Rock Associations. 225 
Speaking of the lower subalpine rocks, so far as the dry mountanis as a 
whole are concerned, they are populated to no small degree by certain plants 
from the adjoining steppe &c., and the following are found in most parts: — 
Dichelachne crinıta, Danthonia semiannularıs, Poa 'caespitosa, Poa Colensoi, 
Festuca novae-zelandiae, Agropyron scabrum, Phormium Cookianum, Notho- 
agus chffortioides, Exocarpus Bidwillü, Muehlenbeckia axillaris, Stellaria 
gractlenta, Scleranthus biflorus, Crassula Sieberiana, one or other of the tall, 
leafless species of Carmichaelia, Coriaria ruscifolia, Discaria toumatou, the 
 Hymenanthera as before, Leptospermum scoparium, Aciphylla Colensoi, A. squar- 
rosa agg., Angelica montana, Styphelia acerosa, 5. Frasert, Suttonia nummularia, 
Wahlenbergia albomarginata, Helichrysum bellidioidesand Crepis novae-zelandiae. 
True rock-plants of such stations are: — Asplenium Richardi (where shaded), 
Colobanthus acicularıs, Eptilobium gracilipes (Trelissick Basin on limestone, 
Eastern district), Z. drevipes (North-eastern district), Myosotis Goyeni (North Otago 
to North-eastern district), Veronica Raoulii (North-eastern to North Otago district), 
Celmisia Monroi (North-eastern district), C. dellidioides and Helichrysum Sinclairii 
(North-eastern district), C. densiflora and Veronica pimeleoides (North Otago 
district), Anzsotome brevistyle (N. and S. Otago districts). 
ei 
4. Wet mountains of the Southern Alps and Stewart Island. 
‚Ihe number of true rock-plants for this area is only ı2, of which 6 extend 
to the dry mountains. Two however are vegetable-sheep of the same type 
as those of the dry mountains but neither approach the great cushions of 
Raoulia eximia in size though R. Goyeni is quite common on the highest 
tocks of Stewart Island. 
In the lower subalpine belt the rocks are altogether in the forest-areas, 
and when in the open occur only on river-beds or the sides of gorges. In 
such places, various forest-trees and subalpine shrubs are common jutting out 
from the rocks. In the wettest districts extremely steep cliffs may be actually 
covered with a close scrub, the rock having become faced with a thick sheet 
of soil held in position by a network of matted roots. .At times, the whole 
of such a covering slips away for many metres leaving the steep rock-face 
bare and dripping. Rock of such gorges in the Western district at an early 
Stage may be merely dotted. here and there with various herbs, e. g. — Ange- 
lica montana, Veronica linifolia, Epiobium glabellum, Geum parviflorum, 
Calamagrostis pilosa and Senecio Lyallii. Extensive colonies of Phormium 
Cookianum are a characteristic feature. 
In the upper Clinton Valley (Fiord district), on the smooth face of the 
Precipice where water constantly trickles, there is a curious association con- 
Sisting of a close growth of a species of Hepaticae which is hidden by a pros- 
frate grass, its culms pressed closely to the liverwort, pointing downwards and 
forming an open flat continuous mat. Numerous plants of Celmisia verbasci- 
Jolia grow through the grass their leaves no longer erect but hanging down- 
Wards (Plate XLVII, Fig. 68). Drier cliff is occupied by a combination of Blechnum 
Cockayne, The Vegetation of New Zealand. te I 
