Lai^g.— Vegetation of Buiih-s Peninsula. 365 



forest. It is characterized by the presence of certain taxads — viz., Podo- 

 cnrpiis totara, Podocarpus spicatus, and in smaller quantity Podocarpiis 

 dacrydioides, as chief timber-trees. In the upper podocarp forest, on the 

 tops of the ridges above 2,000 ft. P. totara is replaced by P. Hallii, P. dacry- 

 dioides is absent, and Lihocedrus BidwiUii is found. This upper forest is 

 found chiefly on the tops and sides of the ridges between Kaituna Valley 

 and thr Akaroa - Le Bon's dividing ridge. Here it passes into the beech 

 forest. 



The Lower Podocarp Forest. — The lower podocarp forest is remarkably 

 imiform throughout, and cannot be further subdivided by reference to the 

 common species. The localization of some of the rarer species suggests, 

 however, a further subdivision into a seaward area lying between Port Levy 

 and Akaroa, and a landward area lying between Lyttelton and Little River. 

 The former of these areas is somewhat warmer and moister than the other. 

 Here are to be found, though not uniformly distributed throughout the area, 

 Gorynocarpus laevigata, Rhopalostylis sapida, Coprostna lucida (large-leaved 

 form), Cyathea medullaris, and a form of Sophora tetrapfera approaching to 

 but different from the East Cape *S'. f/randijlora With the exception of 

 Cyathea medullaris, these are plants which fincl their southernmost limit here. 

 On the landward side these species are absent, but at one time Dacrydium 

 cupressinum seems to have occurred. Certain rare species also occur here 

 more commonly than on the eastern side. Thus both at Mount Pleasant 

 and at Lake Forsyth there occur the following species, which do not 

 reappear again together, so far as I know, elsewhere on the peninsula : 

 Olearia frag rant issima. Teucridiiim parviflorxm, Nothopanax anomahim, and 

 Microlaena polynoda. Other localized species no doubt exist in the pen- 

 insula lowland forests, though it is difficult now to be sure that they were 

 not at one time more widely distributed. Amongst these may be men- 

 tioned Pseudopanax ferox, now chiefly confined to the western area : 

 Australina pusilla, in both areas ; and Pariefaria, in both areas. The dis- 

 tinctions of areas here made are not intended to be rigidly insisted on ; 

 they are, however, suggestive of some differences in primitive vegetation. 

 But it is too late now to endeavour to define them more accurately, as 

 we are not sufficiently well acquainted with the distribution of the species 

 of sixty years ago. Certain species have undoubtedly disappeared since 

 Raoul's time, and others have become very rare. These may be determined 

 from the accompanying list. 



The taxads are the only large timber-trees common in the lower 

 podocarp forest. Griselinia littoralis, however, often forms short, knotted 

 trunks, sometimes 4 ft. through, but generally hollow. As the altitude 

 increases, the forest-trees become somewhat smaller. Podocarpus spicatus, 

 though not confined to the lower portion of the forest, is at its best and 

 inost abundant below 1,500 ft. Large trees of Podocarpus totara (some- 

 times in association with P. Hallii) are found up to 2,500 ft. ; but in the 

 upper parts of the " bush " Griselinia tends to replace the pines, and on 

 the ridges and towards the summit Podocarpus Hallii and Lihocedrus 

 BidwiUii appear. The former is known on the peninsula as " mountain- 

 totara," and, though much valued as a timber, is considered inferior to 

 P. totara. The white-pine is not, I think, found above 1,500 ft. Towards 

 the upper limit of the forest the number of species is reduced and the 

 specimens are stunted, until it finally gives place to a poorly developed 

 subalpine scrub. 



The smaller trees of the forest are the same all over the peninsula to a 

 remarkable extent, and, indeed, most of them are common as far south 



