PoPPELWELL. — Plant-covei'ing of Breaksea Islands. 



251 



Poa foliosa seems to require .free access of light, as it is not found under 

 tlie scrub except on exposed points where the scrub is tolerably open. In 

 these situations occasional tufts of this grass will be found, increasing in 

 number in proportion to the opening among the scrub. This is especially 

 so where the depth of the peat gives special facilities for the bird-burrows. 

 Poa foliosa does not, however, seem to me to make a stable formation, as 

 young plants of both Olearia angustifolia and Veronica elliptica are found 

 amongst it. These plants must gradually take its place by overtopping 

 it, and thus shutting out the light. 



As regards Olearia Traillii, I can form no very convincing theory for 

 its being restricted to such a narrow habitat. It is nowhere plentiful, nor 

 are there any very specialized conditions in the association in which it is 

 found. My previous remarks as to the possibility of its being a hybrid 

 constitute the only explanation I can suggest of its presence. Its habit 

 of growth is similar to that of both 0. Colensoi and 0. angustifolia. Its 

 leaves are intermediate in form between these species. Its flowers are 

 racemed like 0. Colensoi, but, unlike the latter, which has practically 

 discoid heads, 0. Traillii has short ray-florets, thus placing it in an inter- 

 mediate position between 0. Colensoi and 0. angustifolia, which has com- 

 paratively long ray-florets. As previously mentioned, however, this matter 

 can only be settled by actual experiment. 



The number of indigenous species noted on these islands is sixty-nine, 

 belonging to fifty-four genera and twenty-nine families. Appended is a 

 list of them. 



List of Indigenous Plants noted. 



Cyatheaceae. 

 Dichsonia squarrosa (Forst. f.) Sw 



pteridophyta. 



Asplenium flaccidum Forst. f. 

 Blechnum durum (Moore) C. Chr. 

 capense (L.) Schlecht. 



Polypodiaceae. 



Polystichum vestitum (Forst. f.) Presl. 

 Asplenium ohtusatum Forst. f. 



scleroprium Homb. & Jacq. 



lucidum Forst. f. 



Histiopteris incisa (Thbg.) J. Sm. 

 Polypodium diversifolium Willd. 



Lycopodiaceae. 

 Lycopodium ramulosum T. Kirk. 



SPERMOPHYTA. 



Taxaceae. 

 Dacrydium hiforme (Hook.) Pilger. 



Gramineae. 



Hierochloe redolens (Forst. f.) R. Br. 

 Poa foliosa Hook. f. 



Astoni Petrie. 



Cyperaceae. 



Scirpus aucJclandicus (Hook, f .) Boeck. 

 Carpka alpina R. Br. 

 Gahnia procera Forst. 

 Oreobolus pectinatus Hook. f. 

 Carex lucida Boott. 



trifida Cav, 



Restionaceae. 

 Leptocarpus simplex A. Rich. 



Liliaceae. 



Phormium tenax Forst. 

 — — - Coohiannm Le Jolis. 



Orchidaceae. 



Thelymitra longifolia Forst. 



uniflora Hook. f. 



Microtis unifolia (Forst. f.) Rchb. 

 Prasophyllum Colensoi Hook. f. 

 Pterostylis Banksii R. Br. 



australis Hook. f. 



Caladenia hifolia Hook. f. 



