Poppelwell. — Botany of Routebum Valley and Lake Harris Saddle. 23 



uniflorum. The white arises from the great abundance of bloom on the 

 Veronicas. These consist principally of V. buxifolia, V. subalpina, and V. 

 monticola, the forms varying in a most bewildering way. Veronica Hectori 

 is also plentiful, and Cassinia Vauvilliersii is abundant. The damp rocky 

 faces are white with the magnificent Ranunculus Lyallii, Celmisias of various 

 kinds, and Anisotome. Here and there is a plant of Phyllocladus alpinus, 

 and a dark patch of Polystichum vestitum. Coming to details, the principal 

 Celmisias are G. Petrei (plentiful),' C. coriacea, C. discolor, G. incana, C. 

 petiolata, and C. verbascifolia ; Senecio Lyallii and S. scorzoneroides are also 

 abundant. The latter seem to be growing very luxuriantly, the leaves in 

 many cases being over 2 in. broad. Bulbinella Hooheri is also plentiful, as 

 is Gaultheria rupestris. Ourisia macrophylla and 0. caespitosa are also pre- 

 sent, but not in great abundance. Olearia moschata is common, and also 

 Coriaria angustissima, Senecio elaeagnifolius, Aciphylla Colensoi, with Lyco- 

 podium volubile, L. ramulosum, and L. fastigiatum. Among other plants 

 noted in this association were Coprosma cuneata, C. parviflora, C. serrulata, 

 Phormium Cookianum, Raoulia grandiflora, Helichrysum grandiceps, and 

 Dracophyllum Traversii, which latter constituted a marked red-brown patch. 



Farther up the valley it was interesting to note how Olearia moschata, 

 by its light-grey foliage and rounded appearance, dominated the association 

 by creating a strong contrast with the darker Veronicas and Podocarpus 

 nivalis. 



I do not propose to further describe the general plant formation of the 

 valley, but in the attached list have described where the various species 

 noted are found. 



Conclusion. 



Appended is a list of plants noted, which with about a dozen reported 

 by other observers but not observed by me makes up a total of 205 species, 

 spread over 100 genera, and including forty-seven orders. 



The list shows certain pecularities somewhat difficult to account for. 

 It will be seen, for instance, that neither Asplenium bulbiferum nor Blechnum 

 discolor appear in it. The former is one of our commonest ferns in damp 

 bush, and I offer no theory for its absence. Blechnum discolor generally 

 covers the floor of dry open forests, and perhaps its absence is attributable 

 to the closeness of the beech forest shutting out the light and the super- 

 abundance of the rainfall in this locality. It is singular, however, that this 

 fern is plentiful in the beech forest in the Dart Valley, above Kinloch, only 

 about twelve miles away. 



The great number of species in the locality can, I think, be traced to 

 the abundance of the western rainfall and the wind-sheltered nature of the 

 Lake Harris locality. The form of Celmisia coriacea is here a very strong- 

 growing one. Its lanceolate leaves reach 18 in. or more in length, and are 

 sinuate at the edges. The common form on the drier mountains farther 

 east is not nearly so robust, and the leaves are stiffer in shape and more 

 closely covered with silvery tomentum on both sides. The abundance of 

 Celmisa Petriei is also marked, while on the saddle itself C. Walkeri, G. 

 laricifolia, and Forstera sedifolia are most abundant plants, covering the 

 ground like a sward over a considerable area. Among the Veronicas are 

 numerous forms that seem to connect V . buxifolia through V. monti- 

 cola (V. Traversii Cheeseman ?) and V. glaucophylla with V. subalpina. 

 V. propinqua, a common plant of the drier eastern mountains, seems to be 

 absent from this valley. 



