342 Transactions. 



one floristic, the other ecological. These two classes are, how- 

 ever, somewhat closely associated. 



The floristic difference is one of genera and species. As for 

 the latter, twenty-seven are peculiar to the North Island coast, 

 of which some sixteen are confined to the northern province, 

 and it is some of these plants which strongly affect the physi- 

 ognomy of the vegetation. On the other hand, the peciiliar 

 southern plants play a similar role. 



But the ecological difference is still more marked. This is 

 shown chiefly in the fact that some of the northern formations 

 have a tropical or subtropical stamp, a feature dependent partly 

 on historical and partly on climatic factors, especially rainfall ; 

 while the southern bear a subantarctic impress, the result ot the 

 very frequent cold south-west gales. 



The viviperous mangroves fringing tidal rivers and estuaries, 

 their pneumatophores emerging from the mud ; the trunks of 

 Metrosideros tomentosa projecting from the coastal cliffs, densely 

 covered with huge masses of the epiphytic Astelia hanhsii, look- 

 ing like a tropical bromeliad ; the succulent Peperomia clothing 

 dry banks or rocks ; and Entelea arhorescens, with its great, thin 

 leaves, are tropical enough, to quote some examples. 



On the other hand, the prevailing tone of the southern pro- 

 vince, so far as the coast is concerned, and leaving out of the 

 question those edaphic formations common to the two Islands, 

 is distinctly subantarctic. Here stout tussocks, coastal moors, 

 and shrubby growths resembling those of the high mountains 

 form a distinct feature. But even here, on the west more especi- 

 ally, the tropical appearance is not waiiting, and, indeed, is 

 striking enough. Freyeinetia bmilsii comes right on to the 

 upper strand, forming the fringe of a truly subtropical forest, 

 ecologically speaking, out of which peep the feathery fronds of 

 tall tree-ferns, and within the dim light of which filmy ferns 

 and luxuriant liverworts abound. 



20. List of Coastal Plants Proper, their Distribution 

 AND Life-forms. 

 In the following list the various elements of the coastal 

 flora are thus indicated : A = endemic, B = Australian, C = 

 subantarctic, Cos. = cosmopolitan, w^hether entirely or confined 

 specially to warm regions. Other elements are indicated by 

 an abbreviated name of the special region, as Nor. I. = Norfolk 

 Island, Polyn. = Polynesian Islands, N. Cal. = New Caledonia, &c. 

 For the New Zealand distribution, 1 = North Island, 2 = South 

 Island, 3 = Stewart Island, 4 = New Zealand sub - antarctic 

 (Southern) Islands, 5 = Chatham Islands, 6 = Kermadec 

 Islands. The terms used for distribution on the South Island 

 coast speak for themselves. 



