HABITS OF FUNGI 275 



pumice, meadows, scrub, grassland and forest. Cockayne has 

 described the various plant formations lying above the sub- 

 tropical forest at 3000 feet. 



The forested parts of the Park lie below 5000 ft., form- 

 ing large tracts on the western slopes, and scattered ones on 

 the eastern slopes, where the rainfall is not so great. The 

 principal trees are species of Nothofa^iis and Podocarpiis, 

 the former of which are deciduous. The character of the 

 subordinate trees, shrubs and other vegetation is xerophilous 

 in the main. Altitude is not without its influence on the 

 distribution of vegetation, but the vertical limits of the forest 

 are due to edaphic and not climatic factors, the volcanic 

 soils being coarse and unstable. A shrub steppe forms a 

 transition between the forest and the steppes, occuring be- 

 tween 3600 and 4';oo ft., characterised by shrubs belonging 

 to the Australasian family Epacridaceae, with species of 

 Podocarpiis, Dacryd'ium, Veronica, Euphrasia and Gaiil- 

 theria. The grass steppe occupies the same range of altitude 

 as the shrub steppe, and is dominated by the grass Dauthonia 

 raoiiJii. The desert areas are very extensive and are clothed 

 mainly with small plants, among which the commonest are 

 members of the genera Claytonia, Veronica, Gentiana and 

 Liizula. The cushion plant Raoulia is also characteristic of 

 the deserts, and such shrubs as Dacrydiiim, Olearia, Phyllo- 

 cladiis and Coriaria, several of which are most abundant on 

 the desert dunes. In the higher altitudes the shrub steppe 

 often occurs above the grass steppe and sometimes attains 

 to a state approaching that of the forest, the sub-alpine scrub. 

 "I'he bogs of the alpine regions are apparently without peat 

 moss, but include species of Carex, Juncns, Utriciilaria and 

 Drosera in their floras. 



Both of the above papers contain numerous observa- 

 tions on structural and organographic features, are well illus- 

 trated, and contain lists of the plants of the respective areas. 

 The Interesting facts, and the fresh and vigorous style in 

 which they are presented, unburdened by erudite terminology 



