DISTRIBUTION OF HIGH-MOUNTAIN PLANTS IN NORTH ISLAND. 97 
In proceeding from the north to the south of the main Islands 
of New Zealand the first hint that such a collection of plants as a 
high-mountain flora exists is afforded by a small area of open ground 
on Te Moehau, a mountain 2,750 feet in height, terminating the Cape 
Colville Peninsula. The late Mr. James Adams, the discoverer of 
this isolated patch of high-mountain vegetation, writes: “ Every step 
in the open ground not only showed that the vegetation was a 
contrast to that on the ridge, but also that it was unlike that of 
any other high peak on the main range throughout the peninsula. 
I could scarcely believe my eyes, as each fresh plant that I saw 
seemed to show that I was on the top of one of the mountains in 
Nelson Province.”’ 
This unexpected association consists of Danthonia semiannularis 
var. setifolia, the mountain-totara (Podocarpus nivalis), the alpine 
celery-pine (Phyllocladus alpinus), the common oreobolus (Oreobolus 
pectinatus), the mountain-pine (Dacrydium Bidwillit), the common 
carpha (Carpha alpina), the little mountain - heath (Pentachondra 
pumala), the mountain-foxglove (Ourisia macrophylla), and the white 
mountain-musk (Celmisia incana). 
It is more than 100 miles south from Te Moehau that, on Mount 
Hikurangi, the next high-mountain community appears—this also 
one of few members, but some of them the most beautiful of the 
alpine flora: e.g., the North Island edelweiss (Leucogenes Leonto- 
podium) —a fine-sounding name for a noble plant (fig. 57); the 
common mountain-gentian (Gentiana bellidifolia) (fig. 71); the large- 
flowered raoulia (Raoulia grandiflora), with its silvery cushion and 
rather conspicuous flowers; a fine forget-me-not, Myosotis amabilis ; 
and one or two celmisias. 
Then from Mount Hikurangi southwards, along the Kaimanawa, 
the Ruahine, and the Tararua Mountains, extends the gradually 
increasing band of mountain-dwellers, their ranks gradually swollen 
by those which have halted in their northern march. Then west- 
wards on to the highlands of the Volcanic Plateau and of the great 
volcanoes (fig. 71), and having crossed the lower country, not with- 
out many difficulties, their ranks much depleted, in time the wearied 
travellers rested on Egmont’s brow. 
The headquarters of the high-mountain plants is not in the 
North Island but on the mountains of the South Island, about 
71 per cent. of the whole high-mountain flora being confined 
7—Plants. 
