106 The eading Physiognomic Plants and their Growth-forms. 
k. Tree Ferns. 
The various tree ferns through their astonishing abundance, as well as 
their form, are amongst the most striking of the lowland plants. There are 
8 ET belonging to the genera Cyathea, Hemitelia and Dicksonia, 6 of 
which are endemic. Large examples of C. medullaris are ı5 m, or more high, 
and some of the other species attain considerable dimensions. The feathery 
leaves spread out radially, like gigantic umbrellas, from the summit ofthe 
trunk, but at different angles according to the species. C. medullaris is con- 
spicuous through its 'jet-black, massive leaf-stalks; C. dealdbata through the 
silvery under surface of the leaf; D. sguarrosa through its slender trunk clothed 
above with the persistent bases of old leaf-stalks and D. fidrosa through its 
massive trunk covered closely with a mat of aerial roots and its covering 
above of persistent depending dead leaves. Sometimes there are extensive 
groves of tree-ferns, or even low forest of little else, and such forms a frequent 
and striking spectacle in the valley of the Wanganui where they have per- 
sisted in old Maori clearings and similar stations. 
2. Ferns in general. 
The smaller ferns are exceedingly conspicuous in many lowland formations, 
2 though forest is their principal home, where they occur in the greatest abun- 
- dance not merely on the floor, and draping the fallen forest giants with a fea- 
thery mantle, but climbing to the summits of the loftiest trees, or perching 
high on the spreading boughs. Moist gullies, dry slopes, trunks of tree ferns, 
rocks wet or dry, swampy spots, — all have their special species! (Plate XVII, 
Fig. 23.) 
Perhaps, the most important fern, physiognomically, of the forest and its 
environs, is Blechnum capense; its great pinnate leaves, bright or dark green 
in colour and ı.2 m long, arching downwards, cover completely, to the ex 
clusion of all else, steep gully-slopes, faces of shale-rock and abrupt banks, 
the result of land-slips or man’s operations, many square metres in area, the 
ground being altogether hidden. To tais fern indeed do river-gorges u. 
much of their special beauty. 
The total number of species of Ki: in New Zealand, as a ua is 
about a one half of which at most are of piystegnosic Ser, 
EB Heath Plants. 
e; haptspermum scoparium er (Myrtac.) Manuka, Kalikaton, 
Tea-tree, Red tea-tree. 
N he Ba 1 born a Ba ER ai dh I ne 
alone of eg Se ee; so far as heath is concerned. ne an erect 
ZB: There are in addition two ah species i in Be Ki 
a The plant is s nn and even forms. Aa mats upo 
