Lowland Zone

Along estuaries mangrove forests are well developed and contain many species. Further inland on the plains, swamp forests are widespread, and in the south, where there is a distinct dry season, monsoon forests characterised by a proportion of deciduous trees occupy better drained page 227sites. In the driest areas fire is an important factor and an open forest of Australian aspect and relationships covers the landscape. Species of Eucalyptus and other genera of the Myrtaceae dominate in these forests. However, the most widespread forest type up to 700 m is a species-rich, evergreen rain forest. Strangling figs may occur as emergents over a main canopy of buttressed trees up to 45 m in height. Vines and epiphytes are common, the latter including ferns and many orchids. New Zealand shares only a few genera with these forests, for example, Agathis, Elaeocarpus, Dysoxylum and Beilschmiedia.