Oliver. — Vegetation and Flora of Lord Howe Island. 103 



Ficus forest viewed from above presents rather a striking appearance. 

 Above the level of the mixed green foliage of the palms and trees the large 

 rounded brown heads of the Ficus project. The brown colour is caused by 

 the wind turning and exposing the underside of the leaves. In many places 

 the forest appears to be composed solely of palms and Ficus trees. 



What may be called the main forest tier is composed of palms, pandani, 

 and trees about 15 m. tall. The plants are 2 m. to 3 m. apart, so that pro- 

 gress through the forest is easy except where the undergrowth or lianes are 

 thick. On the lower levels, especially among the Ficus, the palm Howea 

 Forsteriana is the dominant plant. Higher up it gives way to trees mixed 

 with Howea Belmoreana. Pandanus Forsteri is frequent in the gullies. 

 The forest comprises a good mixture of species of trees. Hemicyclia austral- 

 asica and Acronychia Baueri are both common, and, though not the dimen- 

 sions of Ficus or Acicalyptus, are fairly tall trees. Other large trees com- 

 monly found in this association are Olea paniculata, Cryptocarya triplinervis, 

 Guioa coriacea, and Lagunaria Patersoni. The smaller trees are of slender 

 habit, but contribute largely to the forest foliage. Those of frequent 

 occurrence include Drimys howeana, Randia stipulosa, Coprosma putida, 

 Psychotria Carronis, Geniostoma petiolosum, Sophora tetraptera hoivinsula, 

 Rapanea platystigma, Myoporum insulare, Dysoxylum pachyphyllum, Homo - 

 Initio's populifolius, Elaeodendron curtipendulum, and others. 



Lianes are. especially abundant in the forest, climbing to the tops of 

 the highest trees, and their rope-like stems form a characteristic feature of 

 the forest-interior. The largest of these remarkable plants are Marsdenia 

 rostrata, Flagellaria indica, Malaisa scandens, and Lyonsia reticulata. Other 

 common species are Smilax avstralis, Jasminum simplicifolium, Clematis 

 glycinoides, and Geitonoplesium cymosum. Arthropteris tenella climbs up the 

 bases of the trees. 



There is an undergrowth of young palms and trees, and of the shrubs 

 Senecio insularis, Exocarpus homaloclada, Macropiper excelsum psittacorum, 

 Baloghia lucida, and Alyxia ruscijolia. 



The ground is not thickly covered with vegetation, large spaces being 

 bare except for dead leaves and sticks. There are low ferns, sedges, grasses, 

 trailing herbs, and seedling trees. Of ferns, Asplenium Milnei, Pteris 

 coiiuxns, and Hypolepis tenuifolia are the most frequent. Carex gracilis is 

 abundant ; while the grasses Poa caespitosa and Oplismenus aemulus are 

 common. Trailing plants are Commelyna cyanea, Polypodium diversifolium, 

 Geitonoplesium cymosum, and Tylophora biglandulosa. 



Epiphytes are scarce, only the orchid Dendrobium Moorei being noted. 

 The parasite Korthalsetta articulatum, occurs fairly frequently on Cryptocarya 

 triplinervis and other trees. 



Acicalyptus Fullagari Association. 



Erskine Valley. — The forest in the Erskine Valley between 200 m. and 

 300 m. altitude was examined. The upper tier of vegetation is composed 

 of trees over 15 m. tall, but they occur in clumps or singly, and their heads, 

 therefore, do not touch over the whole forest. They are usually erect 

 wide-branching trees. The dominant species is Acicalyptus Fullagari, but 

 Dracophyllum Fitzgeraldi and Guioa coriacea are frequent. Hemicyclia austral- 

 asica and Notelaea quadristaminea are large forest-trees common in Erskine 

 Valley. The mam tier of forest foliage is composed of trees, palms, tree- 

 ferns, and pandani, about 10 m. tall. Here again, as on Transit Hill, there 

 is a good mixture of species. Those of most frequent occurrence include 



