GENEEAL INTRODUCTION 3 



space as New Zealand. It might be expected, therefore, that 

 not many plants would cover large areas of the country to the 

 exclusion of other species ; and this is the case. Except for 

 the beeches, the manuka, the tussock-grass, and the bracken 

 fern, few species monopolise any large tract of country. The 

 constant changes of surface, altitude, and climate must of 

 necessity be reflected in the plant-covering of the land. Even 

 the most careless observer is struck by the great differences 

 in the floras of the eastern and western sides of the dividing 

 range — differences corresponding in a large measure, to increase 

 or decrease of average rainfall. In some places, within a 

 distance of a mile or two, the beech forest of the drier regions 

 changes into the mixed bush of the moister western area. 



New Zealand, therefore, presents a field of unsurpassed 

 interest to the botanist. Here he may find plants grouped 

 together into as many different associations as on a continent. 

 All classes of habitat, from the littoral to the alpine ; from the 

 arid plain to the lake, from the rock to the peat-bog, from 

 moorland to salt meadow, are well represented. Plants are to 

 be met with in an almost endless variety of situations. We 

 shall, however, at present consider only the plants of the open 

 plains, the forest (or, as it is locally termed, the " bush "), the 

 scrub, and the mountains. 



The Open Country. 



" I see again the upland wilds, 



Stern, rugged, bleak, and bare ; 



The strong winds sweep o'er the hill sides steep 



And the tussocks toss in the icy air 



SUver and gold in the changing light, 



Gold and silver far up on the heights 



Of the mountain wild and bare." 



DAvro McKee Wright. 



Throughout New Zealand, from Southland to the North Cape, 

 there are numerous open plains of greater or lesser extent. 

 In England such spaces would be meadow lands, carpeted with 



