288 Transactions. — Botany. 



1. Maritime Bocks. 



The surface of the rock may be quite flat or more or 

 less vertical. On the flat rocks, in the crevices, or on the 

 ledges are frequently considerable accumulations of peat. 

 As to moisture, although the surface of the rock must vary 

 considerably in this respect, it seems probable, considering 

 the wet climate, that even the vertical faces of the rocks 

 will usually be covered with moisture. Ecologically this 

 formation is the same as tliat already described for the 

 Auckland Islands under the heading " Coastal Eocks," but 

 floristically, so far as is at present known, there are some 

 considerable differences, for here the well-known New Zea- 

 land Apiimi australe occurs, while the grass which gives such 

 a character to the Auckland Island clifl's — Poa raviosissima — 

 and also the rosettes of the Plantago, are absent. 



The closeness of the formation depends upon the steep- 

 ness of the rocks. Where they are quite vertical their 

 vegetation — lichens and mosses excepted — occupies only 

 the crevices or ledges ; but where they are flat or the ledges 

 large a more or less dense covering occurs, which, if present 

 in sufficient quantity, might quite well be considered a dis- 

 tinct formation, closely related ecologically to what I may 

 designate " coastal turf," and which is a frequent formation 

 in certain parts of the south coast of the South Island of 

 New Zealand and of tlie small islands in Foveaux Strait. 



The following, copied almost verbatim from notes taken on 

 the spot, gives some specific exanq^les of the maritime-rock 

 plant-formation : " Growing just above high-water mark on 

 the flat rocks is Tillcea moschata, mixed with small tufts of 

 Festuca scoparia. Over steep faces large green masses of 

 Tillcea hang downwards, mixed with a small form of Apium 

 australe. In crevices of the bare rock are round cushions 

 of Golobanthus muscoides of a vivid green. In a sheltered 

 nook on a flat rock, with a high perpendicular rock behind, 

 is a dense mass of Scirpus aucklandicus l-35m. x 60 cm. in 

 area, and growing through it Tillcea, Apium, and Festuca ; 

 while just at the junction of this combination of plants and 

 the bare rock are several small cushions of Golobantlms. 

 Such masses of Scirpus, Tillcea, und Ajjiuvt are about 15 cm. 

 deep." The driest of the perpendicular rocks or cliffs are 

 covered densely with a white crustaceous lichen. Where the 

 cliffs are quite glistening with moisture a dark-green shining 

 moss grows upon their steep faces, forming cushions after the 

 manner of and in company with Colobanthus muscoides. Such 

 moss-cushions are wringing wet. On tlie flat summit of a low 

 cliff creep the stout green stems of Gotula plumosa, with a 

 carpet of Tillcea moscliata on the seaward side. Behind tlais 

 first zone of coastal-turf or rock plants, which clothe the rocks 



