Growth-forms. 193 
Hymenanthera dentata var. alpina. Wiry, generally slender stems are cha- 
racteristic of the divaricating-form; stiff slender stems of the Dracophyllum- 
form; twiggy stems of the shrubby species of Veronica, and fairly stout, rather 
brittle stems, covered in the younger parts with tomentum, of the shrub-com- 
_ posites. The only truly spinous shrub is Discaria toumatou (also lowland and 
coastal], but both AZymenanthera dentata var. alpina and Aristotelia fruticosa 
produce branchlets spinous at the apex under extreme xerophytic conditions, 
whereas in the forest, the latter is a twiggy, densely leafy mesophyte. Some 
of the prostrate species of Veronica have extremely tortuous stems. 
Deeply descending roots are a common feature, especially in small, 
spot-bound shrubs. Obviously, shrubs with creeping rooting stems have less 
need for long roots. Adventitious roots are readily produced on stems of 
Veronica, Gaya Lyallii, Phyllocladus alpinus and a few other plants, if they 
come in contact with the moist ground. The peat-forming cushion-plants give 
off many adventitious roots from their ultimate branchlets which penetrate the 
 moist peat. | 
The leaves of the high-mountain shrubs are all simple except 3andmay ° 
be characterized as follows using the same scale of size as before: — Very small & 
101 (i. e. with the 9 leafless 62 p. c. of the species); small 50; medium 15; 
large ı; very large ı; coriaceous or thick 158; thin 16; glabrous 134; hairy 
43 of ih 34 are tomentose on the under-surface; grass-like 8; er 20; 
 glaucous on one or both surfaces ı2; deciduous 3. 
Many of the species exhibit a strong heterophyliy and in some cases have 
 distinet growth-forms in the juvenile and adult stages, early leaves being gene- 
_ rally mesophytic, Although by no means confined to the following, in them 
the phenomenon is strongly developed: — The Taraceae excepting P. mivalis, 
Pittosporum divaricatum, the species of Carmichaelia, excepting C. BERRIOE 
Aristotelia fruticosa, the species of Hymenanthera, Discaria toumatou, Pseude 
janax lineare‘), Nothopanax simplex, Dracophyllum longifolium and some other 
species of the genus, allthe cupressoid forms of Veronica and many oftheother 
‚Species, most of the pe of Raoulia, the cupressoid forms ee pe ie 
| Ä c. Lianes, epiphytes and parasites. = a RR 
- Climbing NE are of little moment in the mountain forests 5 ee a | 
Clematis australis, ba marata and Rubus schmidelioides. var. colorazus: ER Rn 
Rn 
