Subalpine Forest. ; 207 
Podocarpus Hallıi and Weinmannia racemosa. The undergrowth may be dense; 
bryophytes are often conspicuous, and in some forests the number and size of 
their cushions is remarkable. 
Taking the association as a whole, it contains about 63 species of pterido- 
phytes and spermophytes which belong to 24 families and 39 genera and’ 
comprise 7 medium-sized trees, 3 small trees, 2 woody lianes, ı woody PARSE, 
29 shrubs, 6 herbs, 7 grass-like plants and 8 ferns, 
Benerally speaking, the dominant silver-beech trees are low, their crowns 
scanty, their trunks irregular, somewhat buttressed and frequently thickly moss- 
clad. More light reaches the interior of the forest than in that of mountain- 
beech, so that the undergrowth is denser. This consists of an upper tier of 
shrubs and a lower of floor-plants, these, however, not of equal height. In 
some localities, certain of the shrubs mentioned below rise as small trees above 
the average level. The following shrubs occur throughout: — Dacrydium Bid- 
willü, Phyllocladus alpinus, Drimys colorata, Aristotelia fruticosa, Nothopanax 
len. N. simplex, N. anomalum, Griselinia littoralis, Styphelia acerosa, 
Suttonia divaricata, Coprosma foetidissima, C. Colensoi, C. Banksiüi, C. cuneata 
and C. parvnflora. 
The filmy and creeping ferns, Znargea parviflora (creeping amongst moss), 
Libertia pulchella and species of Uncinia are common floor-plants, but of far 
greater physiognomic importance are the taller ferns, especially Polystichum 
vestitum, the silvery masses of Astelia montana and the tall green tussocks of 
Gahnia Ppauciflora (North Island and parts of the North-western district, South 
Island) or G. procera (S. Island). 
Special details. 
a. The Te Aroha forest. 
This stands in a class by itself and is excluded from the above general 
description, since it is a combination of northern montane forest and N. Menziesii 
association‘), The mountain is 968 m high, but only the final 100 m can be 
Considered subalpine. The forest is low, the floor irregular, the trees more or 
less gnarled, great clumps of Gahnia pauciflora are abundant and bryophytes 
together with 5—6 species of Hymenophyllaceae, including 77 richomanes reni- 
Jorme, clothe the trees with a thick mantle. 
ß. Volcanie Plateau. 
Nothofagus Mensiesii is taller and with straighter trunks and larger crowns 
than is general in the association. N. fusca is common, especially at the lower 
limit of the association. At first, Coprosma tenuifolia is plentiful but it gives 
Tre REN 
I) The Northern montane forest is represented by, — Astelia trinervia, Phyliocladus eo 
Ixerba Drexioides, Alseuosmia macrophylla, Bez uf Dracophyllum latifolium and 
Kirki, and the Noth 'hofagus Menziesii association by, — Phyllocladus alpinus, Libocedrus Beate, 
Enargea Barviflora, Libertia pulchella, two spp. of Nerbopagoe: Griselinia littoralis, Nothopanax 
Colensoi, Coprosma Colensoi and C. Foetidissima. 
