PoppKLWBLL. — Botany of Ruggedy M 07/. /i tains. 285 



The forest traversed in the endeavour to scale Red Head Peak consit^ts 

 in the foreground principally of " Olearia-Senecio " scrub association. It 

 is, of course, exposed to the westerly gales, which apparently preclude the 

 usual mixed forest from getting a hold imtil the protecting fringe of scrub 

 is passed. The forest proper is, however, the usual " Rirau-Kamahi," but 

 here contained a few species not noted elsewhere in this report. The floor- 

 covering consisted of Blechnum lanceolatum, B. capense, and Asplenium 

 lucidum, while the damp logs were covered with Nertera depressa and Poly- 

 podium diversifolium. Here and there in boggy places Carex ternaria and 

 a smaller species were plentiful. Isolated plants of Anisotome inter- 

 )iiedia{'i) and Veronica elliptica were dotted about. Then followed a mixed 

 association of Dracophyllum lo)igifolium, Coprosma Colensoi, Notho- 

 panax Colensoi, Rapnnea Urvillei, Leptospermum scoparium, Coprosma 

 lucidum, Rubus schmidelioides, Pteridium escalentum, and Blechnum 

 discolor, Weinmannia racemosa, Coprosma foetidissima, Carpodetus ser- 

 ratus, Griselinia littoralis, Dicksonia squarrosa, Olearia nitida, Astelia 

 nervosa, Muehlenbeckia complexa, Rhipogonum scandens, Thelymitra longi- 

 folia, and Aristotelia racemosa. One specimen each of Drimys coloraia 

 and Cordyline australis were also seen. The outside appearance of the 

 roof of this forest was markedly flat for its association, the plants present- 

 ing a close array of wind-shorn foliage of a dull grey-green colour, here and 

 there tinged with bro\vn where Dracophyllum pushed up its head. This 

 Smooth appearance continued right up the mountain-side, excej^t where 

 some giant rock thrust itself through the mantle of plants. Beyond 300 ft. 

 a change was noted, and Metrosideros lucida, Asplenium flaccidmn, Lyco- 

 podium Billardieri, Hemitelia Smithii, and the orchids Corysanthes triloba, 

 Thelymitra longifolia. Microtis unifolia, Dendrobium Cunninghamii, and 

 Pterostylis australis crept into the association. At 530 ft. Melicytus lanceo- 

 latus, Fuchsia excorticata, Aristotelia racemosa, Veronica buxifolia, Pitio- 

 sporum Colensoi, Libertia ixioides were added. At 700 ft. the first prec pitous 

 rocks were met with, and a close mantle of Dracophyllum longifolium, Olearia 

 Colensoi, 0. angustifolia (in full bloom), Griselinia littoralis. Leptospermum 

 scoparium, Phormium Cookianum, Styphelia acerosa, Rapanea Urvillei, and 

 Nothopanax Colensoi surrounded them, while Anisotome intermedia (?) filled 

 the cracks and crannies. I also noted Claytonia australasica as growing in 

 a peaty crevice of these rocks. Just beyond these exposed rocks there 

 was an almost level piece of fores':, in which the association was Metrosideros 

 lucida, Griselinia littoralis, Senecio rotandifolius, Dracophyllum longifolium, 

 Coprosma foetidissima, with occasional specimens of Dacrydium cupressinum 

 and Weinmannia racemosa, the trees being covered with weird festoons 

 of Polypodium diversifolium and the filmy ferns. The forest-floor was 

 covered with the usual Blechnum discolor and B. capense, with an occasiona' 

 Asplenium obtusatum. In this spot I also saw a few specimens of Styphelia 

 empetrifolia, Nothopanax Edgerleyi, Luzuriaga marginata, Tmesipteris lan- 

 nensis, and a tall Gahnia procera. From this upwards the climb was a 

 decidedly rocky one, wh^ch is dealt with under the head of " Cliffs and 

 Rocks." From the top an extensive view of the forest-roof was obtained 

 both east and west, the most characteristic aspects being the closely com- 

 pressed smooth roof of the western slopes, broken, immediately the water- 

 shed was passed, by the usual up-and-down appearance of the " Rimu- 

 Kamahi " association. 



On the north of the Ruggedy River there is a large area of forest ex- 

 tending right round the coast. On the sea frontages there is the usual 



