410 Transactions. — Botany. 



In many places the reproduction is not very extensive. 

 Here and there great numbers of seedhngs of Dracophyllum 

 longifolium were met with. In one spot, 0-18 m. by 0-20 m., 

 fourteen seedhngs were counted. This species wiU probably 

 occupy the upper portion of the moraine in time to come. 



Where the fire has passed over the adjacent slopes of 

 Mount Eolleston (Canterbury), as far as the eye can reach 

 is green with Veronica. On the wind-swept summit of the 

 moraine the former subalpine scrub has been nearly eradi- 

 cated, the only shrubby vegetation reappearing being Co- 

 prosma serrulata, together with herbaceous plants in the shape 

 of large quantities of Gehnisia armstrongii, Phormium, and 

 Aciphylla colensoi. The moment, however, any shelter comes 

 — for instance, a large rock or a slight depression in the 

 ground — Dracophyllum longifolium in quantity, Senecio elcsag- 

 nifolius, Veronica canterhuriensis , and Olearia illicifolia make 

 their appearance. With this section I include the slopes of 

 Mount Rolleston, over which the fire swept in all its fierce- 

 ness. These were formerly covered with a dense scrub similar 

 to that described in this section, but wanting Dracophyllum 

 traversii. I well remember before the fire forcing my way 

 through it. It is now the home of vast numbers of herbaceous 

 plants, from seedlings to those of full maturity. Especially 

 conspicuous is Ligusticum haastii, Gehnisia coriacea, Gelmisia 

 armstrongii, Ourisia macrocarpa, and Phormium cookianum ; 

 indeed, here may be found representatives of nearly all the 

 herbaceous flora of the district, except those plants which seem 

 to require for their well-being a deep winter covering of snow, 

 or those whose habitats are rocks at a high altitude. Amongst 

 these plants shrubs are rapidly springing up, as pointed out 

 in Section A, especially Gopirosma serrulata, Goprosma ramu- 

 losa (in places), Gassinia vaiivilliersii, a,nd Dracophyllum longi- 

 folium. Where the scrub was formerly very thick Veronica 

 subalpina, 0-45 m. to 0-60 m. in height, occurs in large 

 quantity, together with Goprosma parviflora (common), Gaya 

 lyallii, Glematis australis (common), Aristotelia fruticosa (not 

 so abundant), Goprosma acerosa (a little), and Gaultheria 

 antipoda. 



Section E : This is of considerable size, and occupies all 

 the right bank — south — of the River Otira from the West 

 Coast Eoad for a distance of 1 kilom. up the river to an 

 altitude of 1,000 m., from which point the ancient scrub 

 is untouched, so far as its extreme altitudinal limit. This 

 section was examined with considerable care, so far as time 

 would permit, and is described at some length, in view of 

 future observations, although a good deal is merely repetition 

 of what has gone before. 



