33 



small rooted pieces. The most important species are 

 Raoulia australis (silvery) , R. lutescens (silvery and extremely 

 compact) ; R. tenuicaulis (more open than the above) ; 

 R. subsericea (rather moss-like) ; R. glabra (much as the last- 

 named) ; R. Monroi and R. Beauverdii. R. lutescens is 

 extremely conspicuous when covered with its tiny, sweet- 

 scented, yellow flower-heads. 



Small pieces of the coral-like cushions of R. eximia, 

 the celebrated " vegetable sheep," can be cultivated as pot- 

 plants in a greenhouse. This might be thought the most 

 ridiculous treatment for a plant which grows upon solid rock 

 in the alpine belt, but it is the only method that so far 

 has succeeded in keeping the plant alive for any length of 

 time. Seen from a distance, the huge white woolly cushions, 

 dozens of them in close proximity, look not unlike a flock of 

 sheep at rest, and the story goes that they have been mis- 

 taken for such by the shepherd a quite likely happening. 

 Another form of vegetable sheep belongs to the genus Haastia 

 (H. pulvinaris), and the wonderful cushions of these are even 

 more woolly and sheep-like. Other species of Raoulia build 

 smaller but similar cushions, one of which is green. These 

 cushions are really shrubs, the stems of which, hugged by 

 the small woolly leaves, are pressed tightly together. As the 

 plant grows, much of the older parts turns into peat, which 

 holds astonishing quantities of water. The young branches 

 put down roots into this peat, so that the plant lives for 

 the most part upon its dead self. A fine example of the 

 vegetable sheep brought from Southern Alps can be seen in 

 the exhibit of the New Zealand Government. 



8. FERNS. 



About 140 species of ferns grow wild in the New Zealand 

 botanical region, while for garden purposes many well-marked 

 varieties are also available. The species differ greatly in 

 their characteristics. Taking stature, there is a tree-fern 

 60 ft. high, and moss-like plants less than I in. above the 

 ground. The leaves may be Jin. thick, and able to with- 

 stand the most furious gale or parching heat, or they may 



