HorLowav.—Studies in the New Zealand Hymenophyllaceae. 601 
Above 1,800 ft. the actual creek-bed is covered with a dense shrubbery of 
Fuchsia, Olearia, and Gaya Lyallii, as is generally the case in mountain- 
gullies, and the stems and limbs of these shrubs are thickly clothed with 
spur-floor at corresponding altitudes. From 2,200 ft. upwards in the creek- 
bed the small mountain form of H. multifidum becomes very abundant 
in the heavy moss on the creek-sides. At this level the gully begins to 
open out as it approaches the shoulder of the mountain, and the Fuchsia 
shrubbery gives place to low-growing silver and mountain pine. _ Higher 
still the plant-covering and the filmy-fern flora is as already described for 
these altitudes. 
of Arthur’s Pass. Here the rainfall is extremely heavy, although the 
number of rainy days is rather less than at the coast-line. Wind is frequent 
and strong, that from the east being dry and cold, and persisting some- 
times for days at a time. Here, then, the restricting effect of the altitude 
upon the distribution of the Hymenophyllaceae will be re-enforced by the 
ilatatum, 
H. scabrum, T. reniforme, and H. sanguinolentum are only rarely present, 
being confined to the lower closely-forested portions of the lateral creek- 
valleys. Apparently none of the species which in the lowlands climb into 
the tree-tops can do so here. T. venosum occurs sparsely on the scattered 
tree-ferns, but H. ferrugineum is apparently absent. H. Tunbridgense also 
was not seen. H. pulcherrimum 1s not uncommon even in the more open 
creek-beds, where it may be found growing strongly as a low epiphyte in 
and humus with colonies of its prothalli and sporeling plants. It is 
demissum 
is abundant everywhere on the floor, ascending in shaded localities high 
up in the subalpine forest. The flanks of the mountains are covered with 
the rata-totara-kawhaka forest association, and on the bases of the trees 
Н. rufescens and Н. um are abundant. Н. rarum is also to be 
found in this station, but on the shady sides of gullies rather than on 
the open flanks. As on Mount Greenland, this species seems to be more 
