136 The Plant Formations, 
Weinmannia racemosa may equal the rimu in abundance. Other important 
shrubs &c. of the undergrowth are: — small P. ferrugineus, Carpodetus, juvenile 
Elaeocarpus Hookerianus, juvenile Pseudopanax crassıfolium and Schefflera. 
From taxad-forest of the eastern and southern parts of the South Island and 
from that of Stewart Istand the association is distinguished by the abundance 
of the lianes Freycinetia and Metrosideros florida and the epiphyte Astelia 
Cunninghamii and by the absence of Pittosporum eugenioides and P. tenutfolium. 
Bryophytes, though not building cushions, are abundant enough to be of prime 
physiognomic importance, especially Weymouthia mollis and the larger W. Bil- 
lardieri hanging from slender branches or twigs and, on the forest-floor, Plagio- 
chila gigantea and other species of the genus, extensive mats of the pale- 
green Trichocolea tomentella frequently glistening with drops of water and 
species of Schistochila. 
South Otago and Stewart Island districts (Plate XV, Fig. 20). 
The Daerydium-Weinmannia forests of these two districts have so much 
in common that one description will suffice for both. Generally some Merro- 
sideros lucida is present and, at times, in such abundance that it equals the 
two other trees. 
The dominant shrub of the undergrowth is Coprosma Joetidissima, and 
C. Colensoi and C. Banksii are common. Rhapogonum is the only important 
liane. Asteliads, as epiphytes are absent but Dendrobium Cunninghamii is still 
plentiful and Griselinia littoralis replaces its epiphytic relative of the N. 
Hemitelia is the prevalent tree-fern, and, as ground-ferns Blechnum discolor, 
B. capense and, at times Leptopteris superba make extensive colonies. In the 
N. of the South Otago botanical district Weinmannia was virtually absent in 
the originally extensive forest-area. Pittosporum -tenuifolium, P. eugeniordes 
and Nothopanax arboreum are absent in Stewart Island, the place of the first- 
named being filled by P. Colensoi var. fasciculatum and of the last by 
N. Colensoi. & en Ra et Ä 
3. Totara (Podocarpus totara or P. Hallii) forest. a 
Totara-forest is taxad-forest in which either 2. totara or P. Halli, or both, 
are dominant. The association is more xerophytic than that of Dacrydium cupres- 
sinum, the tree being able to occupy dry ground or exposed positions where. 
the ‚latter would perish‘). At the same time, it must be pointed out that totara 
to a varying extent is nearly always present in rimu-forest and may equalthe 
rimu in importance in which case there would be a rimu-totara association. 
At the present time, it is not possible to state accurately the distribution 
of the association. CAMPBELL-WALKER (1877) in his account of forest-distribution 
Dez EEE 
ı) D. cupressinum can be grown only in sheltered, shady positions whereas 2. fotara can ; 
be easily eultivated in ordinary garden conditions without any special care, and but for its rela- 
tively slow growth would be suited for afforestation ee 
