INTRODUCTION. 
9 
Dichelachne crinita. 
Dichelachne sciurea. 
Agrostis Simula. 
Agrostis parviflora. 
Agrostis pilosa. 
Agrostis Billardieri. 
Agrostis avenoides. 
Agrostis quadriseta. 
Deyeuxia scabra. 
Danthonia Cunninghamii. 
Danthonia Raoulii. 
Danthonia pilosa. 
Danthonia pilosa (stricta). 
Danthonia pilosa (racemosa). 
Dantlionia semi-annularis (alpina). 
Danthonia semi-annnlaris (gracilis). 
Danthonia Buchanani. 
Deschampsia csespitosa. 
Trisetnm antarcticnm. 
Trisetnm subspicatum. 
Poa anceps (elata). 
Poa anceps (foliosa). 
Poa australis (bevis). 
Poa intermedia. 
Poa Colensoi. 
Festuca durinscnla (Linnaeus). 
Triticnm mnltiflorum. 
Triticnm scabrum. 
Danthonia semi-annularis. 
Twenty-eight species are restricted to alpine and sub-alpine situations, when for a certain part of each 
year plant-growth is arrested by a covering of snow :— 
Ehrharta Colensoi. 
Hierochloe reddens. 
Stipa Petriei. 
Agrostis Muelleri. 
Agrostis Yonngii. 
Danthonia ovata. 
Danthonia australis. 
Danthonia flavescens. 
Danthonia semi-annularis. 
Danthonia nuda. 
Danthonia pauciflora. 
Danthonia Thomsonii. 
Catabrosa antarctica. 
Poa foliosa, var. b. 
Poa foliosa, var. c. 
Poa anceps (densiflora). 
Poa anceps (minime). 
Poa acicularifolia. 
Poa pvgmsea. 
Poa exigua. 
Poa albida. 
Poa Mackayi. 
Poa Kirkii. 
Poa Lindsayi. 
Trisetum Youngii. 
Fourteen species affect moist situations, such as river-sides and swampy bottoms, and seem unable to 
survive any drought in the soil or atmosphere :— 
Microbena polynoda. Agrostis canina. 
Alopecurus geniculatus. Arundo conspicua. 
Hierochloe reddens. Arundo fulvida. 
Hierochloe alpina. Glyceria stricta. 
Paspalum distichnm. Poa anceps (debilis). 
Isachne australis. Poa breviglumis. 
Apera arundinacea. Festuca scoparia. 
On the other hand, there are eight species which thrive on dry and light soils :— 
Microbena stipoides. Sporobolus elongatus. 
Paspalum scrobitulatum. Agrostis semula. 
Zoysia pungens. Koeleria cristata. 
Echinopogon ovatus. Poa anceps. 
Of grasses that like shade, and are confined to forests and woodlands, where they have protection from the 
glare of the sun, there are four species :— 
Microbena avenacea. Poa imbecilla. 
Panicum imbecille. Gymnostichum gracile. 
Lastly, there are five species that grow only by the sea-side, thriving best within the influence of air 
charged with saline moisture, even if the soil consists of the most barren sandhills :— 
Spinifex hirsutus. Festuca littoralis, var. triticoides. 
Diclielacline stipoides. Bromus arenarius. 
Poa foliosa. 
The distribution of these characteristic groups is undergoing rapid change by the indirect influence exercised 
by the clearing of forest land and rank vegetation chiefly by the agency of fire, which not only modifies the 
climate, but likewise changes the nature of the surface-soil, so that pasturing replaces the premature growth of 
fern and scrub. In the South, where the winter climate is severe, this replacement takes place with facility; 
but in the North, where the winter is mild and open, the establishment of pasturage requires the sowing of 
grass seed, and judicious management in stocking, in order especially to prevent the re-establishment of fern. 
Even in the South, overstocking at all seasons, and still more repeated burnings, tend to deteriorate the pasturage. 
