310 Transactions. — Botany. 



plants on the wettest portion of the ground are 0. semi- 

 dentata 35 cm. tall, sometimes in clumps of three or more, 

 and 1 m. or 2 m. apart. Between the Olcarias is a carpet of 

 Cotula asiatica, tussocks of Uncinia sp.. Epilobium novce- 

 ndi<2(. ? ), Accena novce-zelandue, Pratia arenaria in very 

 large quantities, and Marchantia sp. Here and there Pteris 

 escuienta and Genitalia pleurogynoides var. umbellata are on 

 the 3t places. On the still drier ground the vegetation 



originally consisted of D. paludosum and 0. semia- iai 1 m. 

 or so in height, and in about equal proportions. The present 

 vegetation is 0. semidentata, 20 cm. tail and nearlv as much 

 through, and vast numbers of D. paludosum, while nearly the 

 whole ground is green with Pteris escuienta and nia 



circinata. Where bare patches not seized on by the above 

 ferns occur are Pratia arenaria. Gentiana umbellata, Iso- 

 lepis sp., and Cotula asiatica. In the moister hollows of 

 the drier ground 0. semidentata is in greater number, while 

 the green carpet of ferns is entirely absent, and in its stead 

 is Carex sp.. a little Lomaria procera, aud a smaller quan- 

 tity of Lepyrodia traversii. On the driest part the fern is 

 quite 23 cm. tall, and covers the Dracophyllum seedlings. 

 This is a very instructive list, and shows clearly how greatly 

 Gleichenia. and especially Pteris escu increase after fire. 



The increase of Praria arenaria is also important. Were a 

 number of hungry cattle to wander for a time over such a 

 burnt tract there would be little chance of the original bog 

 . -ration ever returning, while the fern would increase in 

 power. 



(c.) Boggy Ground formerly occupied by Phormium tenax 

 -f Dracovhyuum paludosum + Lepyrodia traversii + Olearia 

 semidentata + Lomaria procera ; burnt perhaps eighteen mo 

 berore. — Tne new vegetation consists of 0. semidentata and D. 

 paludosum seedlings in abundance, Carex sp., Gleichenia 

 circinata, Drosera binaia. Ctricularia monantnos, Lepyrodia 

 traversii. Lomaria procera. Here no more Phormium has 

 appeared, and Gleichenia is in greater abundance than for- 

 merly. 



(d.) Holloic near Lake Eangatapu formerly occupied by 

 Olearia-Dracophylium Formation, and burnt quite recenily. — 

 The ground is fairly tirm on the surface, but it is a quag- 

 mire below, and water can be wrung out of the surface- 

 soil. The ground is rapidly becoiring covered with a 

 green carpet of piants 3 cm. or less in height. Gleichenia 

 circinata is everywhere : so are innumerable seedliugs 

 of Dracophyllum paludosum with ten leaves, more or less, 

 1 cm. to 1*5 cm. tall, and with one or two branches from the 

 base. Olearia semidentata is not so abundant as the Dra- 

 cophyllum, but 11 cm. tall. Carex sp. is extremely abund- 



