GENERAL INTRODUCTION 9 



the fact that the native trees are evergreen. Leaves that 

 have to last through several seasons are rarely so soft in 

 texture, or light in tint, as those that have only to withstand the 

 storms of a few months. There are but few deciduous plants 

 of any kind in New Zealand. Gaya Lyallii, Plagianthus 

 betulinus, Olearia Colensoi, two species of Miihlenbeckia, a 

 North Island variety of Sophora, the Fuchsias, Discaria 

 toumatou, are perhaps the only deciduous, or partially deciduous, 

 plants to be found here. Hence the tender greens and browns, 

 which in spring delight the eye in the English woods, and 

 the more brilliant tints of autumn, are almost wanting in New 

 Zealand. Some few of the evergreens, however, (e.g., Entelea, 

 Aristotelia racemosd) in addition to the native deciduous 

 species, have leaves of lighter green and softer texture than 

 the ordinary bush tree. Indeed, if a forest is closely looked at 

 from above, it will be found to show many different shades, 

 though the prevailing type of foliage is undoubtedly the dry, 

 hard, glossy, dark-green, simple, more or less oblong leaf. 



Nor is the characteristic gloom of the forest relieved by its 

 blossoms, for the flowers of most of the New Zealand trees are 

 quite inconspicuous. They are generally small, and oftentimes 

 green, and completely hidden by the foliage. There are, of 

 course, exceptions. Among these may be mentioned those of 

 the whau, the hinau, pokaka, Gaya, Hoheria and the various 

 species of Metrosideros (rata and pohutukawa). As none of 

 these except the ratas ever form large forests, to the more or 

 less complete exclusion of other trees, it is rare to find the 

 bush showing any great profusion of bloom. Occasionally, 

 however, the rata covers with its crimson flowers the flanks of 

 some great mountain range, and the sight is then well worth 

 going far to see. 



Such brilliancy of colouring, however, is rare. Yet, particu- 

 larly in the North Island, the beauty of the bush is much 

 enhanced by the Nikau Palm, the fern-tree and the cabbage- 

 tree, which are frequently found growing together in great 



