Subalpine Forest. . 205 
- marına, Polystichum vestitum, Lycopodium fastigiatum, Phyllocladus alpınus, 
Uncinia caespitosa, U. uncinata, Astelia montana, Gastrodia Cunninghamii, 
" Elytranthe flavida, E. tetrapetala, Aristotelia fruticosa, Nothopanax simplex, 
N. Colensoi, Griselinia littoralis, Suttonia divarıcata, Coprosma parviflora, C. 
cuneata, Lagenophora petiolata. 
Dry Mountain-beech forest. 
This association occurs on the E. of the volcanoes on the Volcanic Plateau 
and, in the South: Island, on the E. of the main chain of the Southern Alps. 
It is chiefly distinguished by the poverty of the undergrowth which, frequently, 
_ when the substratum is shallow clay on a steep slope, consists merely of young 
beeches and seedlings with patches of the mosses Dicranoloma robustum, D. leu- 
 comoloides and D. setosum. The trees are slender, about 9 m high and their 
branching is scanty. In many places, the ground is bare, the clay showing 
through a coating of dead leaves and twigs; where driest the fallen trees are 
large areas may be occupied only by juvenile trees, for N. cdiffortioides is short- 
lived, and, as the adult trees fall, light is let in, the seedlings grow vigorously 
“; ‚and the forest rapidly regenerates (Plate XXXIX, Fig. 56). ZLycopodium fasti- 
‚giatum and the summer-green Hypolepis millefolium are frequently abundant. 
Where a stream passes through the forest, or in the dampest places, there 
will be plenty of Polystichum vestitum, 60 cm and more high, and sheets of 
may consist of Coprosma propinqua, C. parviflora, 6; Hinariifelia (Canterbmy), 
nes Gaya ribifolia, Griselinia littoralis and various shrubs may grow on 
Eon the shade of the beech into the open tussock-land.. 
 destitute of a mossy covering‘). Frequently the undergrowth is richer, but 
‚and Pittosporum divaricatum (Eastern and North-eastern districts). In the Eastern 
e forest’s outskirts, but usually the association ends ee and one wis = 
_ The mountain-beech forest to the E. of the, volcanoes. owes its ‚dry char- ; x 
Pa en We re 
