124 Transactions 



sanguisoxbae, A. novae-zelandiae, A. pilosa, J uncus effusus, Lagenophora 

 petiolata, Geranium microphyllum, Epilobium (several species), Oxalis corni- 

 culata, Mentha Cunninghamii, Acaena microphylla, Blechnum capen.se, 

 Geranium sessiliflorum, Pratia angulata, Coriaria ruscifolia, Phormium 

 tenax, Blechnum fluviatile, Blechnum penna marina, Polypodium diversi- 

 folium, Astelia nervosa, Carex lucida, Gastrodia Cunninghamii, Olearia 

 arborescens, Polypodium australe, Pteridium esculentum, Astelia montana, 

 Hydrocotyle novae-zelandiae, and Senecio Haastii. Of parasites I noted 

 Elytra uthe jlavida on Nothofagus fusca and N. Solanderi, and Loranthus 

 micranthus. On a rocky face near the river I also saw Veronica salicifolia, 

 Cyclophorus serpens, Helichrysum glonieratum, Asplenium flabellifolium, 

 Prasophyllum Colensoi, Wahlenbergia saxicola, Anisotome Haastii, Senecio 

 bellidioides, and Celmisia petiolata. 



In an address delivered in Gore some years ago I drew attention to the 

 way in which Leptospermum scopariuni thickets formed a nursery for young 

 Nothofagus seedlings, which ultimately destroyed their hosts and took 

 their places. When speaking, I had the East Dome in my mind. Here 

 this succession is also marked, as young Nothofagus fusca seedlings are 

 plentiful where the Leptospermum is dominant, but where the beech once 

 outgrows its shelter the latter is destroyed by it. This process is plainly 

 evidenced here, where the young beech forest is full of dead Leptospermum 

 scoparium of full growth. 



Here we have a succession similar to that mentioned by Dr. C. B. 

 Crampton in his l ' Vegetation of Caithness, considered in Relation to its 

 Geology."* In that paper he states (at page 98), in regard to Calluna 

 vulgaris and Betula alba, " The heather forms a nursery for the seedling 

 birch, but the latter on maturing into trees exterminate the heather beneath 

 them." 



(2.) Subalpine Scrub. 



Upper Waikaia Valley. 



The subalpine scrub is curiously distributed on the Garvies. In the 

 Upper Waikaia Valley there is hardly any subalpine scrub properly so 

 called, the formation beyond the bush-line being a loose collection of shrubs, 

 fairly open and with none of that characteristic interwoven closeness of 

 high-altitude shrubberies. The dominant plant in this formation appears 

 to be Phyllocladus alpinus, which is plentiful and in full bloom in December. 

 Olearia virgata is also abundant with 0. nummularifolia, Veronica Traversii, 

 Olearia Hectori, Aristotelia fruticosa, Aciphylla squarrosa, Dracophylluui 

 longifolium, Pentachondra pumila, Styphelia Fraseri, Anisotome Haastii, 

 Scleranthus biflorus, Fuchsia Colensoi, Senecio elaeagnifolius (not plentiful), 

 and Angelica Gingidium. I also noted one large specimen of Senecio cassini- 

 oides, in full bloom, its brilliant yellow colour making it conspicuous at a 

 distance of nearly a mile. 



On the spur leading to the Titan rocks, at a height of 2,700 ft., there is 

 a large quantity of Veronica buxifolia associated with V . propinqua, Cassinia 

 Vauvilliersii, Gaultheria depressa, Senecio revolutus, Gaultheria rupestris, 

 Dracophyllum rosmarinifolium, while the ground plants are Helichrysum 

 bellidioides, Chrysobactron Hookeri, and Acaena pilosa. Apparently a good 

 deal of this ground has been burnt at one time. The Veronica buxifolia 

 is only about 6dcm. high, although in patches where the fire has missed 



* Published under the auspices of the Committee for the Survey and Study of 

 British Vegetation. 



