Ecological Botany.^ SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 227 



summer-green alpine fern Polystichum cystotegia. ' Where the rocks are flat, or even 

 on their steep faces, where there is a considerable thickness of peat, this may be 

 extremely wet, and bog plants such as Oreobolus pectinatus, Phyllachne davigem, and 

 Coprosma repens grow abundantly ; in fact, almost every meadow plant occurs not 

 infrequently in such a situation, not excluding Pleurophyllum speciosum and Aciphylla 

 antipoda. 



The formation is related to similar ones in the Southern Alps, the Polypodium 

 and Hymenophyllum being common in both, while there are also closely related 

 species of Colobanthus and Azorella. 



With the weathering of the rocks comes the Pleurophyllum Hookeri formation, 

 which with accumulation of peat gives place to Danthonia meadow. The rock 

 vegetation is thus the beginning of a series of vegetation-forms which may culmi- 

 nate either in meadow or forest according to exposure and altitude. 



(D.) ANTIPODES ISLAND. 



(a.) General. 



The Subantarctic Expedition did not visit this small and isolated island. I can 

 only, then, supply an account drawn from my former paper, but in imagination 

 dressing the meadows in their summer garb. 



(y8.) The Plant Formations. 

 (i.) Coastal Rocks and Cliffs. 



The precipitous cliffs, which form virtually the whole coast-line, are for the 

 most part bare, except for certain crustaceous lichens which paint portions a distinct 

 white. 



Where there are crevices and hollows the plant-life is much the same as else- 

 where in the botanical province, certain plants of the Auckland Group being absent, 

 while the common New Zealand wild celery (Apium prostratum), found also on the 

 Snares, is present. 



The plants of the formation are : Colobanthus muscoides, Crassula moschata, 

 Scirpus aucklandicus, Apium prostratum, Cotula plumosa, Poa litorosa, and in the 

 very wettest spots — and "the cliffs are quite glistening with moisture" (Cockayne, 

 " Botanical Excursion," p. 288) — cushions of a dark-green shining moss, which are 

 wringing wet. 



Where there is sufficient soil for larger plants a zone of Poa foliosa and Carex 

 trifida may succeed the pure rock-dwellers, merging finally into the tussock meadow. 



(ii.) Tussock Meadow. 



It is the tussock meadow which gives the special vegetation-character to the 

 whole island. Seen from the sea or from an eminence, a brown covering appears 

 to occupy the whole surface of the land, save where it is traversed by irregular dark 

 lines, these denoting the presence of low scrub or of the tall semi-tree fern Poly- 

 stichum vestitum. In my former paper the formation is subdivided under three 

 heads. Further consideration leads me to the conclusion that, although the meadow 



