12 The Vegetation of the Subantarctie Islands. 
generally where there is considerable depth of peat; Scirpus aucklandieus; 
green cushions of Colodanthus muscoides") growing on solid rock and offering 
a station for small, shallow-rooting plants; Callitriche antarctica, where the 
rock is wet; Crassula moschata and Veronica elliptica, this latter frequently 
on the summit of clifis. In addition to the above, there occur on Lord Auck- 
land’s group and Campbell Island, — Poa ramosissima (Plate LIX, Fig. 88), 
hanging on the cliff in thick, broad, pale, bluish-green sheets; Montia fontana, 
where water drips; and the three subantarctic species of Cortwla, of which 
Plumosa is also coastal on Antipodes Island. Certain species occur only on one or 
other of the islands, e.g.: — Myosotis albida (Snares); the endemic Plantago°) 
(Aucklands); Apzum prostratum (Antipodes). 
b. Inland formations. 
ı. Forest. 
There are two distinct forest-associations, — the 'southern-rata and the 
Olearia Lyallii, the latter occurring on the RE and the Lord Auckland’s, 
e former on the Lord Auckland’s only. The remaining groups are without forest. 
The southern-rata forest occurs on the Lord Auckland’s group as a belt 
along the shore wherever there is sufficient shelter and extends to a varying 
altitude up the hills, where it is succeeded by scrub. The trees vary in size 
according to the degree of exposure, so that, in many places, the forest is 
little more than scrub. The species number abent 49 species of spermophyta 
and pteridophyta and more than 50 species of bryophyta. There are 3 trees, 
6 shrubs, 8 herbs and 32 ferns including ı tree-fern, ı semi-tree-fern and 9 
filmy koche, Seen from a distance, the forest appears as a close, homogeneous 
dull-coloured mass of shrubs rather than trees with a slightly undulating roof® 
of extreme density. Within, the view is truly remarkable. Everywhere are 
the massive prostrate and semi-prostrate trunks of Metrosideros lucida some- 
times pressed to the ground, at other times forming great arches, or at others 
again lag the deep et, of the forest-floor. From the Se 
estremei dense wi sol auenprophrie & euion-plnt 2 mea 
