162 Transactions. 



9 



3,750 ft. above sea-level, and the climbing through the forest is severe. 

 We reached the pass on the 29th December, 1915, and camped beside 

 the headwaters of the Haast for five days, making excursions in different 

 directions. The weather during the last day or two was unfavourable 

 for mountain-climbing, hence our investigation was not as thorough as 

 I should have liked, but the following two conclusions were arrived at, 

 and they appear of considerable moment : — 



1. The flora resembles that of the Western Botanical District more 

 closely than that of the Fiord Botanical District, as evidenced by the 

 species as a whole, and especially by the presence of such crucial Western 

 District plants as Ranunculus sericophyllus (not R. Baughani, nor the 

 varieties of R. sericophyllus, if they be varieties rather than species, found 

 in the Humboldt Mountains, &c), Anisotome Haastii (not A. capillifolium), 

 Ourisia macrocarpa var. calycina (not var. cordata), and Celmisia Armstrongii ; 

 while various common Fiord District plants are wanting — e.g., Ranunculus 

 Buchanani, Ourisia prorepens, Veronica catarractae (the long-leaved var.), 

 Celmisia verbascifolia, C. holosericea, and (J. Hectori. All the same, a Fiord 

 District affinity is seen in the presence of Dracophyllum Menziesii, Veronica 

 Hectori, a var. of Celmisia Petriei, and Olearia moschata, but the latter is 

 common much farther to the north. Certain characteristic Western Dis- 

 trict plants also are absent, especially Dracophyllum Traversii and Olearia 

 lacunosa. 



From the above it can be seen that, so far as the flora goes, though 

 more or less intermediate between the two botanical districts under 

 consideration, it seems best to include the Haast Pass, &c, area in the 

 Western Botanical District. 



2. With regard to the vegetation, the subalpine forest consists of Notho- 

 fagus Menziesii, and not of Podocarpus Hallii and Libocedrus Bidwillii as 

 in the Western Botanical District on the western side. Further, there 

 is no subalpine Nothofagus cliff ortioides forest, nor montane or lowland 

 N. fusca forest. On the other hand, the rain-forest, which commences at 

 the junction of the Rivers Wills and Haast, is of the Western District type, 

 in which Nothofagus is absent. So, too, the subalpine fell-field appears 

 to closely resemble Western District fell-field. Thus the vegetation seems 

 to favour the area being included in the Western rather than in the Fiord 

 District. 



In the following list of species nothing is said regarding habitat, locality, 

 or comparative rarity, since for any statements of moment a more thorough 

 investigation of the area would have been necessary. A number of other 

 species were noted, but as specimens of such were not secured it has seemed 

 best to include only those species of which the determination is without 

 question. 



LIST OF INDIGENOUS PLANTS. 



PTERIDOPHYTA. 

 Filices. Filices- — continued. 



Asplenium bulbiferum Forst. f. 



(various forms). 

 ■ — — flaccidmii Forst. f. (various 



forms). 

 Blechnum Patersoni (R. Br.) Mett. 

 — — discolor Forst. f. 



Hymenophyllum sanguinole n t u m 



(Forst. f.) Sw. 

 Hemitelia Smithii (Hook, f.) Hook. 

 Alsophila Colensoi Hook. f. 

 Polystichum vestitum (Forst. f.) Presl. 

 Richardi Hook. 



