330 Transactions. — botany. 



The most abundant grasses are the tussock-grass, Poa ccespitosa, etc., 

 an undescribed species of fesciie usually referred to Festuca durmscula, 

 Linn., by most New Zealand collectors. The hassock-grass, Aira caspitosa, 

 Agrostis mmula ; the holy-grass, Hierochloe redolens ; the plume-grass, 

 Dichelachne crinita ; and the blue-grass, Triticiim squarrosum. Among these 

 grasses grew a few pretty little herbaceous plants belonging to the genera 

 Raoulia, Craspedia, Cotula waldenbergia, Pelargonium, Geranium., and Geiim, 

 and in wet places many interesting little plants, such as species of Pratia, 

 Ranunculus, Lomaria, Triglochin, Micromeria, and others. The vegetation 

 of the downs does not differ materially from that of the plain, but in many 

 of the valleys at the base of the main chain, small patches of forest are 

 found, and have been of great value to the settlers. These small forests, 

 or bushes as they are commonly called, consist of totara, miro, rimu, 

 matai, and the two common species of birches — Fagus clifortioides and 

 F. solandri. 



When these bushes are at a low elevation, as at Waimate and Geraldine, 

 the Conifera, prevail ; but whenever the elevation much exceeds 600 feet, 

 the Fagus become the principal tree ; though the Coniferous species do not 

 altogether cease until we reach a height of 2,000 feet. The smaller trees 

 mentioned as common on the peninsula are here comparatively rare and 

 often altogether absent. Shrubby plants are much less numerous in this 

 district than in any other part of the colony. 



A few patches of shrubs were occasionally to be found on the plains, and 

 were formed of Discaria toumatou, Coprosma parvijiora, Leptospermum. scopa- 

 riinn, Olearia virgata, and Cassinia vauvilliersii. The common cabbage-tree 

 of the South Island, a species of Cordyline doubtfully referred to C. australis, 

 of Hooker, was formerly rather common, and helped to enliven what was at 

 best a dreary scene. 



The lowland district contains about 360 species arranged under 160 

 genera of flowering j)lants. 



The Alpine District. — This is by far the most interesting of these divisions, 

 as it contains a very large number of most beautiful shrubs and herbaceous 

 plants which are likely at no distant date to become the common ornaments 

 of European gardens, for which they are eminently fitted, from their great 

 hardiness, easy pro^Dagation, and exquisite beauty. Indeed, a demand for 

 our native Alpine plants has already sprung up in England, and several of 

 them are to be found in the lists of the leading London nurserymen. 



The Alpine district may be further divided into the following zones of 

 vegetation, which are generally clearly defined, except in the valleys of the 

 rivers, where the plants of the upper zone sometimes occm-, having been 

 brought down by the floods from their usual habitat : — 



