364 TransactioTis. — Botany. 



coasting craft can enter on either side, although great care is requisite. 

 Whangatau is becoming fixed by vegetation in its widest part, but is 

 continually varying in its outline and in the depth of "water coveiing that 

 portion comprised between tide marks. From the mouth of the harbour to 

 Omaha Cov^e the coast is rocky, and in some places precipitous. At a low 

 elevation there is a considerable extent of fern land. 



The larger portion of the hill is clothed with dense forest, the kauri and 

 the tarairi {Xesodaphne tarairi) often forming large groves. The tawai 

 {Fagus fused) is also a social tree, and attains a large size, while it does not 

 favour a luxuriant undergrowth of shrubs. One or two ranges are covered 

 almost exclusively with pohutukawa of the straight symmetrical habit of 

 growth known as "inland pohutukawa," which contrasts forcibly with the 

 huge distorted specimens growing on the margin of the sea. Fine specimens 

 of tanekaha {Phyllocladus trichomanoides) are abundant, and the toa-toa 

 (P. glauca) occurs in one or two localities, while the kawaka [Lihocedrus 

 doniana) is comparatively rare. The puriri {Vitex littoralis) is abundant. 

 Pittosporum crassifoUum and P. eugeiiioides form large specimens, and on the 

 summit of Mount Hamilton P. Jcirhii is epiphytic on the rata and other trees. 

 The tawa (Xesodaphne taica) is found in large quantities mixed with tore 

 {Persoonia toro), rimu {^Dacrydiuni cupressinum)^ kahikatea {Podocarpits 

 dacrydioides), hinau [Elceocarpus dentatus) and other well known trees. 



The various arms of the harbour are fringed ^vith a growth of mangi'oves 

 {Avicennia officinalis) usually of great luxuriance, which is, however, dying off 

 in many places from being fi-equently cropped by cattle. Many of the creeks 

 have their rise far back in the ranges, and in some instances form a series of 

 fine cascades several hundred feet in height, often decorated with tree ferns, 

 and more than usually pictiu-esque in effect. In some places they flow 

 amongst fallen masses of sandstone covered with Hypnum albicans and other 

 mosses not commonly met with, perchance between steep banks clothed 

 with Elatostemma rugosum in vast abundance, or yet again between rocky 

 wooded slopes often covered with masses of Coi'ysantlws ; nearly all the species 

 of this charming genus occur in the district. The stream called by the settlers 

 the Pakiri Creek has its stony bed above tide limits covered with a dense 

 growth of Nertera cunning/iamii to an extent rarely to be seen elsewhere. 



Many small Orchids, besides the various species of Xematoceras, are found 

 in the district. Thelymitra pidclidla and T. imberhis are abundant. The 

 rare Adenochilus gracilis and Chiloglottis cornuta, attain their northern limit so 

 far as at present ascei'tained. 



Whangatau beach afibrds a fine habitat for littoi'al plants. Most of the 

 New Zealand species which occur in littoral situations ape found here ; 

 amongst them Atriplex billardierl attains its southern limit, and is plentiful in 



