General.

The florula consists of 193 species (pteridophytes 38, monocotyledons 63, dicotyledons 92) which belong to 37 families and 91 genera. The largest families and the number of species to each are as follows: — (families) Filices 34, Gramineae 26, Compositae 22, Orchidaceae 12, Cyperaceae 11, Juncaceae 9, Rubiaceae 7, Umbelliferae 6 and Caryophyllaceae, Cruciferae, Ranunculaceae and Onagraceae 5 each; (genera) Hymenophyllum 10, Poa 8, Blechnum and Coprosma 6 each, and Polypodium, Corysanthes and Ranunculus 5 each. The following 60 species (31% of the flora, but 3 are doubtfully endemic here considered endemic: — Hierochloe Brunonis? (A. C.), Deyeuxia Forsteri var. micranthera* (C. Ant.), Danthonia antarctica* (A. C.), Deschampsia gracittima? (A.), D. penicillata? (M.), Poa ramosissima? (A. C.), P. Hamiltoni? (M.), P. aucklandica? (A. C.), P. incrassata? (A. C.), P. imbecilla var. breviglumis* (A.C.), Atropis antipoda* (Ant.), Triodia macquariensis? (M.), Uncinia Hookeri* (A. 0. Ant. M.), Luzula crinita (A. C. Ant. M.), Chrysobactron page 337Rossii* (A. C), Urtica aucklandica* (A.), Stellaria decipiens*, (A. C. M), S. decipiens var. angustata* (Ant.), Colobanthus muscoides? (S. A. C. Ant. M.), C. Hookeri* (A. C), C. glacialis var. subcarnosa* (A. C), Ranunculus pinguis* (A. C), R. subscaposus? (C.), R. aucklandicus? (A.), Cardamine stellata* (A. C. S.), Geum albiflorum* (A.), Acaena sanguisorbae var. minor* (A. C. Ant. M.), Epilobium confertifolium* (A. C. Ant.), E. sp. aff. E. alsinoides* (Ant.), Stilbocarpa polaris* (A. C. Ant. M.), S. robusta* (S.), Schizeilema reniforme* (A. C), Anisotome latifolia? (A. C.), A antipoda. † (A. C. Ant.), A. acutifolia* (S.), Dracophyllum subantarcticun* (C.), D. scoparium* (C.), Gentiana cerina* (A. C), G. concinna* (A.), G. antarctica* (C.), G. antipoda* (Ant.), Myosotis antarctica* (C.) M. capitata* A. C.¹, Hebe Benthami† (A. C.), Plantago aucklandica (A.), P. subantarctica² † (A. C.), Coprosma antipoda (A.), C. myrtillifolia³ (A. C.), C. cuneata⁴ (A.C.), Olearia Lyallii* (S. A.), Pleurophyllum speciosum? (A. C.), P. criniferum? (A. C. Ant.), P. Hookeri? (A. C. M.), Celmisia vernicosa? (A. C), C. campbellensis† (A. C.), Cotula lanata? (A. C.), Helichrysum prostratum* (A. C. Ant.), Abrotanella spathulata* (A. C.), A rosulata* (C.) and Senecio antipodus? (Ant.). The genus Pleurophyllum is endemic. It is closely related to Celmisia and Olearia from which it differs chiefly in habit. The two species of Celmisia belong to the subgenus lonopsis. Stilbocarpa is common in Stewart Island, but it occurs in the South Island only in south-west Otago to a most limited degree.

The distribution of the New Zealand proper element within the Botanical Region is as follows: — Kermadecs 12 (pteridophytes 7), Chathams 45 (pteridophytes 22), North Island 98 (pteridophytes 35), South Island 115 (pteridophytes 36) and Stewart Island 110 (pteridophytes 37) or about 22 per cent of its florula. With regard to their vertical distribution about 60 species extend above the timber-line in New Zealand proper.

The ecological conditions.

The climate is uniform; there is but little difference between the means or extremes of winter and summer temperature The sky is generally cloudy; showers are frequent (annual rainfall ± 140 cm.); the atmosphere is saturated; periods of sunshine are brief; there is a general average low temperature (maximum ± 10° C. and minimum about—. 1°C.) with but slight winter frosts at sea-level; cold and violent winds accompanied by showers of sleet, hail or even snow are of constant occurrence. The wind indeed is a master-factor. Its mark is on the vegetation everywhere both in regard to form and distribution. The moisture-laden air and lack of sunshine favour the formation of peat. Dead stems and leaves of the herbaceous plants, slowly rotting, remain attached to the living plants. Bryophytes on the ground, on tree-trunks and on rock-faces build thick layers and cushions of peat, the outer shoots alone alive. The ferns, Blechnum durum and Asplenium obtusatum of the coastal cliffs form, from their dead rhizomes, masses of peat, 30 cm. or more in depth, which completely cover the flatter rocks. The soil of all the islands, indeed, for a depth of 9 m., or more, is made up altogether of plant-remains. Such a soil becomes saturated; pools lie on the surface and holes, masked by vegetation, full of water, are frequent on the open hillsides. The indigenous birds, especially penguins and albatrosses, and the seals, in some of the small islands, play an important part in plant-distribution and where numerous bring about a regular "rotation of crops" (Fig. 96). The foregoing conditions, that dependant on birds &c. being excepted, have brought about a vegetation akin, at all levels, to that of the subalpine belt of Stewart Island and of the flat-topped Mountains of the South Otago district.

The leading physiognomic plants and their life-forms.

With the exception of the Metrosideros, the following physiognomic plants, common to the Subantarctic province and the main islands of New Zealand, need no description: — The herbaceous and filmy ferns, especially Polystichum vestitum; Nothopanax simplex; Dracophyllum longifolium; Suttonia divaricata and Coprosma foetidissima.

Metrosideros lucida (Myrtac.), the southern-rata, in New Zealand proper, is an erect, evergreen tree with a maximum height of some 18 m., but in Lord Auckland Islands the trunk is nearly always more or less prostrate (Fig. 97). page 339irregular in shape, bent or arched and far-spreading either on, or just above forest-floor. The branches, too, are gnarled and twisted and extend at first more or less horizontally, but finally put forth erect branches which ultimately terminate in numerous twigs bearing abundant leaves and so forming flattened or rounded masses. The bark is of a dull reddish-brown and frequently hangs in long strips from the horizontal branches. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3 to 5 cm. long, thick, stiff, coriaceous and bright-green with a yellow midrib. The flowers are very numerous, bright-crimson and arranged in short terminal cymes.

The purely, or almost, endemic species of physiognomic importance are: —Danthonia antarctica, Poa foliosa, P. litorosa, Chrysobactron Rossii, 2 species of Anisotome, Stilbocarpa polaris, Dracophyllum subantarcticum, Olearia Lyallii and 3 species of Pleurophyllum.

The 3 grasses of the above list are of the tussock-form, all build trunks, those of Poa litorosa at times attaining a height of 1.5 m. The leaves of all are coriaceous, those of P. foliosa are bright-green and flat, of P. litorosa rather stiff, filiform and involute and of Danthonia antarctica thick, involute and pale or yellowish green.

Chrysobactron Rossii Hook. f. (Liliac.) is a summer-green herb with a short, stout rootstock. and numerous leaves arranged somewhat like those of a garden hyacinth. They are linear, 29 cm. × 9 cm., bright green and fleshy, the outer ones curved outwards and the inner erect but all so bent as to make channels down which water is conducted to the long, thick, fleshy roots. The flowers are dioecious, orange coloured, in dense racemes terminating stout scapes 30 cm. or more long. The male inflorescence may be 10 cm. × 5 cm. and is larger and more showy than the female

Anisotome latifolia and A. antipoda (Umbell.) are stately herbs of the Aciphylla-form with large, erect, thick, coriaceous, long-petioled, dark-green, pinnate leaves, about 60 cm. long, and an inflorescence of compound umbels forming a head of great size, borne on a stout stalk 73 cm. high. The two species are closely related but A. antipoda has the leaves much more finely divided.

Stilbocarpa polaris (Araliac.) much resembles S. Lyallii already described for Stewart Island but there are no stolons, the bright-green, fleshy, coriaceous, orbicular-reniform leaves, 20 cm. long X 30 cm. broad, are bristly on both surfaces and there is a stout, branching rhizome, +? 6 cm. diam., which creeps along the surface of the ground.

Dracophyllum subantarcticum (Epacrid.) is of the ordinary erect Dracophyllum-form and about 1.5 m. high; it needs no special description; it crosses freely with D. longifolium.

Pleurophyllum speciosum (Compos.) is a semi-summergreen herb of great size with 4 to 5 bright-green, fleshy, coriaceous, ovate leaves, some 57 cm. long × 39 cm. broad, arranged in a cup-like rosette. On the under-surface page 340of the leaf, at about 10 mm. apart, are a number of stout, almost parallel ribs which are connected by a network of raised, stout veins forming lacunae in the deep furrows between the ridges filled with loosely entangled cobwebby hairs. The upper surface of the leaf above the veins is sunken and the intermediate parallel spaces are raised, so giving a corrugated appearance to the leaf. The flower-stems are 80 cm., or more, high and terminated by a raceme of 15 flower-heads, each some 5 cm. diam., the disc dark-purple but the rays paler.

P. criniferum Hook. f. is a summer-green herb with thinner, much more erect leaves than the above, 30 to 90 cm. long by 15 to 30 cm. broad, the under-surface loosely tomentose and strengthened by stout flexible ribs. The massive flower-stalk, often more than 1 m. high, bears a raceme of globose heads, each 4 cm. in diam., the florets purplish-brown (Fig. 98).

P. Hookeri Buch. is a semi-summergreen herb with rosettes of obovate, rather thin leaves, about 29 cm. long by 6.5 cm. broad covered on both surfaces with silvery adpressed silky hairs which render the plant conspicuous.

The autecology of the plants.

Since not only are the special subantarctic species considered in what follows but the whole florula, so far as spermophytes and pteridophytes are concerned, and as many species are of restricted distribution, the statistics given are somewhat misleading and do not truly reflect the relation between the life-forms and the ecological conditions. The abundance of the following life-forms must therefore be specially emphasized, although some of them are represented by very few species: — 1. The tussock with a trunk. 2. The prostrate tree. 3. The divaricating-shrub. 4. The cushion. 5. The rosette. 6. The creeping and rooting herb. Further, the number of large-leaved herbs is much greater than in any formations of the open elsewhere in the region.

The trees number 6, all of which, leaving the tree-fern on one side, are frequently shrubs also. The growth-forms are: — Canopy-tree 1; rhododendron-form 2; araliad-form 1; low bushy-tree 1.

The trunks of 3 species are more or less, prostrate for half their length or more, curved, arching or irregularly twisted. In the case of Olearia Lyallii and Senecio Stewartiae their trunks are firmly anchored to the substratum by adventitious roots. As for Metrosideros lucida, roots are abundantly produced from the trunk, but they rarely enter the substratum. However, they branch abundantly in the liverwort covering of the trunk and are thus in a position to take up a good deal of rain-water. Nothopanax simplex and Dracophyllum longifolium have generally quite short trunks, more or less erect, which are branched from the base; they both stand on the border-land between trees and shrubs.

The leaves of all the trees are thick, coriaceous, stiff (except in the Senecio) and glossy (except in D. longifolium). Those of O. Lyallii and S. Stewartiae are large, measuring 20 × 13 cm. and 18 × 4.5 cm. respectively. page 341The otherwise excessive transpiration from the wide surface is checked by a thick tomentum on the under-surface. Metrosideros lucida, Nothopanax simplex and Dracophyllum longifolium have leaves respectively measuring 5 × 1.9 cm.; from 6.5 × 2 cm. to 10.5 × 3 cm. and 16 cm. × 3 mm. The last-named has long, narrow leaves tapering to a fine point, sheathing at the base, concave on the upper surface and bunched together 15 or more at the apices of the ultimate branchlets, after the manner of a tufted grass. They are also vertical or thereabouts and the inner leaves are sheltered by those which have withered. This xerophytic form leads to the tree occupying the most exposed station in the forest or, as a shrub, growing on windswept slopes.

The tree-fern (Hemitelia Smithii) may be considered a tree, though in the Aucklands it does not exceed 2 m. in height; its leaves are thin.

Shrubs number 15 (including the rare Fuchsia excorticata which quite likely is a tree, as in New Zealand proper). As most vary epharmonically to an extreme degree¹ it is not easy to decide as to the common form. Arbitrarily they may be classified as follows: — Mesophytes 8, xerophytes or sub-xerophytes 7, tall shrubs 4, of medium height 7, of low stature 3 and very low 1. As for their life-forms, 5 are bushy, 5 divaricating, 2 of the fastigiate Dracophyllum-form, 1 low straggling, 1 a flat open cushion or mat, and 1 a tuft-shrub (fern).

The branches of the shrubs are generally slender; those of the divaricating-form are stiff and more or less rigid; those of the two species of Dracophyllum fastigiate and dense, those of Hebe elliptica and Fuchsia fairly stout, and Cyathodes empetrifolia has very slender, flexible, wiry branches.

The leaves may be characterized as follows: — compound 1, simple 14, broad 11, narrow 4, very large 1, of medium size 1, small 4, very small 9, coriaceous &c. 11, thin 4, glabrous 13, hairy 2.

Herbs and semi-woody plants number 160 of which 21 are semi-woody, 139 herbaceous, 4 hygrophytes, 103 mesophytes, 53 xerophytes, annuals 7, perennials 153 (semi-woody 20, herbaceous 133), wandering 52, spot-bound 108, summer-green 25 (including 7 annuals), evergreen 135, very tall 18, tall 10, of medium stature 13, of low stature 67, of very low stature 52.

Coming now to the leaves they may be characterized as follows: — simple 130, compound 29, broad 125, narrow 34, very large 14, large 13, of medium size 22, small 46, very small 64, thin 64, coriaceous &c. 95, hairy 27, and glabrous 132. The most striking fact regarding the leaves of the Subantarctic plants is the occurrence amongst the endemic species of leaves not only of great size but of distinctly mesophytic character. This luxuriance is truly remarkable when the wind-factor is considered, but it must be pointed out that the leaves of several are only summergreen or semi-summergreen and that those of some are strengthened by stout veins. Moreover, special luxuriance is in harmony with considerable shelter and decrease in size combined with flattening to the ground comes on in proportion to increase in exposure.

There is no need to give any details regarding special plants since this is done to some extent both when dealing with the physiognomic species and with the associations. The species of Anisotome, with their very large leaves in erect rosettes, are semi-mesophytic or sub-xerophytic representatives of the intensely xerophytic Aciphyllae of subalpine and alpine New Zealand. At the same time, their leaf-anatomy, shows various xerophytic features¹.

Speaking of some of the endemic species, the roots of Chrysobaciron, Anisotome and Pleurophyllum are long, numerous, thick and fleshy. Several, including the cushion-plants (some of these non-endemic) have deeply descending tap-roots. In the case of creeping stems the roots are comparatively short.

Epiphytes, including the lianoid Polypodium diversifolium, number. 12. They consist of 7 erect, spreading or pendent creeping filmy-ferns, 3 low tufted ferns, 1 creeping rather large-leaved fern, and 1 erect or drooping semi-woody plant. But, with so many prostrate, bryophyte-clad trunks at their disposal, virtually all the forest species may be epiphytes, and so this term be to some degree a misnomer.

With regard to seasonal changes the vegetation is comparatively quiescent from May to the end of September, As the forest and scrub are evergreen the winter and summer aspect are the same, except that the leaves of Histiopteris are for the most part dead. In the open, where tussock does not dominate, the aspect is considerably changed, for the great leaves of Pleurophyllum criniferum and those of Chrysobactron Rossii are absent and those of other species of Pleurophyllum much reduced in size. Eypolepis Millefolium and Polystichum cystostegia are likewise summergreen. At about the middle of November, the herbs of Lord Auckland Islands are just coming into flower the first to appear being those of Ranunculus pinguis, R. aucklandicus, Myosotis capitata, Hebe Benthami and Phyllachne clavigera. By December, many more species are blooming freely and during that month the herb-field is full of colour, though Pleurophyllum speciosum is at its best in early January. Then too, Metrosideros lucida transforms the forest roof into a blaze of crimson. More or less of a floral display extends till March but most likely it is chiefly a few species flowering out of season that persist so long, e. g., Stilbocarpa, Anisotome antipoda, Pleurophyllum criniferum, Chrysobactron &c.

The plant-communities.

Dune occurs only on Enderby Island (Lord Aucklands). True sand-binding plants are absent, the wet climate alone keeps the sand fixed and non-dune species form the association, especially Tillaea moschata, Ranunculus acaulis, Epilobium confertifolium, Pratia arenaria and a moss of dense habit. Where the dunes are moving inland, through disturbance by cattle, there are pure colonies of Rumex neglectus which may have been absent in the virgin association.

Forest includes two distinct associations — the southern-rata and the Olearia Lyallii, the latter occurring on the Snares and the Lord Aucklands, the former on the Lord Aucklands only. The remaining groups are without forest.

Olearia Lyallii forest is closely related to 0. Colensoi coastal-scrub of Stewart Island. On the Snares, it occupies the gullies and more sheltered slopes covering much of the main island. 0. Lyallii is usually pure, but in places there is a little Senecio Stewartiae of similar life-form. The dominant tree has generally a fairly thick trunk which lies prostrate for half its length, or more. A few more or less horizontal branches are given off, which, branching sparingly, finally bend upwards and branching several times into twos or threes bear, on the ultimate, stiff, white, tomentose branchlets, rosettes of dark-green, very thick, coriaceous, large leaves white beneath with dense tomentum and so close as to touch (Fig. 101). Seen from within, the forest is about 4.5 m. high; trunks sprawl over the ground, sometimes for a distance of 9 m. and everywhere there is a rigid tangle of stiff, grey branches, while above are naked stems and a close roof of white foliage. Generally, the floor is bare and undergrowth wanting, except at the bottom of a gully, where there will be a few plants of Blechnum durum and Polystichum vestitum.

The association on Ewing Island (Lord Aucklands) is similar, except that the trees are taller (6 to 9 m.), less prostrate and Senecio Stewartiae is absent.

Scrub occurs where wind or altitude are antagonistic to forest. The community differs on the different islands and is absent on the Snares, unless the lowest Olearia forest be so designated, and the Macquaries.

Lord Auckland Island's scrub consists of the forest-trees and shrubs, the former now shrubs merely (Fig. 102), with the addition of Cassinia Vauvilliersii. Though, in exposed positions, it occurs at sea-level, as on Enderby Island, its greatest development is as a continuous belt on the hills, united to the upper forest, at an average altitude of perhaps 150 m. At its upper limit, it merges into tussock-moor, but in the shelter of the gullies it still continues for some time. The chief peculiarity of the association is its astonishing density. The shrubs are so rigid, much-branching and interlaced, that it is frequently impossible to force a passage through, or even to crawl beneath them; the only feasible mode of progression is to roll over their top. Suttonia divaricata is dominant and to this especially is the extreme density due. The scrub varies from 1 to 2 m. in height, according to exposure; its surface is uneven.

Dracophyllum scrub is the common scrub association of Campbell Island. The members are Dracophyllum subantarcticum (dominant), D. longifolium, the hybrids between these two, D. scoparium (rare), Suttonia divaricata, Coprosma parviflora, C. ciliata, C. cuneata together with Blechnum procerum and Polystichum vestitum when sufficiently open. Seen from a distance, the association presents an even surface and recalls Leptospermum shrubland of New Zealand proper. The relative proportion of Dracophyllum or divaricating-shrubs varies in different localities and situations, so that either life-form may dominate and, in the latter case, the association, according tc Laing (1909:488) might be called Coprosma scrub. Dracophyllum scrub is equally as dense as the allied association of the Lord Aucklands from which it differs only in the greater abundance of the Dracophyllum-form, in the absence of Metrosideros, Cassinia and Coprosma foetidissima and in the presence of the two species of Dracophyllum. Antipodes Island scrub occurs in the sheltered gullies, descending in long dark lines down the hillsides. It consists of Coprosma ciliata? and C. antipoda and attains a height of about 1.5 m. Probably Polystichum vestitum is an associated species.

Moor embraces the two distinct types of vegetation — tussock-moor and herb-moor. Tussock-moor includes 3 subassociations which are dominated respectively by Poa foliosa, P. litorosa and Danthonia antarctica.

Poa foliosa moor occurs on the Snares and Aucklands and probably, to some extent, on the Campbells and Antipodes. The subassociation stands out conspicuously through its bright-green colour. The tussocks are about 50 cm. high and 55 cm. diam.; they grow closely and the broad leaves droop somewhat. On the Snares, Stilbocarpa robusta is a companion plant, either singly or in broad patches, its darker-green, great orbicular leaves constrasting with the paler grass. Asplenium obtusatum and Blechnum durum occur sparingly. On Lord Auckland Islands, apart from a frequent belt of varying breadth near the shore, where Carex trifida is a member, Poa foliosa moor exists merely as small pure patches in the Poa litorosa subassociation.

Danthonia antarctica moor is a well-marked subassociation which forms the next altitudinal belt after scrub in the Lord Aucklands and after Poa litorosa moor in Campbell Island giving, at a distance, a brown colour and smooth appearence to the hillsides. But such smoothness is quite illusory, the ground being most uneven while water lies in hollows of the peat which throughout is extremely wet. The dominant Danthonia, of tussock-form, is usually raised above the ground-surface on irregular-shaped, peaty trunks. Shrubs⁵ are dotted about, and, in the shelter they and the tussocks afford, a, re mats of Coprosma repens together with Nertera depressa, Epilobium linnaeoides, E. confertifolium, Helichrysum prostratum⁶ and H. bellidioides,

In places tussocks without trunks grow so close together that their leaves single and the yellow mass, waving in the breeze, looks like a field of ripe corn. But such an apparently pure association, on the Lord Aucklands, may conceal a wiry undergrowth of Coprosma foetidissima, C. cuneata and C. myrtillifolia. When the ground becomes wetter, the tussocks are further apart and there is space for other smaller grasses and many of the smaller herbaceous plants, especially Carpha alpina (Lord Aucklands), the endemic Hierochloe Brunonis, Deschampsia Chapmani, Agrostis magellanica, Deyeuxia setifolia, Chrysobactron Rossii, Ranunculus pinguis, the endemic Acaena; Epilobium confertifolium, E, linnaeoides, Celmisia vernicosa¹ and Helichrysum prostratum or H. bellidioides.

Herb-moor is distinguished by the dominance of herbaceous life-forms other than tussock which if not absent, plays quite a subordinate part. It may be divided into the subassociations tall and low herb-moor, the former lowland and not strongly xerophytic, but the latter subalpine xerophytic.

Tall herb-moor, formerly named by me "Pleurophyllum meadow", occurs in its greatest luxuriance on the shores of Carnley Harbour, and, in a more modified form, on the slopes of Disappointment Island and in Campbell Island. All its members are present in one or other of the communities, but here the array of stately herbs with immense leaves and, in some cases, masses of showy flowers, are gathered together, so that the glory of nearly all the magnificent endemic species can be seen at a glance. "Fairchild's garden", on the gentle slope of Adams Island near the Western Channel, is the most striking example of the subassociation and to that charming spot the following specially refers.

On Antipodes Island, in certain sheltered places there is a distinct subassociation made up of the large-leaved Urtica australis, Poa foliosa, Polystichum vestitum, extensive colonies of Stilbocarpa polaris and flat-topped bushes of Coprosma ciliata?.

Ground on Antipodes Islands, manured by the giant petrel (Ossifraga gigantea) is occupied by the endemic Senecio antipodus, a branching-perennial herb, 20 to 60 cm. high, but, according to W. R. B. Oliver and G. E. Du Rietz, it also occurs on unmanured ground.

Low herb-moor occurs on sopping wet ground near the summits of the hills of the Lord Auckland Island. The association consists of species which, almost all, grow close to the surface of the ground. Pleurophyllum Hookeri is dominant, the rosettes being frequently so close together that many square metres glisten with the silvery covering. Sometimes the glossy-green cushions or mats of Celmisia vernicosa are in vast numbers. Carpha alpina and Astelia linearis generally form the groundwork of the association. The following are also common: — Hymenophyllum multifidum, Agrostis magettanica, Luzula crinita, Chrysobactron Rossii, Ranunculus pinguis, Gentiana cerina, Myosotis capitata, Hebe Benthami and Coprosma repens.

Where the ground is wettest actual bog-conditions prevail and a sub-association occurs in which the cushion-plants Phyllachne clavigera (Fig. 61) and Oreobolus pectinatus are dominant and sub-dominant respectively and the following are common: — cushions of Gaimardia ciliata, the rush-like Schizaea fistulosa var. australis, a turf of Astelia subulata, A. linearis and Coprosma repens. Celmisia vernicosa and Chrysobactron will also be present. Similar bogs exist on Campbell Island, but these in addition contain Sphagnum antarcticum.

On Antipodes Island there are numerous bogs in flat depressions, but their composition as follows is more nearly related to tall herb-moor: — Marchantia cephaloscypha forms broad, flat patches, Hymenophyllum multifidum, Unncinia Hookeri, Carex ternaria, Luzula crinita. Anisotome antipoda, Stilbocarpa polaris, Coprosma repens, C. antipoda (stunted) and Pleurophyllum criniferum.

Rock and debris communities are only to be found near the shore and on the summits of the hills in Lord Auckland Islands and Campbell Island. The special rock plants are: — Polypodium pumilum, Colobanthus subulatus, Geum albiflorum (Lord Aucklands only), Schizeilema reniforme and Abrotanella rosulata (Campbells only). Two associations occur to be called respectively, the subalpine rock-association and the subalpine rock-debris association.

In the latter association on the bare rock is the suffruticose lichen,. Stereocaulon ramulosum; also there are black patches of several species of Andreaea. Peat very readily accumulates on ledges and in hollows, so that there is hardly any species belonging to neighbouring communities, that does not occur on rock; in fact, Anisotome antipoda, Phyllachne clavigera, Coprosma repens and other species may form a virtually closed association.

The principal crevice-plants are Cardamine depressa, Colobanthus subulatus, Geum albiflorum (Lord Aucklands), Schizeilema reniforme and Abrotanella rosulata (Campbells). Very characteristic are Polypodium pumilum and Hymenophyllum multifidum either forming lines in crevices or great sheets on the rock-face. Certain mosses are common on wet rocks, especially Braunia Humboldtii, Lophiodon strictus, Conostomum australe and Hypnum hispidum.

Beneath the cliffs which form the actual summit of many of the hills of both the Aucklands and Campbells there are debris-fields. But although he primitive substratum would be rock-fragments merely, it would take little time in the wet subantarctic climate before plants settled down, many of which from their peculiar nature would rapidly cause peat to be formed. The substratum is always as wet as possible, so that there is here no need for shingle-slip "adaptations", rather is wind-resisting power the chief desideratum, here attained by lowness of stature, the cushion-form, the ground-rosette form and the prostrate-habit. The plants peculiar to the association, or nearly so are: — Polystichum cystostegia (growing where debris is largest), Marsippospermum gracile, Cardamine glacialis var. sub-carnosa and Plantago aucklandica (Lord Aucklands). The other species are the same as for low moor but the relative percentage is different. Myosotis capitata, Ranunculus pinguis and Celmisia vernicosa are abundant. Pleurophyllum Hookeri still plays a most important part.

Swamp is essentially a lowland community. It is especially distinguished by plants of the trunks-tussock form. Carex trifida, C. appressa and Poa litorosa are abundant, the former on the Lord Aucklands and Campbells, and the two latter on Antipodes as well, where Polystichum vestitum, in dense masses is very characteristic. Blechnum procerum is also a frequent swamp-plant.

The vegetation of Macquarie Island forms, for the most part, a class by itself. Not having visited the island myself, what follows is taken from the writings of Scott (1883), A. Hamilton (1895) and Cheeseman (1919), the latter based largely on specimens collected by H. Hamilton, but containing little new regarding the vegetation.

On cliffs subject to drenching with salt-water, there are, in abundance, cushions of Colobanthus muscoides, together with the small endemic grass Triodia macquariensis and Tillaea moschata. The last named and Cotula page 351plumosa occur on the beach. The subantarctic American - Kerguelen Festuca erecta is also a plant of coastal rocks. Where the ground is swampy there is a close growth of Poa foliosa with tall trunks. If tussock is absent, there is Cardamine corymbosa, Montia fontana and Callitriche antarctica.

The hill-slopes are occupied by a tall growth of Poa foliosa tussock, Stilbocarpa polaris and the silvery rosettes of Pleurophyllum Hookeri; here too is Acaena adscendens and A. Sanguisorbae var. minor. This association is of considerable extent. All the above is distinctly New Zealand- Subantarctic, but on the exposed hill-tops the scene changes; the wind has here the mastery and the formation is allied to the "wind-desert" of Kerguelen Land. Here is A. Hamilton's vivid account: "At about 300 feet you gain a plateau so swept by the antarctic gales that the vegetation is reduced to compact closely growing mosses, small Uncinias and the conspicuous cushion-like masses of Azorella Selago. In the hollows of the uplands are countless little tarns or lakes, some of considerable extent. Round the tops of the hills the wind has cut out wonderful terraces from a few inches to a foot or two in height, with completely bare rock, much disintegrated by the weather on the top. In some of the more sheltered places or gullies stunted plants of Stilbocarpa and Pleurophyllum cover the ground."

Ligneous plants are absent, the representative of the subantarctic divaricating species of Coprosma being the mat-forming herbaceous or semi-woody C. repens.

The Bounty Islands consist of a small group of islets and rocks, the largest about 1 km. in length and 90 m. high. Their sole rock is granite worn smooth as glass by the polishing action for ages of the feet of thousands of penguins and many seals. Large quantities of guano are deposited during the breeding season, but it is washed away by the rains of winter. Except for one species of fresh-water alga, vegetation is absent on the land-surface, but at the shore-line is, in places, abundance of Durvillea antarctica. Doubtless the islands were once a part of "Greater New Zealand" and possessed a fairly rich flora.