196 



SUBANTARCnC ISLANDS OP NEW ZEALAND. 



[EcologiceU Botany. 



Evergreen Herbs. — This category is not very clearly defined, as it is rather hard 

 to draw the line as to a woody stem. In point of fact, such plants as Cdmisia 

 vernicosa, C. camfbellensis, Helichrysum bellidioides, and Coprosmn repens should 

 rather be considered suffruticose. 



(ii.) Special Life- forms. 

 * The Rosette Form. 

 Short internodes, and consequent crowding of leaves at the ends of the stems, 

 leads to this common form. The rosettes may be more or less open, and with few 

 leaves, as in Pleurophyllum Hookeri, P. speciosum, and Plantago aucklnmlica ; or be 

 close and of the typical form, as in Cdmisia vernicosa (round rosette), Plantago 

 species of coastal rocks (flat rosette).* 



Via. 5. — Close View ok Cushion of I'hyUacline diiiiijern, showino Dknse Habit of Ghowth anh Nlmkhous Flowebs. 



** The Cushion Form. 



Here there is finally abundant branching into very short branches, the 



ultimate branchlets becoming pressed so closely together that cushions are formed, 



leafy only just on the outside, and the whole structure of such density that no 



trace of branching is outwardly visible. The solidity of the subantarctic cushions 



' Quite distinct from the so-called P. Broumii of the mainland of New Zealand. 



