Forest. - 129 
c. Kauri (Agathis australis) forest. 
ı. General. 
The name “kauri” is given to this association not because that tree is’ 
dominant, for this is rarely the case, but on account of its striking character 
and its being always accompanied by a special group of plants (Plate XXI, 
XXIV, Fig. 30, 31). According as the kauri or some other tree is dominant, 
especially Bezlschmiedia tarairi or B. tawa, so may the association be divided 
into subassociations 
number of species of kauri-forest is about 230 (pteridophytes 64, 
spermophytes 166) belonging to 54 families and 117 genera. The growth-forms 
are: — Trees 61, shrubs 38, herbs (most quite unimportant) 23, grass-like 
plants ı2, lianes (excluding ferns) zo, epiphytes (excluding ferns) ı3, parasites 2 
and ferns 61. There are many species of Hepaticae and Musci forming colonies, 
mats or patches on the ground and fallen logs or draping tree-trunks, but 
they are not so luxuriant, or abundant, as in the forests of the W. and S. of 
the South Island. The most important genera of. these plants are: — (Hepaticae) 
'Aneura, Symphyogyna, Monoclea, Treubia, Chiloscyphus, Frullania, Mastigobryum, 
Lepidozia, Schistochtla, Trichocolea, Plagiochila, Tylimanthus, Madotheca;, (Musci) 
Leucoloma, Dicranoloma, Leucobryum, Leptostomum, Hymenodon, Bryum, Echino- 
dium, Ptychomnion, Weymouthia, Mniodendron, Sciadocladus, Lembophyllum, 
Pistchphyllum, Aypopterygium, Cyathophorum, Rhacopilum, Mniadelphus. 
he forest-area, before the interference of man‘) extended from a line 
joining Doubtless Be Ahipara Bays in the N. to the Auckland Isthmus in the 
5. together with the Barrier Islands and the lower slopes of the Thames 
Mountains. Kauri-forest is essentially an association of the lowlands and lower 
hills and generally does not ascend to much over 400 m. Nor can it tolerate 
wet ground, so that its abundant remains in lowland bogs | indicates ed of 
level in the land-surface (Cf. CHEESEMAN 1897a: 344). 5 
As seen from without, the branching crowns of Arte towering above : 
the general level of the roof, itself the crowns of tall trees, gives the impression of 
one forest superimposed on another (Plate XXV, Fig. 32). The dark-green foliage Se 
of Metrosideros robusta also stands out here and there. Near the outskirts of iR 
the forest-mass there may be lines or ' groves of ya) kauris ae " 
through their pyramidal form. % 
2, Northern re forest. er 
This Üonkleis of two sub-associations, — the Kauri and the e Tai, he £ 
latter generally forming the bulk of the forest. 
Taraire EEE en, XXIV, ass 
1) The Er E 
n- "n be el vo na 
