156 The Plant’ Formations. 
Polygonum serrulatum‘), Raised above this stratum, and growing through it, 
may be an abundance of Epzlobium pallidiflorum, Hürkana go cm high and 
bearing in summer numerous handsome white or pale rose-coloured flowers 
ı.2cm in diam. The floor of the association will be excessively wet, and but 
for the close undergrowth and decaying vegetable matter, one could hardly 
penetrate such a swamp. Here and there will be ie plants of Elaeo- 
charıs sphacelata?), the rush-like Cladium teretifolium, Sparganum antipodum®) 
and perhaps an occasional example of Carer secta and Phormium tenax. 
Where the swamp is a trifle dryer great colonies of pure Cladium articulatum 
may appear, perhaps 1.5; m high, its stems erect, terete, close together with 
pungent leaves of ieh equal length. Pure masses of Carer pseudocyperus 
dr var. fascicularis ı.2 m high too, may be extremely abundant. Other plants of 
E this association are: — Blechnum capense, Scirpus inundatus, Schoenus Carsei, 
Cladium Huttoni, C. glomeratum, Carex virgata, Epilobium chionanthum, E. 
ereclum, E. insulare, Hydrocotyle pterocarpa, and, in open water, some :of the 
0 aquatic plants. 
| In the South Island, Raupo-swamp contains far fewer species, otherwise 
its physiognomy and ler are the same. At an altitude of from 550—750 m, 
in the South Island, where there is a steppe-climate, it may contain in ad- 
dition to 7ypha a ale of Carex secta in the shallower water and also C. sud- 
dola and C. ternaria. Change to dryer conditions in such swamp, if there is 
sufficient anlage will nr SPhagnum-moor. 
2. Phormium-swamp. 
At the present time quite a wrong estimate mights be gained as to the 
relative importance of this association as compared with that of Typha in 
 primeval New Zealand, since many of the extensive areas of Phormium-swamp 
that now exist have arisen through the draining of Raupo-Phormium-swamp 
where Zypha was easily dominant. But-areas large and small persist in many 
2 places where the natural transition from dominant Typha. to dominant Phor- 
: a can be seen. 5 
En _ Where the Phormium is da its masses of Hhizornes. ehallak the 
Ein. ufäce and its frequentiy more ns less drooping leaves cut offthe light. But 
= ‚nhere there are open spaces, the usual swamp-plants. of the particular locality 
are preser : Carex secta may er a conspicuous part. On the dryer ground 
be „ uwnde 2 age Blechnum ee. may be ee 
ert a, high with a ereeping, rooting, Bene, hollor w stem ‚which 
was but little, RR hin, sh hed I. ate 
