Poppelwell. — Botanical Visit to Herekopere Island. 143 



Just above high-water mark the rocks were covered with a white limy 

 substance, but bare of plant covering. Above this white hue, which is 

 washed by waves during high tides, the roc*ks were clothed with a grey- 

 green mantle, composed principally of Veronica elliptica and Olearia 

 angustifolia, both in full bloom. Here and there a patch of light green 

 betokened the presence of Histiopteris incisa, which forms the main floor- 

 covering of this isolated spot. Where the wind struck less directly a yellow 

 spot or two revealed the existence of Senecio Stewartiae in the formation, 

 the large yellow corymbose heads and dark-green leaves crowded at the ends 

 of the branches contrast ng strongly with the less-marked Veronica elliptica, 

 which formed the basis of the association. 



On a nearer approach the beautiful white bloom of Olearia angnstifolia 

 irresistibly caught the eye, the great abundance of blooms and the rounded 

 form of the shrubs rendering the plant conspicuous. On this face neither 

 Olearia Colensoi nor Senecio rotundifolius, although abundant elsewhere, 

 were seen, a further evidence of the high wind to which these islands are 

 subject. 



Upon landing, a scramble up the steep slopes revealed a dark peaty 

 soil undermined everywhere with burrows of the mutton-birds (Puffin us 

 griseus) and other petrels,* and possessing a damp pungent odour, reminding 

 one of a domestic fowlvard on a wet day. Growing under the Veronica 

 and Olearia bushes were seen numerous isolated plants of Carex trifida, 

 Asplenia in obtusatum, and Muehlenbeckia australis, the latter with exception- 

 ally large and succulent leaves but somewhat straggling form. On the 

 rocky faces Poa Astoni was abundant, while here and there in the peatv 

 crevices Senecio lautus, Stellaria parviflora, Tetragonia trigyna, Blechnum 

 durum, and Poa Poppelivellii were noted. A few stunted plants of Rapanea 

 Urvillei were also seen. Farther up some exceptionally strong plants of 

 Asplenium lucidum and A. lanceolatnm and Poa Astoni appeared, the two 

 latter growing on a raised mound of their own dead leaves, both plants 

 having the appearance of growing on caudices, the spaces between being 

 bare and peaty and deeply marked with bird-tracks. 



Once the top of the slope is reached the island presents a somewhat 

 flat surface, traversed by comparatively open tracks, no doubt made by the 

 thousands of sea-birds which annually breed on the island. 



The ground-covering here was chiefly Histiopteris incisa, which grew 

 plentifully but was somewhat stunted in form, the leaves showing evidence 

 in their brown tips of their struggle with the wind. 



The taller covering was almost entirely Senecio Stewartiae and Veronica 

 elliptica. while here and there were patches of Rubus australis and 

 Muehlenbeckia australis, with occasional plants of the large-leaved Stilbocarpa 

 Lyallii. 



Senecio Steivartiae is an open-branched shrub from 2 to 3-| metres high. 

 Its lanceolate leaves are from 12 cm. to 18 cm. in length, thick and sticky, 

 crowded towards the ends of the branches, and covered beneath with white 

 tomentum. 



The plants were in full bloom, and the large handsome flowers made 

 the shrubs very conspicuous objects. This species seems to be the domi- 

 nating one among the shrubby species on the higher parts of the island. 

 A marked feature of the Veronica elliptica was that the great majority of 

 the plants had white flowers, instead of the usual bluish ones which charac- 



Pelecanoides urinatrix, Prion vittatus, and Prion tartur. 



