17 



extends eastwards the tussock-grassland. The change in the 

 physiognomy of the vegetation is instantaneous there is no 

 transitional phase. 



This sudden change in rainfall, and the number of rainy 

 days, is not reflected merely by the forest, or the tussock-grass- 

 land, but it greatly affects the high-mountain vegetation also. 

 On the west dense subalpine-scrub is common, on the east it 

 is absent, or in isolated patches; fell-field and unstable debris- 

 slopes with their special plants are a feature of the east, 

 whereas herb-field is the physiognomic subalpine plant- 

 association of the west; extreme xerophytes (both herbs and 

 shrubs) are characteristic of the eastern mountains and 

 mountain- valleys (e.g. Aciphylla Dobsoni, Carmichaelia 

 Petriei, Clematis afoliata, Colobanthus brevisepalus, Coprosma 

 brunnea, Helichrysum coralloides, H. depressum, Hymenanthera 

 dentata var. alpina, Lepidium sisymbrioides, Muehlenbeckia 

 ephedroides, Myosotis uniftora, Olearia coriacea, Pimelea sericeo- 

 villosa, Poa aciculari folia, Raoulia Parkii, Sophora prostrata 

 and Veronica epacridea) but, on the west, though xerophytes are 

 far from lacking, there are more mesophytes and a few specially 

 large-leaved herbs (e.g. Anisotome capillifolia, A. Haastii, 

 Ourisia macrocarpa vars. calycina and cordata, Ranunculus 

 insignis (see Fig. 8), and R. Lyallii) ; the east is the home of 

 the majority of the high-mountain species of Veronica; the 

 upper subalpine forest of the west may consist of shrubby 

 Compositae, Libocedrus Bidwillii, Podocarpus Hallii, Dacrydium 

 biforme and Dracophyllum Traversii (see Fig. 9) : whereas, on 

 the east, forest is confined to gullies and shady slopes and usually 

 consists of Nothofagus cliff ortioides with but little undergrowth. 



East and west, though possessing many species in common, 

 have each a rich locally-endemic element. As an example of 

 this the locally-endemic species of the North-eastern and North- 

 western South Island Botanical Districts may be cited. 



The endemics of the North-eastern District are the follow- 

 ing: (Ranunculaceae) Ranunculus lobulatus; (Rosaceae) Geum 

 divergens; (Leguminosae) Carmichaelia Monroi (the type), 

 C. juncea var., Notospartium Carmichaeliae, Chordospartium 

 Stevensoni; (Onagraceae) Epilobium chloraefolium var. kai- 

 kourense, E. rostratum var. pub ens; (Convolvulaceae) 

 Convolvulus fracto-saxosa; (Boraginaceae) Myosotis Cockaynei,^ 

 M. Laingii, M. saxatilis; (Gentianaceae) Gentiana Astoni 

 (Scrophulariaceae) Veronica rupicola, V. decumbens, V. 

 Hulkeana; (Campanulaceae) Wahlenbergia flexilis, W. 

 Matthew sii, W. cartilaginea ; (Compositae) Olearia insignis, 

 O. coriacea, Celmisia Cockayniana, C. Monroi, Haastia pulvinaris, 

 H. recurva var. Wallii, Gnaphalium nitidulum, Raoulia cinerea, 

 Helichrysum Sinclairii, H. coralloides, H. Fowerakeri, Cassinia 

 albida vars. typica and canescens, Abrotonella Christensenii, 

 Senecio Monroi, S. Christensenii. 



The following are the local endemics of the North-western 

 District: (Cyperaceae) Carex trachycarpa, C. Gibbsii; (Orchi- 



