130 Transactions. 



lanatus, Senecio Haastii, Olearia arborescens, Griselinia littoralis, Blechnum. 

 capense, Cychphorus serpens, Coprosma brunnea, Senecio bellidioides, Notho- 

 panax Edgerleyi, Stypkelia Fraseri, Anisotome Haastii, Polystichum vestitum, 

 Asplenium flabellijolium, Geranium microphyllum, Pimelea prostrata, Raoulia 

 glabra, Pteridium esculentum, Aciphylla Colensoi, Lycopodium Billardieri, 

 Gaultheria antipoda var. erecta, Polypodium diversifolium, Coprosma crassi- 

 folia, Asplenium bulbiferum, and A. Richardn. Many of these are in shel- 

 tered crevices of the rocks, but in exposed places the foliage is clipped close 

 and the plants are stunted in form. 



In many places the rock association is the result of the shelter from 

 wind afforded by the overhanging rocks, while no doubt the windy moun- 

 tain-tops where many of the rocks are found prove to be too severe a habitat 

 for the plants less equipped to stand xerophytic conditions, and the associa- 

 tions are therefore specially selected ones. This is illustrated at the Titan 

 rocks, at 4,100 ft., where the association is Anisotome intermedium, Forstera 

 sedifolia, Claytonia australasica, Aciphylla Monroi, Polystichum cystostegia, 

 P. vestitum, Leucogenes grandiceps, Helichrysum bellidioides, Acaena novae- 

 zelandiae, A. sanguisorbae, Poa Colensoi, and Celmisia ramulosa. All of these 

 plants possess more or less adaptation to xerophytic conditions. In rocky 

 places, at an elevation of about 4,700 ft., there is a change, and the following 

 plants were added : Celmisia prorepens, C. discolor (?), C. viscosa, C. sessili- 

 flora, C. argentea, and Raoulia grandiflora. A marked instance was noted 

 of the manner in which Celmisia prorepens recovers from the effect of snow. 

 Last season was a severe one, and much snow fell on these mountains. 

 The drifts in the rocky situations now under notice were very deep, and 

 the " slipping " of the mass of melting snow in many places apparently 

 ground off the tops of the plants, leaving nothing but the rootstock. Celmisia 

 prorepens grows in great patches several metres in diameter on the sloping- 

 sheltered sides of rocky situations, and was one of the chief sufferers. A 

 strong new growth of leaves had sprung up on every plant with such formal 

 precision that many large patches looked like so-many gardener's lined-out 

 beds, the plants being quite regular in symmetrical rows about 6 in. apart. 

 Buds were forming, and in a short time the whole patch would apparently 

 be in full flower. On the cliff-faces and rocky plateaux near Blue Lake 

 Celmisia ramulosa is tolerably plentiful, and associated with it are Carda- 

 mine fastigiata, Celmisia discolor (?), Senecio revolutus, Lycopodium, Selago, 

 Hectorella caespitosa, Anisotome Haastii, Veronica uniflora, V. Thomsoni, 

 V. ciliolata, Drapetes Dieffenbachii, Ourisia glandulosa, and O. caespitosa. 



On rocky ridges at an elevation of about 5,000 ft. the following are the 

 common plants : Cardamine depressa, Asperula perpusila, Aciphylla sim- 

 plex, Celmisia. discolor (?), C. densiflora, C. viscosa (abundant), C. Lyallii 

 (in groups), Taraxacum magellanicum, Raoulia Parhii, Senecio revolutus, 

 and Danthonia crassiuscula. At 5,300 ft. great patches of Celmisia viscosa 

 and C. Hectori appear, and Aciphylla simplex becomes very plentiful, and 

 here and there are patches of Ourisia glandulosa. The following plants are 

 also fairly plentiful : Raoidia Buchanani, Dracophyllum prostratum, Senecio 

 bellidioides (?), Myosotis pulvinaris, Phyllachne Colensoi, Veronica uniflora, 

 V. Thomsoni, and V. dasyphylla. 



On the north side of the Remarkable Gap is the nearest approach to a 

 shingle-slip in this locality. The loose schist is covered with snow all the 

 winter, and the moving mass as the snow melts carries the shingle slowly 

 with it. The principal plants are Celmisia coriacea, C. subalpina, C. Hectori, 

 C. sessiliflora, Senecio bellidioides (?), Angelica decipiens, Aciphylla Monroi, 



