438 The Vegetation of the Sea-coast. 
plants with subalpine adaptations so that there are not only such amongst the 
true coastal species, but actual subalpine species rare or absent inland except 
'in the high mountains, may occur close to the sea. 
The winter cold of the Canterbury Plain offers an impassable barrier to 
certain northern plants‘) which have in consequence their southern limit on 
the E. on Banks Peninsula, while on the W. the rain-forest climate offers an 
obstacle of another description. 
The plants themselves play no small part in their own distribution so far Es 
as they supply shelter and make soil; trees, shrubs and plants of the tussock- 
form supplying the former and certain coastal ferns and spermophytes the 
latter in the form of raw humus or peat. Other factors of local importance 
receive mention when dealing with the formations. 
sie Chapter IL: | ne. 
The Tending Physioguomie Plants and their Growth-forms. 
1. Dune Plants. 
2. Scirpus rondosus Bank et Sol. (Cyperac.) Pingac >: 
s ndash is a stout, far-spreading, sand-binding sedge. The rhizos Br 
is about: 17 = in zu, somewhat a much en covered witl 
