Poppelwkll. — Plant Covering, Codfish Island and Rugged Islands. 81 



complexa, Dicksonia squarrosa, Hemitelia Smithii, Fuschia excorticata, Car- 

 podetus serratus, Weinmannia racemosa, Pittosporum Colensoi, Myrsine 

 Urvillei, Coprosma lucida, Aristotelia racemosa, SchefpZera digitata, Pseudo- 

 panax crassifolia, and Rhipogonum scandens. Some plants of the latter 

 were resplendent with their scarlet drupes. The principal undergrowth 

 consisted of Lomaria dura, L. lanccolata, Asplenium bulbiferum, Nertera 

 dichondracfolia, Asplenium flaccidum, Polypodium Billardieri, P. australe, 

 Lomaria capensis, Hymenophyllum demissum, H. dilatatum, H. sanguino- 

 lentum, and a species of Uncinia. In the damper parts I also noted 

 Nothopanax Colensoi, Coprosma areolata, Nothopanax Edgerleyi, Alsophila 

 Colensoi, Rubus sohmidelioides, Leptospermum scoparium, Myrtus pedunculata, 

 Luzuriaga marginata, Suttonia divaricata, Coprosma Colensoi, C. propinqua, 

 C. rhamnoides, and Metrosideros hypericifolia. After crossing a swampy 

 creek the ground became drier, and Podocarpus Hallii, P. ferrugineus, 

 and Dacrydium cwpressinum joined the association, while the floor became 

 covered with Lomaria discolor of immense size. An occasional plant of 

 (hiultheria antipoda var. erecta was also seen. Dacrydium cupressinum here 

 tops the forest, some of the trees being of large size, with fine clean boles, 

 and in many cases no branches for a height of 40 ft. to 50 ft. There was 

 little growth of intermediate height, the principal being Metrosideros lucida. 

 Nothopanax Colensoi, and, strange to say, dwarfed specimens of Sencio 

 rotundifolius ; but the forest-floor was covered by a strong growth of 

 ferns, principally Lomaria capensis, L. discolor, and Polypodium Billardieri. 

 Astelia nervosa was also plentiful, with quantities of the beautiful filmy 

 ferns. At a height of about 350 ft. a plant of Styphelia acerosa was encoun- 

 tered, and from this upwards this plant became fairly plentiful. We 

 ultimately attained a height of about 450 ft. with little change in the 

 association, but Weinmannia racemosa became less and Metrosideros lucida 

 more plentiful, while the floor-covering alternated between Lomaria capensis 

 and Polypodium, Billardieri, each almost pure. On our return we traversed 

 an exposed open rocky spur, where a small heath made its appearance, 

 the principal plants being Lomaria capensis, Leptospermum scoparium, 

 Muehlenbechia complexa, Lycopodium volubile, Gaultheria antipodum, stunted 

 Aristotelia racemosa and Weinmannia racemosa, Dracophyllum longifolium, 

 Pferis incisa, and Pteridium aquilinum. 



D. Conclusion. 



There are, on the whole, apparently no very marked differences in the 

 flora of these islands and the adjoining mainland, except, of course, the 

 number of species is limited on the islands. The greatest surprise is perhaps 

 the abundance of Olearia angustifolia and the immense size of the ferny 

 undergrowth in the forest proper. The dune association is fairly well that 

 of Mason's Bay, and the mat-like habit of Pimelea Lyallii, Geranium sessili- 

 florum, and Coprosma acerosa is precisely that mentioned by Cockayne in 

 his reference to the dune-covering of Port William. The wind factor is 

 the principal one in determining the distribution of the plants, and the 

 " wind-tolerating " theory of Cockayne receives corroboration by the way 

 that Olearia Colensoi gives way to Senecio rotundifolius and the latter 

 to Olearia angustifolia, according to the degree of exposure. Where the 

 wind is sufficiently direct Olearia angustifolia itself disappears, leaving 

 practically bare rocks, as on the exposed sides of the Rugged Isles. 



