530 
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
[Vol. io, 
more beautiful species than the more familiar D. antarctica. Hemitelia 
Smithii, a smaller, but handsome species, also occurs, but is more abundant 
farther south. 
Perhaps nothing adds more to the tropical aspect of the forest than the 
giant lianas. Two of these, Rhipopogon scandens, a liliaceous climber with 
long, bare cable-like stems looping from tree to tree, and the root-climber, 
Freycinetia Banksii, are especially noteworthy. The screw-pine family, 
to which the latter belongs, is essentially a tropical one, and largely developed 
in the Malayan region. 
Of the trees, a second species of Podocarpus, P. ferrugineus , and the 
widespread Weinmannia sylvicola may be mentioned, as well as a number of 
smaller trees and shrubs. Among the commonest of these are Quintinia 
acutifolia , Ascarina lucida (Chloranthaceae), a striking shrub with black 
twigs and shining green leaves; Aristotelia racemosa , Pseudopanax eras si- 
folia, Coprosma foetidissima , Elaeocarpus Hookerianus, and several species 
of Metrosideros, including M.florida , a climbing species. 
In this wet forest many ferns find a congenial home and are extremely 
abundant. In addition to the more familiar northern genera, there are a 
number of peculiar types of which the most striking is the genus Leptop- 
teris, of the Osmundaceae and sometimes united with Todea. There are 
two New Zealand species, L. superba and L. hymenophylloides. The finely 
cut, plumy leaves have the delicate translucent texture of the true filmy 
ferns. The latter are very abundant and reach a' wonderful development. 
The species of Hymenophyllum are more numerous than Trichomanes, 
although there are several species of the latter, including the common T. 
reniforme already referred to. This striking species is very common, its 
entire kidney-shaped leaves of a vivid green and thicker than those of most 
Hymenophyllaceae. The numerous species of Hymenophyllum grow upon 
the ground and on fallen logs and stumps; but they are most abundant 
upon the trunks and branches of trees. The stems of tree-ferns are a 
favorite habitat for these beautiful ferns, as well as for other epiphytic 
growths. 
Epiphytic species of Lycopodium and the curious Tmesipteris are 
features of this rain-forest, and there is a wealth of mosses and liverworts, 
as well as many very large and conspicuous lichens. Of the epiphytic 
mosses a species with long pendent branches ( Weymouthia Billardieri) was 
especially notable. 
This rain-forest is extremely rich in mosses and liverworts, and includes 
some of the most remarkable members of these groups. Of the mosses, 
the giant Dawsonia superba and the liverwort-like Cyathophorum pennatum 
may be mentioned. The liverworts are remarkable for both their great 
abundance and their size. They form immense cushions and thick carpets 
on the floor of the forest, and among them are several of the giants of the 
class. Of the foliose type, several enormous species of Plagiochila, Tri- 
