THE SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE 343 



specimens of Knightia cxcelsa, one of the two specie- of Proteao 

 found in New Zealand, were seen about Wellington. This is a hand- 

 some tree somewhat resembling the Ausl ralian Banksias. Another 

 interesting small tree, is a species of Fuchsia (F. excorticata). New 

 Zealand has three species of this otherwise American genu-. 



The beech forest near Wellington is composed exclusively of two 

 species, Nothofagus fasca and N. Menziesii. The forest is more 

 open than the mixed forests of the North Island. Except for 

 their very small leaves, they are not unlike the beeches of the noil h- 

 ern forests, and also remind one of the alders of the northern Pacific 

 coast. 



Cook's Strait separating the North and South Islands seems to 

 afford no appreciable barrier to plant migration, there being little 

 difference in the vegetation on the two sides of the strait, indicating 

 that the separation of the islands is too recent for any marked 

 changes in the vegetation. 



The eastern part of the South Island is largely occupied by open 

 grass-land, the Canterbury Plain, in which is situated the impor- 

 tant city of Christchurch, being the most extensive. This is a 

 rich agricultural and pastoral region. Where it has not been cul- 

 tivated it is covered by coarse tussock-grasses, and this is also true 

 of the eastern foot-hills of the mountains. In a few localitii 

 where the ground is low and moist, and in some sheltered ravines 

 in the coastal hills, there are patches of forest. 



Crossing the South Island from Christchurch to the west coast . 

 one traverses a great variety of country, with a correspondingly 

 varied vegetation. 



The tussock grass-land of the Centerbury Plain extends over 

 the lower slopes of the mountains but gives place, very abruptly, 

 to dense woods of the mountain beech (Nothofagus Cliffortioidi 

 marking the beginning of the western rainy district. 



Al Arthur's Pass, about 3,000 feet elevation, the increasing 

 moisture is still more evident. The country is an open rocky 

 moorland, with a great variety of herbaceous plants and low shrubs. 

 Preeminent among the flowers is the superb giant buttercup 

 (Ranunculus Lyallii), with great clusters of big snow-white blos- 

 soms, and immense almost circular entire leaves. Another com- 

 mon and beautiful flower is Ourisia jnacroairpn, BOmewhat like 

 a white Mimulus. 



