12G Transactions. 



of Acaena sanguisorbae, A. microphylla (both plentiful), Festuca rubra, 

 Coriaria thymifolia, Poa australis, Celmisia longijolia, Ranunculus lappaceus, 

 Wahlenbergia saxicola, Geranium sessiliflorum var. glabrum, Chrysobactron 

 Hookeri, Blechnum penna marina, Plantago Browni, Acaena pilosa, Uncinia 

 rubra, Oxalis corniculata, Drapetes Dieffenbachii, Lagenophora petiolata, 

 Gnaphaliutn Traversii, G. paludosum, and Styphelia Fraseri. At 2,200 ft. 

 the first patch of Veronica buxifolia is met. The plants are stunted in 

 form, and associated with Pratia angulata and Phormium Cookianum, the 

 latter, however, being a rare plant in this locality. Here and there patches 

 of Herpolirion novae-zealandiae and Gentiana corymbijera are also added to 

 the general association. 



At about 2,700 ft. a further patch of shrubby plants was also met with, 

 but I have dealt with the association under the heading of subalpine scrub. 

 Danthonia Raoulii is plentiful everywhere, and in soft places Oreobolus 

 pectinatus cushions are common, with Colobanthus acicularis, Celmisia 

 glandulosa, and patches of Raoulia glabra. In portions of the meadow 

 seedling plants of Celmisia coriacea without any adults were noted, but 

 as this ridge forms part of Mr. G. Pinckney's Glenary Run, and is the road 

 leading to the station, no doubt the general association is affected some- 

 what by the traffic of sheep affecting not only the plants themselves, but 

 also by the carrying of seed in the wool, &c. From a height of about 

 3,000 ft. the tussock association changes, Danthonia Raoulii gradually 

 giving way to D. crassiuscula. There is also a tendency for many of the 

 alpine-meadow plants to sparingly put in an appearance. Of these, I 

 noted in " steppe " formations Celmisia densiflora, Senecio revolutus, Aniso- 

 tome aromaticum, Ourisia caespitosa, Geum parviflorum, Senecio Lyallii, 

 Celmisia coriacea, Cardamine heterophylla, and Forstera Colensoi. There 

 are also a few other plants near the limit of the beech forest, such as 

 Aristotelia fruticosa, Clematis marata, Chrysobactron Hookeri, Lyco podium 

 fastigiatum, Pimelea Gnidia, P. prostrata, and Polystichum vestitum, together 

 with Poa Colensoi, Agropyron scabrum, and Aciphylla Colensoi. At the 

 head of a gully in which the beech forest creeps up to over 3,000 ft. there 

 is a patch of several acres covered with Senecio revolutus. It is seldom 

 one sees much bloom on this species, but this season (1913-14) must have 

 been an exceptional one, as the area referred to, and also several similar 

 patches on other parts, were such a blaze of yellow with the bloom of this 

 plant at the time of our visit as to completely dominate the physiognomy 

 of the mountain-side, the brilliant colour being visible for miles. The 

 " steppe " continues to nearly 4,000 ft., when it gradually breaks into 

 '' alpine meadow," although the latter, of course, still contains much of the 

 steppe association. 



On the lower parts of the northern side of Mount Tennyson there is also 

 a formation which would come under the heading of tw steppe." The tussock 

 grasses here consist almost exclusively of Danthonia flavescens and Poa 

 Colensoi, with its variety Poa intermedium. Growing among these some 

 Agropyron scabrum is found. A good deal of this face of the mountain 

 had apparently been burnt about twelve months prior to our visit, and 

 this possibly affected the association. The Nevis Valley was about 2,600 ft. 

 above sea-level at the point where we commenced our ascent of the moun- 

 tain, and consequently much of the usual lowland steppe association was 

 missing. The commonest plants outside those mentioned were Aciphylla 

 Colensoi, which was very abundant, although the plants were apparently 

 just getting over the effects of the fire, and were consequently small. In 



