. 



6. Dracophyllum uniflorum Hook. f. var. acicularifolium Cheesem. 



Cooper's Knobs, and common above 1,800 ft. 



7. Drapetes Dieffenbachii Hook. f. Common above 2,000 ft- 



