Oliver. — Vegetation and Flora of Lord Howe Island. 105 



Lianes are very abundant, making dense entanglements in places. The 

 larger species are Flagellaria indica, Malaisa scandens, and Smilax aus- 

 tral is ; while smaller trailing species are Tecoma austro-caledonica, Jasminum 

 simplidfolium, and Ipomaea palmata. There is an undergrowth of shrubs, 

 but it is not anywhere dense. The chief species are Bologhia lacida, Pisonia 

 Brunoniana, and Alyxia ruscifolia, with a few plants of Cassinia tenuifolia. 

 The forest-floor is usually bare of vegetation ; where, however, more light 

 penetrates, either because of breaks in the foliage or on the outskirts of the 

 forest, there will be an undergrowth, about |-m. tall, of ferns, sedges, and 

 herbaceous plants. The species commonly seen are Asplenium Milnei, 

 Adiantum aetkioj)icum, Pellaea falcata, Carex gracilis, Oplismenus aemidus, 

 Commdyna cyanea, and Hydrocotyle hirta. 



Epiphytes are rare. The grass-like orchid Denrobium Moorei was 

 noticed, also a few plants of Platycerium bifurcatum. The parasite Korthal- 

 sella articulatum was also occasionally seen. 



West Bay, — On the flat sandy ground behind the dimes in West Bay 

 scrub begins along the exposed outer edge, but it rapidly increases in height 

 and passes into low forest 6 m. to 10 m. tall, which itself eventually passes 

 into high Ficus forest. The low forest is composed of small trees and. palms. 

 The trees comprise a number of species, the following being common : Rapanea 

 platystigma, Hemicyclia australasica, Cryptocarya Iriplinervis, Acronychia 

 Baueri, Hymenanthera novae-zealandiae, Pisonia Brunoniana, and Celtis 

 amblyphylla. In many places palms of the species Howea Forsteriana are 

 the dominant plants. Mixed with them are a few trees and specimens of 

 Howea Belmoreana. The undergrowth is seldom dense, and is composed 

 of young palms where these plants are dominant, and elsewhere of young 

 trees, together with Alyxia ruscifolia and Macropiper excelsum psittacorum. 



Lianes are numerous, including the species Malaisa scandens, Flagellaria 

 indica, Smilax australis, and Jasminum. siinplicifolium. 



Mountain Low Forest. 



On the higher slopes of the mountains, above 300 m. altitude, high 

 forest passes over into a low forest composed of trees, palms, and pandani 

 of a uniform height of 8 m. to 10 m. This forest extends from the upper 

 limit of high Acicalyptus forest until it merges into the moss forest on the 

 summit of the mountains. Lianes are few or absent. Palms of the genus 

 Howea are here absent, but their place is taken by Hedyscepe canterbury ana, 

 which is abundant. Pandanus Forsteri, in a smaller form than on the low- 

 land, is also common, especially in the valleys at the lower edge of this 

 region. 



The trees forming this forest include Notelaea quadristaminea, Coprosma 

 putida, Geniostoma petiolosum, LJracophyllum Fitzgeraldi, Drimys howeana, 

 Evodia polybotrya, and others. 



As one ascends the forest decreases in height and other species occur. 

 Among these may be mentioned Pittosporum erioloma, Metrosideros nervu- 

 losa, Olearia Ballii, and Alyxia squamulosa. 



An undergrowth of small shrubs and ferns occurs, but is not dense. 

 Macropiper excelsum psittacorum and Senecio insularis are shrubs, while 

 the ferns include Pteris comans, Dryopteris apicalis, and others. There also 

 occur on damp rocky places Luzula longiflora, Brachycome segmentosa, and 

 Aspleniam howeanum. 



Over large areas no soil is visible, the trees growing among the rocks. 



