162 Transactions. 



is for ecological studies. In the particular paper cited he says, " Its 

 vegetation is still in many places absolutely virgin ; its climate varies 

 from subtropical to subantarctic ; some parts experience an annual raiii- 

 fall of more than 500 cm. and other parts less than 30 cm. ; the plant 

 formations include mangrove swamp, rain-forest, heaths of various kinds, 

 subglacial fell- and herb-fields, varied associations of rock and debris, 

 subantarctic southern-beech forest, associations in and near hot springs, 

 dunes, salt meadows, steppes, swamps, and moors — in fact, for an equal 

 variety an ecologist would have to explore one of the larger continents 

 in its entirety. Further, the isolation of the region for a vast period of 

 time far from any other land surface ; the absence of grazing-animals, the 

 moa {Dinornis) excepted ; the diverse floral elements (Malayan, Australian, 

 Subantarctic, &c.) ; the strong endemism ; the numerous small islands 

 where conditions are simpler than on the larger ones ; and, finally, the 

 presence of many areas whose vegetation has been changed within a very 

 few years through the farming operations of the settler ... all these 

 attributes much enhance the importance of New Zealand for ecological 

 research." 



Some or other of the species of Lycopodimn are found in abundance 

 in practically every part of this very varied region, and their range of 

 variability is remarkable. Three species belong to the subgenus Urostachya. 

 Of these L. Selago Linn, occurs on the mountain-ranges of both Islands, 

 but more particularly on those of the South Island, both in exposed and 

 in shady situations. L. variutn R. Br., a terrestrial species which, as will 

 be shown, has affinities both with L. Selago and with L. Billardieri, is also 

 to be found throughout New Zealand in open places in high country, and 

 some noteworthy varieties occur on the subantarctic islands. L. Bil- 

 lardieri Spring is a characteristic epij)hyte, and occurs commonly through- 

 out New Zealand in the mixed forest, and more particularly in the western 

 botanical districts of both Islands where the rainfall is heavy. A small 

 delicate variety of the last species, named L. Billardieri var. gracile T. Kirk, 

 grows on tree-fern stems, and is especially abundant in the western dis- 

 tricts of the South Island. The remaining eight species belong to the 

 subgenus RJiopalostachya. L. Drummondii Spring, L. laterale R. Br., and 

 L. ramulosum T. Kirk occur exclusively in swampy or peaty ground, the 

 first-named in one restricted locality in the far north, and the other two 

 more widely — L. laterale in the North Island, and L. ramulosum in the 

 western botanical districts of the South Island and in Stewart Island. 

 L. cernimm Linn, until lately has been known only from the northern half 

 of the North Island, where it grows abundantly in Leptospermtim scrub and 

 in the neighbourhood of hot springs, but it has also recently been found in 

 a very isolated locality at the northern extremity of the west coast of the 

 South Island. These four species belong to the Inundata and Cernua sec- 

 tions of the genus. The four species L. densum LabilL, L. voliibile Forst., 

 L. fastigiatum R. Br., and L. scariosum Forst. which belong to the Clavata 

 section are found typically on open moors or amongst light scrub both at 

 sea-level and at higher altitudes. Of these, L. densum is more common in 

 the northern portion of the North Island, where it grows abundantly on 

 clay lands, whereas L. fastigiatum and L. scariosum are to be found most 

 abundantly in the mountain regions of the South Island. The two latter, 

 with L. voluhile, also grow^ luxuriantly on the west coast of the same Island 

 in localities where the original vegetation has been disturbed by man. 

 L. voluhile occurs commonly throughout New Zealand in very varied 



