THE SPECIES OF NOTHOFAGUS. 65 
(Weinmannia racemosa) or the pahau-tea (Iibocedrus Bidwillir) as 
the dominant tree. 
Nothofagus forest occurs at sea-level at Day’s Bay, Wellington, 
and in certain parts of Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds area. 
The dominant species is N. fusca or the black southern-beech 
(N. Solanderi), as the case may be, the last-named never ascending 
as high as the other species. At Oxford, Canterbury, there 
was originally a most extensive forest of the black southern-beech 
(N. Solanderi). In the west of Nelson and the Otago fiords there 
are extensive areas of ordinary rain-forest mixed with Nothofagus 
forest. 
It is possible to identify the above species of southern-beech 
from their leaves alone. Nothofagus fusca and N. Menziesii have 
respectively toothed or crenate leaves, but those of the first-named 
are much larger, thinner, and of a vivid green. The other two 
species have entire leaves; those of N. Solanderi have a tapering 
leaf-base, while those of N. cliffortiowdes are heart-shaped and do 
not taper at the base. But it is not always easy to identify the 
two last-mentioned trees, especially if working only with dried 
specimens, for the leaf-character is not always satisfactory, and 
the general habit of the living tree and, for purposes of identification, 
its juvenile form are much better guides. 
5—Plants. 
