a 
184 NEW ZEALAND PLANTS. 
the pohutukawa (Metrosideros tomentosa), the puriri (Vitex lucens), 
the korokio taranga (Corokia buddleoides), the tawapou (Sideroxylon 
novo-zealandica), and the Auckland tree-daisy (Olearia albida). 
There are thirteen species peculiar to the district: these include the 
large-flowered kowhai (Sophora grandiflora) ; two fine forget-me-nots 
— Myosotis amabilis and M. saxosa; three veronicas—V. macroura 
and V. Cookiana (coastal plants), and V. Darwiniana (high-mountain 
plant); and a tree-daisy Olearia pachyphylla, related to O. furfuracea, 
In the northern part of the district there are extensive forests 
of both Nothofagus and taxads; in the south the climate is drier, 
forest is much less in evidence, and there fern-heath or manuka 
shrubland originally occupied considerable areas. Rivers are often 
fringed with groves of trees and shrubs, amongst which are the large- 
flowered kowhai (Sophora grandiflora), Pittosporum Ralphiit (now so 
common in gardens or for hedges), and one of the lacebarks—Hoheria 
sexstylosa. The rose-leaved anise (Angelica rosaefolia—a climbing 
plant), the beautiful upright calceolaria (Jovellana Sinclawru), and 
the “everlasting” Gnaphalium subrigidum are frequent plants of 
the district, limited to special stations. 
With regard to farming, sheep are depastured in large numbers 
on the rich artificial pastures. Danthonia pastures will support an 
astonishing number of sheep. The southern limit of maize as a 
grain crop is in the neighbourhood of Gisborne, though as a forage 
crop it is grown as far south as Cook Strait. In gardens subtropical 
plants similar to those cultivated in the Auckland Botanical Districts 
grow vigorously. 
As in the district just dealt with, so, too, in the Egmont- 
Wanganui Botanical District certain trees—e.g., Libocedrus Domana, 
Metrosideros tomentosa, and the puriri (Vitex lucens)—find a southern 
limit. On the coast west of Mount Egmont the shore-koromiko 
(Veronica elliptica) has its northern limit. Except one or two plants 
of Mount Egmont, which need further study before a definite pro- 
nouncement can be made, only the fine herbaceous groundsel, Senecio 
Turneri (a species closely related to S. latifolius), and Veronica salici- 
folia var. longeracemosa appear to be confined to the district. Indeed, 
the characteristics of the district are negative rather than positive, 
and based rather on the vegetation than on the flora. For example, 
the vegetation of river-gorges briefly described in Chapter V is a 
characteristic feature. The original forest was probably very largely 
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