134 Historical Notes on the 



of which Celmisia sessiliflora and Eaoulia grandiflora were conspicuous, 

 also Celmisia petiolata and Haastii and some others of this remarkable 

 genus, there were, besides, Senecio Lyallii, with a profusion of flowers, 

 and the magnificent Ranunculus Lyallii, with its enormous orbicular 

 leaves. Of umbelliferous plants the dwarf Ligusticum aromaticum was 

 to be seen growing in a thick green mat, the pigmy flowers almost 

 hidden amongst the leaves ; but over all rose conspicuous the large 

 Ligusticum piliferum, remarkable for its deeply cut leaves and its red, 

 grooved stem. Several rare alpine species of Euphrasia, Senecio, 

 Ranunculus, and many others, gave, in some spots, quite a gay appear- 

 ance to the turf. On the small shingle reaches two of the woolly 

 Haastias are very abundant, together with the gay Ranunculus 

 sericophyllus, then in full flower. 



What impressed me most was the fact that, although winter was 

 rapidly approaching, many of them were just making their appearance, 

 principally round the large snow-holes still lying in many places. 

 When I visited Mount Torlesse two years previously, in the beginning 

 of January, most of the alpine plants were already past flowering, at a 

 corresponding altitude (5000 feet), consequently, here they were three 

 months later. Looking for the causes of this remarkable difference, it 

 will be found that one of the principal is the greater mean elevation 

 of the country as compared with the isolated ridge of Mount Torlesse, 

 rising from the Canterbury plains. The proximityof the latter mountain 

 to the East Coast is another point of importance. But these causes 

 would not suffice were it not that the depression in the central chain is 

 a principal point of attraction for the moisture coming from the West 

 Coast, which is there condensed and precipitated. At the same 

 time I was much struck by the fact that the ranges on both sides, 

 although only about 8000 to 9000 feet high, were covered with perpetual 

 snow and glaciers, clearly proving that, owing to the enormous amount 

 of moisture deposited from clouds almost continually passing through 

 this opening, the line of perpetual snow must lie here much lower than 

 in many other portions of our Alps. Even the vegetation close 

 to and on these alpine passes differs, in many respects, from that 

 of other alpine valleys which do not lead to any Pass. Thus, for 

 instance, the large arboraceous Dracophyllum Traversii (the nene of 

 the Maoris) , is only found on the lower passes, or, as here, near its 

 approaches, indicating that a larger amount of moisture is necessary 

 for its luxuriant growth than our Alps usually supply. 



Signs of the great glaciation of that part of the country are every- 



