THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE 211 
native grasses, the beautiful daisy-like celmisias, and 
small veronicas, with here and there dwarf mountain 
totaras and cer varieties of heath. It is on the 
coastal ranges of Nelson, however, that the alpine 
carpet spreads its greatest profusion of species. Here, 
as in other alpine and arctic meadows, the flowers are 
of extreme beauty, and often large in proportion to the 
size of the plant that bears them. But there is this 
L. Cockayne, Ph.D., F.R.S., photo 
Alpine meadow showing tussock and celmisias, with stunted beech 
in the distance. 
peculiarity, whereas in other countries the flowers, 
such as for example the gentian, are remarkable for 
the intensity of their colours, those of the New Zealand 
alpine meadow are in most cases either white or 
vellow. The white celmisias and buttercups are, 
however, the true aristocrats of the native flora. Yet 
plants growing in such situations have to contend with 
a most adverse environment. They are subjected to 
vreat extremes of heat and cold and exposed to fierce 
