142 NEW ZEALAND PLANTS. 
Metrosideros villosa, Canavalia obtusifolia (a climbing leguminous 
plant), Ageratum conyzioides (which bears the name of cherry-pie 
or wild heliotrope), Aleurites moluccana (the candlenut of the Poly- 
nesian Islands)—these last two introduced—and also some grasses. 
Certain plants are peculiar to the group. Amongst these are two 
coprosmas, C. petiolata and C. acutifolia, the former closely related 
to C. chathamica of Chatham Island, C. retusa of the North Island 
of New Zealand, and C. Bauwert of Norfolk Island; Suttonia ker- 
madecensis, related to a Norfolk Island plant; Ascarina lanceolata, 
a tall shrub or small tree; Boehmeria dealbata, a small tree of the 
nettle family ; the Kermadec nikau (Rhopalostylis Cheesemanir) ; the 
Kermadec koromiko (Veronica breviracemosa); Scaevola gracilis, a 
semi-woody plant with prostrate spreading branches; Homalanthus 
polyandrus, a tree of the spurge family; and two fine tree-ferns, 
Cyathea Milnet and one discovered by W. R. B. Oliver and named ~ 
by him C. kermadecensis (fig. 91). 
The rank and file of the plants are such as would be met with 
in the North Island—for example, the karaka, ngaio, wharangi 
(Melicope ternata), mahoe, tutu, ivy-tree (Nothopanax arboreum), 
and others mentioned below. In fact, about four-fifths of the 
small flora of 114 species consists of ordinary New Zealand plants. 
Coming now to the vegetation of the coastal rocks, the most 
important plants dwelling thereon number but fifteen, including 
the New Zealand ice-plant (Mesembryanthemum australe), the shore- 
spleenwort (Asplenium obtusatum), the primulaceous Samolus repens 
var. strictus, the wild celery (Apiwm prostratum), the mariscus-sedge 
(Mariscus ustulatus), the New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia expansa), 
the shore-lobelia (Lobelia anceps), and the common club-rush (Scirpus 
nodosus)—a rush-like tussock. The New Zealand appearance is also 
increased by the shrubby Coprosma petiolata hugging the rock after 
the manner of the well-known taupata (C. retusa) of New Zealand. 
Talus slopes at the foot of sea-clifis are usually densely covered 
with tussocks of the mariscus-sedge (Mariscus ustulatus) 3 feet or so 
high—a stout sedge with broad, hard, shining leaves; a true sedge, 
Carex semi-Forsteri ; certain ferns ; and the ngaio (Myoporum laetum), 
but only as a shrub. These talus slopes are far from being stable. 
Also, instability is brought about on other slopes, made up out of 
weathered volcanic tufis, through the action of the burrowing petrels 
and shearwaters, these slopes being their breeding-ground. Hence on 
