304 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1949 
The first natural or tussock grasslands as one progresses southward 
are found in the Volcanic Plateau District. Here one begins to see 
certain characteristic subalpine shrub formations, especially of 
monoao (Dracophyllum subulatum—Epacridaceae). The volcanic 
mountains, three of which are still active, raise their summits far above 
timber line and support a fascinating alpine flora. 
The northern tip of the East Cape Botanical District is within the 
northern plant zone marked off by the 38th parallel, so contains some 
northern plants. The southern part in the Hawkes Bay region is 
drier, hence it has certain agricultural possibilities not found else- 
where. Maize or Indian corn (Zea mays—Gramineae) is grown for 
its grain, but elsewhere mostly for fodder. 
To the botanist Mount Egmont is probably the first attraction of 
the Egmont-Wanganui District in the southwest portion of North 
Island. However, its high mountain flora is less rich than is that in 
the mountains of the central plateau, which are visible in good 
weather from Egmont’s higher slopes. The zones of vegetation on 
this isolated volcanic cone, however, are very vivid. There are few 
plants endemic to this district and the southern-beech forests are 
absent. <A forest of tawa (Beilschmeidia tawa) probably originally 
covered most of the lower land, of which the Wanganui plain is the 
most significant, but the area is now almost entirely converted into 
agricultural land. The moist, mild climate has led here to the exten- 
sive development of dairying, a most thriving enterprise based entirely 
on artificial pastures. 
The Ruahine-Cook District occupies the southeastern segment of 
North Island, with Wellington as its principal city. It is divided by 
the Ruahine and Tararua Mountains into two parts, the eastern or 
protected side having a drier climate. The west side is influenced by 
the winds and storms, so characteristic of Cook Strait, and sand dunes 
and wind-shaped trees and shrubs are common. There are remnants 
of various forest types in the lowlands, and southern-beech forests 
extend up to timber line in the mountains. Most of the North 
Island alpine species and formations are found on the higher slopes. 
(See pl. 3, fig. 2.) Among the lowland forest types is one composed 
primarily of the kohekohe (Dysorylum spectabile), the only member 
of the Meliaceae in New Zealand. (See pl. 4, fig.2.) Itisa relatively 
open forest with dense shade, many lianas, and few undershrubs. 
This tree bears flowers and fruits on the larger branches and trunk, 
a characteristic fairly common in the Tropics and subtropics. The 
occurrence of mixed dicotylous-taxad forests and southern-beech 
forests at the same or adjacent elevations, but on slopes with different 
exposures, gives one an opportunity to see vividly the contrasts 
between these two types of forest. Certain mountain plants of South 
Island may be found on the exposed coast of Cook Strait at sea level. 
