64 NEW ZEALAND PLANTS. 
and being also especially distinguished by the enormous number of 
huge moss and liverwort cushions of the forest-floor (fig. 37). 
The southern-beech forests (incorrectly called ‘“‘ birch” by the 
settlers), consisting of species of Nothofagus, are quite distinct from 
all those which have been dealt with hitherto, although they have 
some species in common. The dense growth of the evergreen foliage | 
shuts out a large percentage of light, and in consequence the under- 
growth is scanty. Some South Island subalpine forests of pure 
mountain southern-beech (N. cliffortioides) contain in many parts 
little but seedling beech-trees (fig. 25). Woody lianes, too, are repre- 
sented only by the white-leaved lawyer (Rubus schmidelioides var. 
coloratus), and the more highly organized perching-plants are absent. 
Nor are ferns nearly so plentiful as in the mixed taxad forest, 
though one, the prickly shield-fern (Polystichum vestitum), is fre- 
quently abundant (fig. 35). The tree-trunks are often covered 
completely with a black fungus (Antennaria). Parasitic on the 
southern-beech trees are two mistletoes, the one, Elytranthe tetra- 
petala, having most showy scarlet flowers, and the othér, #. flavida, 
having yellow flowers. The small mountain club-moss (Lycopodium 
fastigiatum) is sometimes very plentiful on the forest-floor. In 
moist places there are frequently large colonies of the tree-moss 
(Polytrichum dendroides), looking rather like a pine-tree in miniature, 
and equalling Dawsonia superba in stature. Where the forest comes 
to an abrupt termination in the subalpine belt it is invaded by 
some of the high-mountain shrubs. 
Besides the mountain southern-beech (Nothofagus cliffortioides). 
the silver southern-beech (N. Menziesii) and the red southern-beech 
(NV. fusca) also make pure associations on the high mountains, the 
first-named occupying the uppermost belt and driest localities; the 
silver southern-beech comes next highest, while the red southern- 
beech ascends only to the lowest part of the subalpine belt. Silver 
southern-beech forests occur on Mount Ruapehu, in western Nelson, 
and in the Fiord Botanical District. 
The red southern-beech (Nothofagus fusca) and its var. Colensoi 
are tall, massive trees, with larger leaves than any of the other species. 
They form, mixed or unmixed with Nothofagus Menziesii, magnificent 
forests in the montane belt of many of the North Island moun- 
tains, but N. fusca and the other southern-beeches are absent on 
Mount Egmont, the subalpine forest there having either the kamahi 
