286 Transactions. — Botany. 



traversii itself is by no means uncommon in the northern 

 part of the island, the formation there, although at first sight 

 looking distinctly a primitive one, has probably been burnt, 

 but reproduced almost unchanged. Even on the tableland 

 there was only one small piece of this formation that I could 

 feel sure had never been exposed to the influence of fires and 

 stock. This is situated on the south bank of Lake Rangi- 

 tapu and occupies a space of an acre or more. 



The soil consists of peat completely saturated with water, 

 into which a stout stick 2 m. in length can be thrust up to 

 the hilt with the greatest ease. Water can be squeezed out 

 of this soil as from a very wet spouge by quite a slight pres- 

 sure of the hand. At a depth of 20 cm. the soil is rather of 

 the consistency of porridge. So powerful is the water-holding 

 capacity of such a soil that, if a deep drain is cut through 

 ground such as the above, it will remain saturated with water 

 for years right up to the margin of the drain ; even the 

 abundant natural drainage by means of many creeks flowing 

 at a considerable depth below the surface of the peaty table- 

 land, and having a final fall of 210 m. into the sea, have no 

 apparent effect on reducing the water of the bogs. 



The vegetation of the formation is extremely dense in most 

 places, and consists of Lepyrodia traversii mixed with Olearia 

 semidentata and Dracophyllum paludosum. In such a dense 

 patch one has to walk right on the top of the L. traversii, 

 which sinks with every step ; but it is then not on the ground 

 that one is walking, but on the Lepyrodia itself, while the 

 soil is at a considerable distance beneath. In such a place 

 L. traversii reaches to one's neck. Neither 0. semidentata 

 nor D. paludosum are usually quite so tall as the Lepyrodia, 

 though in some places the Dracophyllum is the tallest of all. 

 The lower parts of the Dracophyllum and the Olearia are 

 usually quite leafless, owing to the density of the Lepyrodia. 

 In such a dense portion there is no visible undergrowth on the 

 wet, black, peaty ground, nothing being there but the remains 

 of the decaying vegetation and the many matted roots. If a 

 small hole be scooped out in this soil, it will very quickly be- 

 come filled with water. 



The surface of the formation is not all at one level. The 

 Lepyrodia, being bent downwards either by the wind or owing 

 to its rigidity not being sufficient to keep it upright, overlies 

 and becomes entangled with the other shrubs, its shoots lying 

 mostly towards the south, owing to frequently violent north 

 winds. In places, not quite so dense as that described above, 

 Gleichenia circinata puts in an appearance, its long wiry leaf- 

 stalks raising up the laminae to within less than 50 cm. of the 

 surface of the vegetation. Here, or more frequently in more 

 open places, the surface of the ground is covered with various 



