1921] WTI^ON, NOTES FROM AUSTRALASIA. II 233 



more modern broadleaf trees. Even without the destructive intervention 

 of the white man it is evident that, in another 500 years perhaps, broad- 

 leaf trees will have completely dominated the forests and the Taxads 

 and Conifers will virtually have become extinct over the greater part 

 of New Zealand. Today for the most part the Taxads and Conifers 

 except the Kauri, are scattered thinly through the forests and are crowded 

 on every side by dicotyledonous trees. The undergrowth, except in pure 

 Nothofagus forests, is very dense almost impenetrable and consists of 

 broadleaf shrubs and small trees and Ferns. Climbers, though few in 

 species, are nunierically rich and epiphytes, like Astclia, crowd the tree- 



tops. The higher Cryptogams, especially Ferns, are extraordinarily 

 abundant. Stately Tree Ferns drape the tree-trunks and branches and 

 wet rocks. Club-mosses are plentiful and in the densest shade of the 

 dripping forest the exquisite Todea suiperha Col. abounds. There are no 

 deciduous trees in the New Zealand forest and only a small number 

 have conspicuous flowers. The forests of the North Island are obviously 

 older than those of the South, where the glaciers are even now slowly 

 retreating, and a majority of the trees are distributed through the whole 

 of the country from north to south including Stewart Island. In swampy 

 rather open places the Cabbage Tree {Cordyline ausiralis Hook, f .) and the 

 New Zealand Flax {Phormium tenax Forst.) are common. The margins 

 of ponds and shallow lakes are crowded with a species of Typha. The 

 flat areas of the thermal region beyond Rotorua are clothed with Manuka 

 {Leptospermum scoparium and L. ericoides), Bracken Fern and a narrow- 

 leaved, unhealthy looking species of Dracophyllum. The treeless Canter- 

 bury Plains now arable land or pastures for sheep and cattle were formerly 

 covered with Tussack grasses as are much of the adjacent mountain ranges 

 and the arid plateau of south Otago. In the alpine areas grow all sorts 

 of curious plants including many herbs with lovely flowers. 



The Rimu {Dacrydinm cupressinum Soland.), Totara {Podocarpus to- 

 tara G. Benn.), AVhite Tine (P. dacrydioides A. Rich.), Matai (P. spkatus 

 R. Br.) and Miro (P. Jerruginea Don) and the Kauri (Agathis^ ausiralis 

 Steud.) are the most valuable timber trees in New Zealand. The Kauri, 

 the monarch of New Zealand forest and one of the noblest of existing trees, 

 once formed magnificent forests from a little south of the present city of 

 Auckland northward. Ruthless felling and burning have virtually de- 

 stroyed tlie Kauri in so far as commercial lumbering is concerned. ^ There 

 remains only an indifferent State forest at Waipoua where the Kauri is 

 the chief tree, and a national Park (which I visited) of some 700 acres in 

 parts pure stands of Kauri. This valuable conifer is a strikingly handsome 

 tree and its wood is easily worked and exceedingly durable. In young 

 trees the branches are numerous, short and slender and form a narrow 

 pyramidal crown. By means of a layer of special tissue these weak 

 branches are shed after the manner of leaves on deciduous trees and leave 

 a clean trunk quite free of knots. The adult tree is very different in ap- 

 pearance; the crown being open, flattened and fairly wide-spreading. 



