480 ZONES AND REGIONS [Pt. Ill, Sect. II 



obstacle to the epiphytic mode of life, for during its continuance the roots 

 cannot utilize the atmospheric precipitations that fall on the bark. Hence 

 only phanerogams that in the tropics are adapted to the greatest drought 

 can as epiphytes colonize districts with wintry cold, and then only when, 

 like the above-mentioned tropical emigrants in North America, they can 

 withstand low temperatures in the epiphytic state 1 . 



Of observations made on the spot upon the structure and mode of life 

 of plants in the temperate rain-forests only a few are available, and these 

 refer to the rain-forests in New Zealand (Figs. 248, 249) and Valdivia, which 

 are the most interesting, because most isolated of them. 



iii. THE TEMPERATE RAIN-FOREST IN NEW ZEALAND. 



Hochstetter 2 gives the following popular description of the temperate 

 rain-forest in New Zealand : — 



' On entering the " Bush "—as in New Zealand the forest is called — it is again 

 ferns that principally meet the eye, magnificent Tree-ferns, their trunks as if coated 

 with scales, and with neatly shaped crowns (Dicksonia and Cyathea) ; Hymeno- 

 ph}dla and Polypodia in the most different varieties, which cover with luxuriant 

 growth the trunks of the forest trees ; the singular form of the Kidney-fern 

 (Trichomanes reniforme), the round, kidney-shaped leaves, the edges of which 

 are bordered with seed pods ; ferns between the branches and twigs of the trees ; 

 ferns on the ground ; bulbiferous Asplenia (Asplenium bulbiferum), tender species 

 of Goniopteris and Leptopteris ; in short all sorts and varieties of ferns. 



' But in the woods also there are scarcely any gay flowers and blossoms ; but 

 few herbaceous plants, nothing but shrubs and trees ; shrubs with obscure green 

 flowers. . . . Only few trees grow gregarious, and are prominent in the landscape 

 by their appearing either in closed forests or as separate clumps and groves. 

 These are the Kauri (Dammara Australis), the Kahikatea (Podocarpus dacry- 

 dioides), and the Tawai (black birch, Fagus fusca). With the exception of the 

 Kauri forests in the North, the Kahikatea forests on marshy and swampy river 

 banks, and the black birch forest upon South Island, we find nothing that would 

 suffer a comparison with the individual character of our pine, beech, and oak 

 forests. . . . 



' Among the chief ornaments of the mixed forest are the various species of pines. 

 Totara (Podocarpus Totara) and Matai (Podocarpus spicata) are large and beautiful 

 trees found in every forest. Rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) is distinguished by 

 hanging leaves and branches; Tanekaha (Phyllocladus trichomanoides) by its 

 parsley-shaped leaves. Alongside of them towers the poplar-shaped Rewarewa 

 (Knightia excelsa), belonging to the Proteaceae ; the Hinau (Elaeocarpus Hinau), 

 the fruit of which is the favourite food of the parrots. . . . The Kowai (Edwardsia 



1 Such first steps towards epiphytism, namely, the occasional occurrence of terrestrial 

 plants on trees, according to Johow (op. cit., p. 250), are common in the rain-forests of 

 /Juan Fernandez. 

 / 2 Hochstetter, op. cit., p. 133. 



