354 Transactions. 



Associated with these, but in much smaller proportion, are 

 Hymenanthera latifolia (Violacece), Myoporum lastum (Myapor- 

 acece), Entelea arborescens (Tiliacew), Geniostoma liguslrifolia 

 (Loganiacea?), Corynocarpus laevigata {Anarcardiacece), and Si- 

 deroxylon costatum (Sapotacece) . 



The scrub is about 3 m. tall. The low trees or tall shrubs — 

 call them as you please — have usually rather slender naked 

 trunks and dense heads of foliage. The ground is bare for the 

 most part, but here and there are seedlings of the different 

 species, together with Veronica macroura* and a few ferns. It 

 was pleasant to note that the bell-bird (Anthornis melanura), 

 now all but extinct in many places, was plentiful. Further 

 from the sea the scrub probably changes its character consider- 

 ably, for Cordyline australis {Liliacece) becomes one of the most 

 abundant members, its much - branched heads raised above 

 the other foliage and rendered conspicuous at a distance through 

 this and their yellowish-green colour. 



With the exception of Suttonia divaricata, the presence of 

 which was most unexpected, and which separates this scrub 

 most distinctly from any other formation, its other members 

 are what might be expected in a northern coastal forest. But 

 S. divaricata is by no means a common plant in the north of 

 New Zealand, so Mr. T. F. Cheeseman informs me. It, how- 

 ever, is much commoner as we go further south, until on the 

 Auckland and Campbell Islands it becomes one of the cha- 

 racteristic forest or scrub plants. f From Mr. R. H. Matthews, 

 of Kaitaia, to whom I wish to express my obligation for bo- 

 tanical assistance, I learn, however, of a still more anomalous 

 station for this shrub — viz., on mangrove islands in the Ranga- 

 umu Estuary. 



The most striking ecological fact about this scrub of the 

 Poor Knights is that, notwithstanding the small size and con- 

 sequent exposure to fierce winds of the islands, the foliage of 

 many of the plants is abnormally luxuriant. Macropiper ex- 

 celsum is probably that large-leaved variety originally discovered 

 by Cheeseman on the KermadecJ and Three Kings Islands. § 

 The leaf-blades of my specimens measure +16 cm. by + 16 - 6cm. 



* If the identification be accurate this extends the range of this plant 

 considerably to the northward, at the same time affording evidence that 

 the Whangarei habitat of Colenso is correct. 



t Cockayne, L., "A Botanical Excursion during Midwinter to the 

 Southern Islands of New Zealand'' (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxxvi, 1901. 

 p. 251). 



t " On the Flora of the Kermadec Islands " (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xx. 

 1888, p. 154). 



§ " Notes on the Three Kings Islands " (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxiii. 

 1891, p. 412 ; see also p. 415 as to the large-leaved Geniostoma). 



