PoppeLiWELLi. — Plant Covering, Codfish Island and Bugged Islands. 77 



B. Physiography. 



The physical features of Codfish Island are much less rugged than those 

 of the shore of the mainland, distant about a mile, where the jagged 

 peaks of the Ruggedy Mountains, rising boldly from the sea, are wild in 

 the extreme. The Rugged Islands form the northern extremity of the 

 range, and partake of the same nature as the main chain. Codfish 

 Island is much more level, and, although about two miles and a half 

 square, no part of it reaches a greater height than about 500 ft. It is 

 forest-clad, except in one or two places where there are small beaches 

 Hanked with rocky buttresses and backed by sandhills. 



C. Plant-associations. 



The vegetation may be fitly dealt with under the several headings of 

 (1) Dunes.' (2) Cliffs, (3) Forest. 



(1.) Dunes. 



The shore at Sealers' Bay consists of a sandy beach about half a mile 

 long, terminating in rocky abutments, and having a row of dunes at the 

 back. These dunes are only about 5 chains deep, and rise, at their eastern 

 extremity to a height of about 100 ft. They are fairly sheltered by the 

 background of hills, but are exposed to the north and north-west winds. 

 Most of the dunes are fixed, but in parts the sand is still unstable, and 

 towards the east the dunes show evidence, in their greater height and loose 

 appearance, of the effect of the northerly gales. The fore dune, as is usual, 

 is covered with the common sand-binding Scirpus frondosus. Behind this, 

 however, a much more complex vegetation is found. The principal plants 

 of the association are Poa caespitosa, with an abundance of Linum mono- 

 gynum, Coprosma acerosa. and Pimelea Lyallii ; while dotted throughout 

 these are Coprosma Colensoi. Halorrhagis erecta, Euphorbia glauca, Sdrptis 

 nodosus, Senecio lautus, and Anisotome intermedia, with stunted forms of 

 Myrsine. Urvillei. Coprosma acerosa forms in many places an almost conr 

 tinuous mat running flat over the sand, and Pimelea Lyallii also takes 

 on a similar habit, except it is climbing through some other plant, when 

 in places it reaches a height of about 4 ft. In damper situations patches 

 of Hierochloe redolens and Hydrocotyle novae-zealandiae make their appear- 

 ance, while here and there Acaena Sanguisorbae, Geranium sessiliflorum, or 

 Miiehlenbeckia cotnplexa creep over the surface. Taraxacum officinale vai\ 

 glabratum and Erechtites prenanthoides are also found, with occasional 

 plants of Veronica elliptica, Calystegia Soldanella, Lorn aria alpina, Epilo- 

 bium nerterioides. E. junceum, Gnaphalium luteo-album, and G. japonicum. 

 In parts there are many plants of Craspedia uniflora var. robusta, with 

 the naturalized Foeniculum officinale. Where the dunes are absolutely 

 stable the plant covering changes somewhat, and the following typical 

 association is found : Pteridium aguilinum in patches, Poa caespitosa, 

 Scirpus nodosus, Phormium Cookianum, Acaena. Sanguisorbae, Halorrhagis 

 erecta, Veronica elliptica, with dwarf specimens of Aristotelia racemosa. 

 Dicksonia squarrosa, Aspidium vestitum,, Senecio rotundif alius, Astelia 

 nervosa. Lomaria capinsis. Asplenium lucidum, Craspedia uniflora. and 

 .11 yr sine Urvillei. Further back, next the edge of the bush, Lepto- 

 spermum scoparium is found, with here and there small patches of Lageno- 

 phora pumila, Gunnera arenaria. Sonchus I ill oralis, and Apium prostratum. 

 and nearer the shore Rumex neglectus. Festuca littoralis is also fairly 



