Poppelwell. — Botanical Excursion to Long Island. 167 



Art. X. — Notes of a Botanical Excursion to Long Island, near Stewart 



Island, including a List of Species. 



By D. L. Poppelwell. 



[Bead before the Otago Institute, 1st August, 1916 ; received by Editors, 30th December, 



1916 ; issued separately, 9th July, 1917.] 



General. 



Long Island lies off the south-west of Stewart Island, in latitude 47° 15' 

 South and longitude 168° 27' East. It is the largest of a group of small 

 islands in this locality, and is about three miles long by about one mile 

 wide. It is situate a mile and half from the mainland of Stewart Island 

 at its nearest point. This island forms one of the most southerly outliers 

 of the Stewart Island group ; it is composed of granitic rock covered with 

 peat. It stands about 800 ft. high, and is fairly steep on the sides, but 

 has an undulating surface. Almost the whole of its steep sides are clothed 

 with scrub and forest, but the top is covered in parts with heath. Some 

 particulars of the various formations will be given later. The island is 

 also known as " Jura," and by the Stewart Island fishermen as " Big South 

 Cape Island." This isolated patch, being practically the nearest land to 

 the Snares, situated sixty miles to the south of it, is scientifically of excep- 

 tional interest, so I make no apology for placing upon record some notes as 

 to its plant-covering. During the Easter holidays this year — namely, on 

 the 21st April, 1916 — I spent about nine hours on the island noting its 

 vegetation. I was accompanied by Mr. W. A. Thomson, of Dimedin, who 

 is an ardent and experienced plant-collector, and he materially assisted me 

 in my investigations. Owing to the size of the island and the rough nature 

 of its covering, it is obvious that no very exhaustive examination could be 

 made of the flora, and therefore a number of species may have been over- 

 looked. This is the more likely when one considers the late period of the 

 season when our visit was made, and the fact that many plants, such as 

 the Orchidaceae, are then easily passed by. 



Ecological Conditions. 



Perhaps nowhere in the world can stormier conditions be found than 

 those of these outlying islands off the south coast of Stewart Island. The 

 strong prevailing south-west winds and seas strike these islands with full 

 force. The bare rocks and the wind-shorn plants on the weather side show 

 the effect of this. On the north side, however, there is more shelter, and 

 consequently a less wind-swept vegetation. Heavy rams drench the peaty 

 soil for a great number of days in each year. In common with the rest of 

 Stewart Island there is, I believe, a mild winter climate, and, although at 

 the time of our visit there was a very hot sun and still atmosphere, the 

 average summer temperature is probably low. The soil, as before men- 

 tioned, is of a peaty nature, and is much enriched by the droppings of the 

 petrels (Puffinus griseus), whose burrows are very plentiful on the steep 

 scrubby sides of the island. These tunnels must also assist materially in 

 draining and aerating the soil. 



