C—l 4

18

also Astelia trinervia, Geniostoma, Fusanus Cunninghamii, a little juvenile Dacrydium Colensoi, Coprosma robusta, Podocarpus totara, Rapanea I'rvillei, Gahnia xanthocarpa, Dracophyllum latifolium. Leptospermum scoparium was the dominant tree. On the southern side of the Waipoua Reserve the formation gives place to heath, but between the txvo there is evidently a connection or transition. This is shown by the mixture of forest and heath plants at the junction of both and by the presence in the forest itself of such heath-plants as Lycopodium densum (Photo 16), Styphelia fasciculata, and I'ordyline Banksii. The transitional forest consists of Leptospermum ericoides, Knightia excelsa, Weinmannia sylvicola, Melicytus ramiflorus, and Olcaria Cunninghamii as trees or low trees, and young Knightia, Geniostoma, and Brachyglottis as undergrowth. Here, too, in some places, Cyathea dealbata is dominant, its trunk man-high or less, and its great fronds arching laterally. Then Leptospermum scoparium becomes dominant, and this gives place finally to the true heath. The most interesting feature of this transitional forest is the presence of young kauri, totara, and even rimu, in much greater abundance than seedlings of these occur in the true forest interior. Moreover, juvenile kauri occurs as a rule near the general forest outskirts, an important point to be noted and dealt with further on. The folloxving quotations from my notes give some idea of the transition forest in various parts of the Waipoua Reserve : — " Passing out of the tarairi-kauri forest on to the open heath, Lycopodium densum is kneedeep and mixed with tall Blechnum capense. Growing through this dominant undergrowth is Leptospermum ericoides and Senecio Kirkii, Styphelia fasciculata. 1 lerately tall Knightia excelsa, young Podocarpus totara, Coprosma lucida, Persoouia toiu, and young Weinmannia. with an undergroxvth of Gahnia sp., Lycopodium vo/übi/c. Blechnum Frazeri, Dianvlla intermedia. Here is a low, dense forest, in which manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) is dominant. The undergroxvth consists of a dense groxvth of Astelia trinervia, sft. tall, mixed with bracken of an equal height The manuka is 12 ft. to 14 ft. tall, its erect stems quite close. On the ground are seedlings of Quintinia serrata, Senecio Kirkii, Weinmannia, and young Dacrydium cupressinum. There is also tall Nothopanax arboreum, equal to the manuka in height, and abundance of Quintinia serrata, man-high or less, quite slender and little-branched Here is a low forest 30ft, tall. The dominant tree is Leptospermum scoparium. with very small heads. Then there is Persoonia torn with round heads, Quintinia serrata, Rapanea I'rvillei. Nothopanax arboreum, and moderate-sized Weinmannia. The undergrowth is 6 ft. or so tall, and quite dense, and consists of Astelia trinervia, Blechnum capense, Alseuosmia macrophylla, Senecio Kirkii. The straight, slender, greyish stems of the manuka growing closely together, and the green, dense mass of Blechnum capense and Astelia, give the character to the association. On the floor, where more or less open, is Lycopodium densum and /.. volubile. There are a fexv tree-ferns (Cyathea dealbata) and some young totara, Weinmannia, and Styphelia fasciculata. Near the outskirts tall DracophyUum UrviUeanum, manuka, the common bracken (Pteridium esculentum), and Lycopodium densum form the undergrowth." .... "On the south side of the Omaia Heath is a low forest, The undergroxvth consists of Blechnum capense (with very long fronds), Gahnia xanthocarpa, Astelia trinervia, Blechnum Frazeri. and a good deal of Dicksonia lanata forming close thickets. The trees are Podocarpus totara, Leptospermum ericoides, Weinmannia sylvicola. slender Quintinia serrata, Ixerba brexioides, and Dacrydium Kirkii. Other plants of the undergrowth are Senecio Kirkii, Cyathea dealbata, Coprosma grandifolia, small Dacrydium cupiressinum, and through the undergrowth some Lycopodium densum. " Further on, the forest undergrowth makes a dense tangle. There is Styphelia in plenty, young Podocarpus ferrugineus, Alseuosmia macrophylla, young kauris, occasional young Libocedrus Doniana, Geniostoma, and Phebalium Here on about a square yard are Alseuosmia, Senecio Kirkii, Weinmannia sylvicola, Melicope simplex (this is not a common plant, though frequently occurring in isolated examples), young DracophyUum latifolium; and, close to above, Cyathea dealbata, Phebalium nudum, Geniostoma, Nothopanax arbor/ urn. Sty/Julia fasciculata—in fact, nearly all the undergrowth plants. Beilschmiedia tarairi is here almost wanting." On a ridge above the Waipoua River, at the south end of the forest, is an interesting example of the association under consideration. It is distinct from the forest proper, and is noteworthy principally for three reasons: (1.) The association is a forest-heath transition, but with more of forest character than usual. (2.) There is an abundance of young kauri-trees at various stages of development, and it looks as if the final destiny of such an association would lie kauri forest proper. (3.) It contains also large numbers of seedlings and young trees of Dacrydium Kirkii and Phyllocladus trichomanoides. Generally speaking, a large percentage of the ordinary forestplants are present, and with these are certain of the heath-plants. Here are some details: — " This is a piece of forest consisting chiefly of small Weinmannia sylvicola. The trunks are straight, but occasionally leaning, and may be 6 in. in diameter, 30 ft. to 35 ft. tall, and quite unbranched except at the upper fourth, the branches sometimes spreading or at other times forming a compact head, semi-erect, and the leaves close together. Other trees are 5 in. in diameter, and some are smaller. Mixed with these is Leptospermum ericoides, also xvith small or spreading crowns, but sometimes of considerable diameter of trunk. Through their small leaves the light can penetrate. The brown bark sheds off in long strips. Many of the trunks are very straight. but some are leaning. There is also some Olearia Cunninghamii, but this is usually of irregular form and frequently much out of the perpendicular : its bark, too, is deciduous. This part just described is beloxv the actual slope, on which the trees become smaller, xvhile on the other hand the species are much more numerous, small Knightia excelsa especially being abundant. On the ground, which is mostly rather bare, are small and large (i.e., without trunks, with small trunks,