210 SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. [Ecological Botany. 



smaller. The rock-crevices are filled with the succulent Crassula moschata, which 

 also forms bright-green mats on the adjacent wet peaty ground, where also is much 

 CaUUriche antardica. 



Near the edge of the cliffs, or on the flat ground near rocks, are many fine bushes 

 of a large-leaved variety of Veronica elliptica,* 75 cm. tall and 1-10 m. in diameter, 

 the leaves a rather dark but shining green, and the branches close and erect. As 

 elsewhere in these subantarctic islands, Macquarie excepted, the ferns Blechnum 

 durum and Asplenium obttisatum, dark green and very thick-leaved, are abundant 

 both on the rocks and the peat. Tussocks of Poa Utorosa frequently border the 

 clifis. Finally, Lefidium oleraceum and Myosotis alhida occur in a few places on 

 the rocks. 



(C.) THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS, 

 (a.) General. 



The vegetation of the Auckland Islands appears, so far as present investiga- 

 tions go, to be of a very uniform character. With the exception of those noted 

 below, the species are evenly distributed throughout the group. Where cliffs, high 

 or low, do not interfere, a belt of forest usually follows the coast-line, extending 

 up the hills to a varying height, while above this are comparatively gentle slopes, 

 brown at a distance, from their covering of tussock-grasses. On the cliffs them- 

 selves, contrasting with the dark rock or white or yellow lichens painting it, are 

 masses, large or small, of greenery. The proximity of forest to the shore is frequent 

 in other parts of the New Zealand biological region, and is in close relation with the 

 humidity of the atmosphere. Although there is a well-marked zonal distribution 

 of the vegetation, the majority of the species may occur at any altitude, from sea- 

 level to the highest summits. Thus, on the loftiest peak of the group is Pleuro- 

 fhyUum criniferum ; or on the summit of the western cliffs of the main island, at 

 330 m. altitude, the Plantago of the coastal rocks is growing, mixed with the usual 

 subalpine meadow plants. It is the formations — i.e., the distinct physiognomic com- 

 binations — which mark the zones, and not the occurrence of special species for the first 

 lime. Such, however, are not wanting. Polypodium pumilum is confined on the 

 Aucklands and Campbells to subalpine cliffs, Plantago aucklandica and Marsippo- 

 spermum graeile belong to the " Pleurophyllum Hookeri formation," and Ranunculus 

 aucklandicus is found only on ground near the shore. 



The species which appear to be of very limited distribution are : Hemitelia 

 Smithii (rata forest, Norman's Inlet) ; Blechnum Patersoni (wet floor of scrubby 

 forest, head of North Arm of Carnley Harbour) ; Veronica odora ? (near shore, Nor- 

 man's Inlet, and neighbourhood of Port Ross) ; HalorrJiagis micrantha (near shore, 

 Norman's Inlet) ; Fuchsia excorticata (forest, neighbourhood of Port Ross) ; Cdmisia 

 campbellensis (occasionally on rocks near western cliffs, or on adjacent slopes) ; 

 Rumex neglectus (dunes, Enderby Island) ; Samolus repens (ground reached by spray 

 near western passage of Carnley Harbour, and on Enderby Island) ; Cotula dioica 

 (Ewing Island) ; low-growing plant with silvery(?) leaves, perhaps Gnaphalium sp., 

 which Captain Dorrien-Smith and I found in stony bed of creek on Adams Island 



* The typical form does not appear to occur on the Snares. 



