78 Transactions. 



plentiful. At their highest point, where the dune-plants merge into the 

 forest, a heath is found, in which the principal plants are Lomaria capensis, 

 Leptospermum scoparium, Muehlenbeckia complexa, Lycopodium volubile, 

 Gaultheria antipodum var. erecta, Aristotelia racemosa, Carpodetus serratus, 

 stunted Weinmannia racemosa, Dracophyllum longifolium, and Pteridium 

 aquilinum. 



(2.) Cliffs. 



The association in these situations differs a good deal according to the 

 varying situation, the principal factor in the change being, apparently, 

 wind. Thus, on the exposed points, where the wind has most effect, the 

 principal plant is Olearia angustifolia, which is so plentiful in places as to 

 form an almost pure association. Hitherto Olearia angustifolia has been 

 reported only from south of Paterson Inlet, on the east coast of Stewart 

 Island, and from the north and south ends of Mason's Bay, on the western 

 coast. The only other localities where it has been observed, apart from the 

 Stewart Island habitats mentioned, are the base of Bluff Hill and Puysegur 

 Point. Not only is it the chief plant of the coastal cliffs of Codfish Island, 

 but it is equally abundant on the seaward base of the Ruggedy Mountains. 

 It forms almost the sole plant covering of the Rugged Islands, where the 

 whole cliff-sides for hundreds of feet are one close mat of stunted weather- 

 beaten plants whose handsome grey-green rosette-like foliage and rounded 

 form stamp the physiognomy of the coast-line in a most marked manner. 

 Dr. Cockayne, in his Stewart Island report, draws attention to the differ- 

 ence in the size of the leaves on different plants of this species, noting 

 two forms of leaf, one about f in. to 1 in. in diameter and the other only 

 about \ in. wide. This same peculiarity was noted by me on bushes grow- 

 ing side by side, and seemed to me to be constant throughout all the 

 leaves of the particular plants, so as almost to suggest varietal distinction. 

 Although Olearia angustifolia is the chief plant on cliffs, its predominance 

 is confined to the water's edge, and even there in places it is much mixed 

 with Senecio rotundifolius. Speaking generally, Senecio rotundifolius in- 

 creases as a greater height is reached, when Olearia Colensoi creeps into 

 the association. The three plants named form the basis of the " Senecio- 

 Olearia" association so exhaustively dealt with in Dr. Cockayne's report 

 above mentioned. Growing throughout this association will be found 

 numerous specimens of Veronica elliptica, with here and there plants of 

 Phormium Cookianum, Anisotome intermedia, Dracophyllum longifolium, and 

 the shore-ferns Lomaria dura and Asplenium lucidum. Occasional speci- 

 mens of Nothopanax Colensoi push their green heads through the close- 

 growing scrub. On the rocks at the foot of the cliffs the plants noted 

 were Crassula moschata, Selliera radicans, Apium prostratum, Myosotis 

 albiflora, Scirpus nodosus, and Gentiana saxosa. Where the peat was drier 

 Gnaphalium trinerve and Aspidium vestitum were also observed. 



At the western side of the bay, where the cliffs are more sheltered, a 

 much richer flora was seen. Here, as before. Olearia angustifolia and 

 Senecio rotundifolius predominated, but Olearia Colensoi also appeared in 

 increased numbers, until, as the top of the steep faces was reached, it 

 took the place of the first-named species in the lower formation. Of 

 smaller plants, the principal were Tetragonia trigyna, Anisotome inter- 

 media (plentiful), Gentiana saxosa, Crassula moschata, Poa Astoni and 

 P. Colensoi (on the bare points), Asplenium lucidum, A. obtusatum, Mesem- 

 bryanthemum australe, Poa foliosa, Lomaria dura, Phormium Cookianum., 



