Grass and Herb Formations. 237 
being prostrate plants, many of which have creeping underground stems, while 
some 72 virtually hug the ground. There are 32 cushion-plants, the majority 
low and flat. As for the erect plants, 10 are tussocks and 15 have extremely 
rigid leaves or stems. There is, in fact, throughout the fell-held: vegetation 
a striking adaptation against the action of wind in its widest sense. Regarding 
the leaves, those of 141 species are quite small, while 4 species are virtually 
- Je: SE R ri ”; ner. 
Fig. 73. Helichrysum bellidioides, fell-held, Tararua Mts. Ruahine-Cook district, Photo E. Bruce Levy. 
leafless. Almost all have coriaceous, thick, hard or stiff leaves. Where the 
leaves are comparatively large, they are either thick, stiff and intensely rigid 
(Adeiphylla), thick, coriaceous and in rosettes (certain species of Ranunculus) 
or covered beneath with dense tomentum (Ce/misia). Even quite small leaves 
in Species of conspicuously dry stations are often tomentose or strongly hairy, 
but glabrous species occupy similar stations and hairiness of moment occurs 
Only in 57 species (27 %), 37 of which are Compositae. 
