Shrub Assoeciations. 213 
various genera, species of Veronica, Astelia montana and colonies of Poly- 
stichum vestitum and Blechnum capense. Hymenophyllum sangwinolentum clothes | 
many trunks and branches. A few herb-field species may be present, espe- 
 cially Ranunculus Lyalli and Phormium Cookianum. 
2. Shrub Associations. 
General. 
The mountain shrub-associations fall into the classes open and closed, to 
the former of which belongs steppe and to the latter heath and scrub. Many 
. of the species are strongly xerophytic but notwithstanding a considerable 
number thrive also, as has been seen, in the forest under hygrophytic condi- 
tions, owing in some cases to great plasticity with regard to their growth-forms. 
The number of shrubs, low trees and woody lianes -entering into the high- 
mountain shrub associations is 138 (not endemic-only 4) belonging to 25 families 
and 43 genera. The largest families and genera with the number of species 
in each are: — Compositae, 31; Scrophulariaceae, 23; Epacridaceae and 
’Rubiaceae, ı7; Taxaceae, 7, Leguminosae, 5; Elaeocarpaceae, Myrtaceae and 
Araliaceae, 4; Veronica, 23; Olearia, 19; Coprosma, 17; Dracophyllum, 12 
and Senecio, 7. From the above it can be seen that nearly 60 p. c. of the ” 
2 are shrubby-composites, veronicas, epacrids and coprosmas. 
KR any herbaceous plants, including ferns, occur in various associations, but 
figures as to these would mislead, since many occupy merely the line of ten-. 
sion between scrub and grass or herb associations. "The following however are 
_ common in many shrub associations: — Alsophila Colensoi, Polystichum vesti- 
tum, Danthonia Cunninghamiü, Gahnia procera, Astelia montana, Phormium 
EERER ARPEHG conspicua and A. maxıma. 
x 
b. Open associations. ® “ 
ı. Discaria-steppe 7. a 
This occurs on river-or torrent-fans. and low eendeiaben, in he: South 1 ä 
Island only; it. is wanting in the Western and Fiord botanical distriets. Pro- ne 
bably, it is a primary association, depending on stability of the substratum, ee Be 
The general Bm varies rom. 1. 1215 m, but there are great differences 
this a Genera Ily, the ti / 
