Cockayne. — Observations on Coastal Vegetation. 331 



where. Here the well-known coastal fern, Asplenium obtus- 

 alum, and the shore groundsel, Senecio lautus, grow abundantly. 

 If such a distribution is correlated with the marine origin of the 

 rocks, then it is evident that species can exist under special con- 

 ditions for enormous periods of time. It may be pointed out in 

 favour of the fern being a relic that it grows normally on any 

 kind of rock, and even on wet peat, and the limestone can have 

 no special advantage as a spot where the spores could germinate 

 and thrive over any other open rock station. 



12. Flowers of the Coastal Plants. 



The flowers of the coastal plants are usually not very striking, 

 but this is, indeed, the case with the majority of New Zealand 

 lowland plants. Some, however, are distinctly showy. Samolus 

 repens procumbens in due season spreads white sheets of bloom 

 over the salt meadows, contrasting with yellow masses of Cotula 

 coronopifolia. In the neighbouring marshes and shallow, sluggish 

 streams the flowers of Alimulus repens, of a bright lilac, marked 

 with yellow on the lower lip and throat, are distinctly pretty. 

 Olearia operina, 0. insignis, and Senecio monroi would attract 

 attention in any flora, not merely from their handsome flowers, 

 but from the form of their leaves and the contrast of the green 

 with the tomentose surfaces. All the veronicas have a profusion 

 of pretty flowers, and, in addition, those of V. elliptica are very 

 sweetly scented. The white-flowered Gentiana saxosa is very 

 beautiful, trailing over rocks or banks near the sea on some 

 small island in Foveaux Strait, or on the south coast. Where 

 Metrosideros lucida hangs, in the south, over the shore of some 

 land-locked harbour, its myrtle-like leaves dipping almost into 

 the water, the masses of bright-crimson flowers in due season are 

 a glory. The coastal scrub at times is here and there adorned 

 with the drapery of purest whit.^ of Clematis indivisa. On bare 

 cliffs of the Marlborough coast hang the long, soft, lilac racemes 

 of Veronica hidkeana, emerging from the foliage of shining green. 

 In the north, according to Mr. H. J. Matthews, the shores of 

 D'Urville Island and Pelorus Sound are decorated in late January 

 with multitudes of the truly lovely flowers of Euphrasia cuneata 

 — whice, with a yellow eye, and striped with purple. 



Finally, even stations so desolate as the dunes are enlivened 

 lay the large delicate flowers of Calystegia soldanella (white 

 striped with lilac), by the silvery bushes of Pimelea arenaria, 

 the snowy masses of Leptospermum, and the tall, waving, shining 

 plumes of Arundo conspic^ia. 



