208 



SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



[Ecological Botany. 



(/8.) The Plant Formations. 



(i.) Olearia Lyallii Forest. 



This formation, which perhaps might be designated "scrub," on account of the 

 general lowness of its roof, covers the greater part of the island, extending in places 

 to the margin of the cliffs, and occupying the gullies and most sheltered slopes. It 

 consists almost altogether of Olearia Lyallii, but on its eastern margin are small 

 colonies or individual plants of Senecio Stewartiae. 



I'll,. H. Kooi- OF Oliaiiii Li/alii Foukst, Kwinci Island, Aicki.anh Gitoii'. 

 The flower-buda protected by bracts and leaves in rosettes. 



The dominant tree generally has a fairly thick trunk, covered with a pale-grey 

 deeply furrowed bark, and lies prostrate for half its length or more. A few hori- 

 zontal or semi-horizontal branches are given ofF, which, branching sparingly, finally 

 bend upwards, and, again branching several times into twos or threes, bear on the 

 ultimate stiff white tomentose branchlets rosettes of dark-green very thick and 

 coriaceous large leaves, glossy green above and white beneath with tomentum, and 

 so close together as to touch one another (fig. 8). Seen from within, the low forest 

 is about 4-5 m. tall ; thick trunks sprawl over the ground, sometimes for a distance 

 of 9 m.; and everywhere is a close and rigid tangle of stiff grey branches, 

 while above are naked stems and a close roof of white foliage. In most places 



