338 



OUTLINE OF PLANT GEOGRAPHY 



and Poa caespitosa. The contrast between this region and the 

 dense evergreen rain-forest of Westland, is very marked. 



The most important tree of the great forest which once covered 

 most of the North Island, is the Kauri (Agathis Australis). Very 

 little remains of this primitive forest, and the Kauri is almost 

 extinct except in a few reservations. This magnificent tree is very 

 different in appearance from any northern conifer. While the 

 young tree has the same symmetrical pyramidal form, this is 



Fig. 92. — Cabbage-trees (Cordyline Australis) and native flax {Phormium tenax), 

 North Island, New Zealand. Photo., Mr. W. D. Reid. 



later lost, and the mature tree has an almost perfectly cylindrical 

 bole, 60-80 ft. high, sometimes 8-10 feet in diameter, or even 

 more, which divides abruptly into several widely divergent 

 branches, supporting an immense spreading crown, which over- 

 tops all the other trees. 



The interior of the Kauri forest with its huge smooth gray pillars 

 is most impressive. Associated with the Kauri are other char- 

 acteristic trees. Among these are several members of the yew 

 family, e. g., "Totara" {Podocarpus Totara); "Rimu" (Dacrydium 



