Page image
Page image

C.-ll

30

rulare. Here also the purple-flowered Upilohium erectum is plentiful, making almost a zone in the shallow water, and extending on to the drier ground. Where the springs gush from the lava ;iiv masses of Helichrysum beUidioides (Photo. No. 28) and luxuriant Uterochloe redolent. On 1 1 1<■ banks of rivers, close i<. the water's edge, is frequently a close growth of Celmisia glandulosa, Pratia angulosa, Veronica cataract ce, Helichrytum bellidioidet, Gunnera dentata, BpUobiwn maeroptu, the small Epilobivm as above, and Ouritia Colentoi. Small and rather deep streams, such as occur on the margins of wide i ivei -beds, originating in springs, have frequently an abundant vegetation, whose presence is manifest at a distance by lines of the reddish-coloured sedge Schcenus pauciflorux. Right in the water are dose colonies of the brown-leaved Guftntra dentata, and side by Ride with it abundance of Ranunculus rivularis (its leaves Boating), J uncus nntarcticus, Myriophyllum Vottchii, and Drotera tpathtdata; but these last three in the shallower, muddy parts. fipilobiwn maeroptu, too, is extremely abundant, and very showy when in full bloom; also Montia fontana, and in some places Claytoma australasica . These river-bed streams frequently give rise to veritable bogs and water-holes, where Garex ternaria and Schoenus pauciflorue are dominant, while the reddish-brown leaves of Potamogeton natans float on the water-holes or on the sluggish streams. <>n the boggy ground, where not occupied by taller growths, is Cratpedia uniflora var. minor and Nertera depretta; Ranunculus rivularis and Epilobium macropus will also be present in greater or lesser abundance. At ji lower elevation—say. about 3,000ft., as in the lied of (lie Oturere just where the forest ends are sphagnum bogs with Leptospcrmum scoparium, Arundo conspicua, Garex ternaria, C. virgata, and. especially on the sphagnum itself. Viola Cunninghamii and Gunnera prorepens. Unfortunately, I have no notes of this interesting association, and am trusting merely to memory. (liA WINTER-BOGS, Between ground which is exposed to a considerable wetting during the melting of the winter siio" or after heavy rain, and veritable bog, where the ground is always saturated with water and springy to the tread, and where frequently water-holes are present, are many transitions. At first, indeed, it looks as if the bog-plants were constituents of the desert or steppe associations, and, in fact, to some extent, certain of I Iμ' xemphytes are. The close cushions, made up of the distichous, equitant, small, hard eaves of Orcbolut /it r/iniilii* above ami peat from its decay beneath, grow Frequently where there can lie no bog conditions at any time, while, as noted before, Ghichenia diearpa and Dacrydium laxifolium, two of the most frequent of ehrub-steppe plants, are usually denizens of wet ami boggy ground elsewhere, as on the Southern Alps. During the time of my visit. Inn for the presence of Garpha aljrina, Oreobolus, Celmisia glandulosa, Viola Cunninghamii, and Uypolasna lateriflora var. minor, to quote some examples, one could not have conjectured that the ground in which they grew could ever be wetter than that of the surrounding country, so dry was the season. These " winter bogs," then, to give them a descriptive title, subject their plants to most extreme conditions, and it is not hard in this case to explain how such an intensely xerophytic structure as that of the Oreoboltn should be a great advantage to its possessor. Gleichenin nl j)>, in. too, is abundant in such situations, but it is the grass-like Garpha alpina, with its palegreen leaves, withered, twisted, and straw-coloured at their extremities, which gives the -tamp to all the bogs of the district, n I matter (heir water-content. (r.) Boiis. The bogs proper are frequently on the bottoms of shallow side gullies leading into dry creeks and " wash-outs," at an altitude of 4,00(1 ft. and upwards. A small stream may feed them, and probably below is much underground BOakage from the scoria slopes, which hinders the surface water sinking, and allows, under these wet conditions, the accumulation of decaying vegetable matter. The ground is covered in a typical case with a close turf, made up of Carpha alpina; the darkgreen lAparophyllum Gunni, whose very thick pale rhizome extends far through the spongy ground ami forms close malted masses; Utricularia moiianthos; Drotera arcturi, with its reddish leaves; Scirput lenticularis; S. aucklandicus ; silvery mats of Gnaphalium paludosum; tufts of I'clinixitt longifolia; cushions of the species of Centrolepis. In such a turf the innumerable white starry flowers of Liparophyllum, tiny though they are, and the rather showy purple ones, fading to white, of Utricularia, give a distinct character to the bog, while the white flower-heads of Celmisia longifolia may add to the colour. Where water lies will be Potamogeton natans, Hypoin no lateriflora var. minor, and Cares echinata; and the leaves of the first-named may cover the wet ground with a reddish mat even where no actual water is visible. Encircling such a bog will be a zone of Gleichenia alpina or <<'. diearpa extending on to the steppe or to the scrub. Other frequent members of the bog association are J uncus antarcticut, Craspedia uniflora var. minor, Ourisia Colentoi, Celmisia glandulosa, Gentiana beUidifolia, Forstera BidwUlii, Coprosma repent, Carex ternaria, Aciphylla squarrosa, Danthonia Raoulii, Calamagrostis setifolia, Schanus paucijtoritt. Towards the central saddle is much wettish ground on the slopes, and there Hppo/irna and Gleichenia are in great abundance, the warm-brown colour , of the former and the pale-green fronds of the latter marking the physiognomy. With these are the usual steppe-ehrubs, much dwarfed, and raised slightly on mounds above the general level, and above all are numerous attenuated examples of Danthonia Raoulii, not more than 28 in. tall. The bog-waters are much charged with iron, and ground or plants are frequently covered with a rusty coating. (</. i Ei OLOOI . As for the adaptations of the bog-plants, these are diverse, some being distinct hygrophytes. such as Potamogeton, and other xerophytes, as Liparophyllum and Oreobolus pectinatus. Even such a typical xerophyte as Aciphylla squarrosa, with its Fueea-form, is quite at home. Another similar example is afforded by the luxuriant growth of Luiula Colentoi, a denizen of the most arid Kcoria slopes, and of the highest altitudes, BO far as the North Island mountains go, but yet which.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert