Heath. | 151 
The vast number of seeds, and their ready germination, bring seedlings 
of Leptospermum in their thousands after fire, while contemporaneousiy other 
denizens of the heath reproduce themselves, though in smaller numbers. Where, 
for example, the Lepfospermum is ı m high, Dracophyllum Urvilleanum raises 
its slender, branched stem 50—go cm above the dull mass of foliage. So too, 
Epacris pauciflora, but it is not quite so tall. Also the rush-like stems of the 
Schoenus pierce through the close growth, but these not as seedlings but as 
new shoots from the undamaged rhizome. Sometimes the fire encourages the 
growth of pure Pieridium, for its rhizome being unhurt by fire, new leaves 
are rapidly put forth which check the establishment of seedlings. Wetter 
ground is marked by an abundance of Cladium teretifolium, or green masses 
of Gleichenia dicarpa but these belong more properly to moor. 
Where the ground. is dry and the plants of Zeplospermum further apart, 
‚Pomaderris phylicaefolia is abundant, green flat-stemmed tussocks of Lepzdo- 
sperma laterale stand here and there and in some localities Pomaderris elliptica 
and ?. Edgerleyi (Plate XXX, Fig. 39) are characteristic as also Zycopodium 
densum and L. cernuum, especially the former. G. circinata often climbs over 
the bushes of Zepfospermum‘). When the varied forms and colouring of these 
plants are considered, it can be understood that gumlands’ heath is far from 
Er being a monotonous spectacle. 
u: When the heath: is near a forest there are, to the N. of the Northern 
0. Wairoa River, many young non-flowering trees of Weinmannia sylvicola with 
| yellowish-green, long pinnate leaves and frequently young trees of Amightia; 
_ oecasionally a stunted kauri may be encountered. Near the coast more es- 
 pecially Olearia furfuracea, most showy with its masses of white flower- 
E7-  heads, gives a special character to be heath, and it is often accompanied by 
Br the small tree Persoonia: toru?). 
2 3: Pumice-heath. x 
This belongs to the Central province ‚and is le 7 the olakie = 
Plateau. The substratum consists of unchanged pumice with a variable amount 
of surface-humus. Even where the rainfall is heavy the station is xerophytic. es 
The special species are Dracophyllum subulatum, an erect dull-coloured shrub 
some 60 cm high with slender, twiggy fastigiate branches, small, erect, ‚söil, 
3) The following are also common members of the association: a. sh Karl; Dani = 
© da Pilosa, D. semi- annularis, Gahnia gahniaeformis, Cordyline pumilio, Dianella Dianella intermedia, Drosera = 
. auriculata, Een Tineatum, Z. ericoides, Pimelta Zr var., ee einazi S. arerosa 
ER and BapPeRäNer. Kate ie e 
1 
