Ecological Botany.] SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OP NEW ZEALAND. 225 



Where the large-leaved plants are not as close as usual the smaller herbs cover 

 the ground, and in such places are Gentiana cerina, Cotida plumosa, Nertera depressa, 

 Epilohium confertifolium, E. linnaeoides, Coprosma repens, Acaena Sanguisorhae var. 

 antarctica, Scirpus aucklandicus, and Helichrysum hellidioides. 



Proceeding up the slope, Aciphylla latifolia becomes less common, Danthonia 

 tussock appears, and finally the formation shades off into Danthonia meadow. But 

 before doing so there are vast numbers of plants of Pleurophyllum speciosum, dozens 

 occurring at a time, their leaves flattened to the ground, and so close as to touch, 

 so that one has, most regretfully, to trample them underfoot. Bvlhinella also be- 

 comes very common, and the inflorescences, 40 cm. tall, with closely packed racemes 

 of orange-coloured flowers, are extremely showy. HierocMoe Brunonis and various 

 small grasses occur in some places, as also in the Danthonia formation. 



The Pleurophyllum meadow of Disappointment Island is similar in many respects 

 to that just described, but the individuals are hardly as luxuriant or in such great 

 numbers. There are acres of Aciphylla latifolia, knee-deep or deeper, and mixed with 

 it much Poa foliosa. Next in abundance is Stilbocarpa polaris* a form seemingly 

 much less Jiairy than that usually met with. Aciphylla antipoda is not mentioned 

 in my notes, so, although most probably on the island, it can hardly be very common. 



(xi.) Swamps and Bogs. 

 * General. 

 In a region where, owing to the frequent downpour, the surface of the ground 

 is never dry, where the peat is of great depth, and where every hole and hollow 

 contains more or less water, it would be thought that bog conditions would be every- 

 where. And, from what has gone before, there seems ample reason for such a con- 

 clusion. Nevertheless, certain spots are much wetter than the average ground- 

 surface, and there definite species exist, in combinations not seen on the drier ground, 

 which have a distinct physiognomy dependent on the abundance of certain life- 

 forrns. 



Between bogs and swamps no hard-and-fast line can be drawn. The extreme 

 cases are distinct enough, but intermediates exist which can be referred to either 

 class. 



** Swamps. 



Swamp formations are distinguished by the presence of an extreme development 

 of the " trunked-tussock " form. On Ewing and Enderby Islands, where the ground 

 is flat and low and the drainage bad, are well-marked swamps where water lies all 

 the year round. Here the dominant plant of the wettest ground is Carex trifida, 

 and where slightly drier Poa litorosa, on trimks 1-5 m. tall, is plentiful (see fig. 1, 

 p. 187.) 



At the head of the North Arm of Carnley Harbour there is a swamp where water 

 lies. Here Carex appressa is dominant. On the wet floor is much Montia fontana 

 and Juncus antarcticus. Here and there growing through the former is Ranunculus 

 auxiUandicus. Epilohium linnaeoides is common. A few stunted bushes of Suttonia 



* It much resembles the Snares species — i.e., so far as I could judge by a cursory examination 

 under adverse conditions. 



15— S. 



