70 Transactions. 



Podocarpus spicatus R. Br. Boyd's Bush, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Dacrydium cupressinum Sol. Boyd's Bush, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Earina autumnalis Hook. f. Tukutuki River, Ruahine Mountains. 

 Microtis porrifolia R. Br. Ruahine Mountains, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Phormium Cookianum Le Jolis. Taruarau River, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Herpolirion novae-zealandiae Hook. f. Reporoa bog, Ruahine Mountains; 



3,000 ft. 

 Luzula Colensoi Hook. f. Mount Makorako, Kaimanawa Mountains ; 



5,000 ft. 

 Typha angnstifolia Linn. Taruarau River. 



Cladium Sinclairii Hook. f. Taruarau River Gorge, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 — — Vauthiera C. B. Clarke. Taruarau River. 



Echinopogon ovatus Beauv. Taruarau River Gorge, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Deyeuxia Forsteri Kunth. Taruarau River Gorge, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 setifolia Hook. f. Parke's Peak, near Makaretu, Ruahine Mountains ; 



4,000 ft. 

 Dichelachne crinita Hook. f. Taruarau River Gorge, Kaimanawa Mountains. 

 Koeleria Kurtzii Hack. Mount Makorako, Kaimanawa Mountains. Now for 



the first time recorded in the North Island. 

 Poa imbecilla Forst. Mount Makorako, Kaimanawa Mountains ; 4,000 ft. 

 Agropyrum scabrum Beauv. Mount Aorangi, 3,900 ft., Ruahine Mountains ; 



Taruarau River, Kaimanawa Mountains. 



Art. VIII. — Notes on Comparatively Recent Changes in the Vegetation of 



the Taupo District. 



By the Rev. H. J. Fletcher. 



[Read before the Wellingtoyi Philosophical Society, 28th October, 1914.] 



In separate publications, from the time of BidwilFs "Rambles in New 

 Zealand'" (published in 1841, although written in 1839) right up to the 

 present time, Taupo has had its share of notice ; but, as far as I am aware, 

 no one has written about the changes that have taken place in the appear- 

 ance of the country at the northern end of Lake Taupo during recent times. 



There is a popular delusion abroad that an eruption of red-hot pumice 

 from some centre not specified destroyed most of the vegetation around 

 Taupo, with the exception of some of the isolated patches of forest such as 

 may be seen at Opepe, Oruanui, Tauhara, and many other places. I wish 

 to show in the following notes that the forest at one time covered the whole 

 of the country around the lake, and that the forest has been destroyed by 

 human agency ; and, further, to show that there has been no great change 

 in the configuration of the Taupo country for many centuries. 



The Taupo country at the present time, with the exception of the 

 patches of bush mentioned above, is covered with what is pojuilarly called 

 scrub, tussock, and fern. The scrub is mainly composed of Leptospermum 

 scoparium, Leptospermum ericoides, Coriaria ruscifolia, Styphelia acerosa, 

 Gaultheria, and Dracophyllum. Of these, the Leptospermum scoparium. and 

 Leptospermum ericoides form the main growth, with the Styphelia acerosa 

 and Gaultheria forming thick matted growths among them. The Coriaria 

 ruscifolia grows in among the other scrub in clumps, and is noticeable for 

 miles over the landscape by its dark-green foliage showing above the lighter 

 green of the Leptospermum scoparium and Leptospermum ericoides. The 



