104 Transactions. 



Drimys howeana, Coprosma putida, Psychotria Carronis, Geniostoma petio- 

 losum, Dysoxylum pachyphyllum, Randia stipulosa, Homolanthus populi- 

 folius, and the palm Howea Belmoreana. In valleys Negria rhabdothamnoides 

 and Pandanus Forsteri are conspicuous. The tree-ferns, which are not 

 common, are Cyathea Macarthuri and Alsophila robusta. 



Lianes are fairly common, and climb to the tops of the tallest trees. 

 Flagellaria indica and Malaisa scandens are frequent and conspicuous. 



The undergrowth is scanty, this being doubtless due to the presence 

 of pigs, which destroy young trees and ferns. The ground is therefore 

 mostly bare, while stones, more frequent as one ascends the mountain-sides, 

 cover a considerable portion of the surface. Mixed with young palms and 

 trees are the shrubs Macropiper excelsum psittacorum, Senecio insularis, 

 and, less frequently, Metrosideros nervulosa. The ferns Pteris comans and 

 Blechnum capense occur, while damp rocky banks are covered with filmy 

 and other low ferns, those noticed being Trichomanes Bauerianum, Poly- 

 stichum Whiteleggei, and Dryopteris apicalis. 



Mount Lidgbird. — -On the northern slopes of Mount Lidgbird the structure 

 and floristic composition of the forest is somewhat similar to that in Erskine 

 Valley. The upper tier of vegetation is composed of large trees, about 

 20 m. tall, whose heads do not touch. Acicalyptus Fullagari, Acronychia 

 Baueri, and Hemicyclia australasica are the dominant species, while Ficus 

 columnaris and Lagunaria Patersoni are occasionally met with. The main 

 mass of the forest is a mixture of trees, palms, and pandani, 10 m. to 15 m. 

 tall. The trees are Drimys howeana, Lagunaria Patersoni, Coprosma putida, 

 Randia stipulosa, Homolanthus populifolius, and others. Howea Belmoreana 

 is the principal palm, being in fact in many places the dominant forest- 

 plant, though patches of Howea Forsteriana occur as high as 300 m. above 

 sea-level. Pandanus Forsteri is most abundant in the valle)^s. Cyathea 

 Macarthuri and Alsophila robusta occur sporadically. The lianes Flagellaria 

 indica and Malaisa scandens are everywhere common. 



There may be a fairly dense undergrowth of young palms (Howea Bel- 

 moreana), with which may be mixed a little Senecio insularis. The forest- 

 floor is mostly bare of vegetation, being overrun by pigs, and is covered 

 chiefly with fallen palm and pandanus leaves. Here and there, however, 

 patches of Pteris comans or Carex gracilis occur. Platycerium bifurcatum 

 occurs on stones, trees, and palms, but is not common. 



Lowland Low Forest. 



This type of forest is due principally to the absence of such large trees 

 as Ficus columnaris and Acicalyptus Fullagari. It covers the Northern 

 Hills and parts of the flat ground between these and the mountains. The 

 forest is of a nearly uniform height of 8 m. to 10 m., and is composed of 

 trees and palms, with scant undergrowth. Lianes are very common, making 

 dense entanglements in places. 



Northern Hills. — The forest which covers the southern slopes of these 

 headlands is composed mainly of small trees and shrubs. The palm Howea 

 Forsteriana is abundant along the base, but occurs less frequently on the 

 hillsides. The trees are not close together, but their heads touch, forming 

 a fairly close covering. The species most commonly met with are Hemi- 

 cyclia australasica, Acronychia Baueri, Cryptocarya triplinervis, Notelaea 

 quadristaminea, Lagunaria Patersoni, and Elaeodendron curtipendulum : while 

 less frequently are found Myoporum insulare and Coprosma prisca. 



